So you didn’t get into your dream school… Now what?

This sucks. You worked hard. You wrote your essays, rocked your SATs, took the most challenging classes you could, interviewed, toured, and sent in awesome recs. And yet... You still didn’t get into the school of your dreams.

You were banking on that school. How are you supposed to decide when you were meant to get into your dream?

So here’s a few things to do when your plans don’t work out the way you thought they would.

Take a long hard look at your other options

While touring schools people with dream schools often look around and think, “Well it’s good… but it’s not [dream school]. Well, now that dream school is off the table, you might start to see things in a new light… Maybe you overlooked some of the smaller details that made your other schools amazing, or you just refused to see the good in them.

Look at finances

Oftentimes people have the attitude of, “If I can magically get into this school I’ll make it work somehow.” If that school is out of the running, maybe it’s time to bump up finances from a minor inconvenience to a deciding factor. If you’re planning on going to graduate school, or into a career that doesn’t make a whole lot of money, you might be best off picking the school that is most affordable.

Don’t compare

I’ve given this advice before, but really, don’t compare yourself to others. You have no idea what really goes on behind closed doors of admissions. You can make yourself the strongest applicant you can be, but there is still a whole lot of luck involved. Don’t look at the student’s who may have gotten into your dream school as “taking your spot.” Maybe they were full pay when you needed financial aid, maybe they’re half Cherokee, maybe they’re a varsity athlete, or maybe their grandparents work at the school. You don’t know the situation, and comparing yourself is only going to make things harder.

Don’t start making convoluted plans

There was a girl I knew with who was an average student for my high school. Mostly regular classes with a few honors and APs thrown in, B student, decent but not great boards. She only was accepted to her safety school, one of NY’s mid-tier state schools. But she insisted it was okay because “Oh if I can keep a B average my freshman year I can transfer to Cornell.”

I’m sorry. What?

Don’t be that kid. Don’t be the girl who applies to Penn nursing thinking she can transfer to Wharton.

Don’t be the kid who takes a gap year so they can go to GS at Columbia.

Can you go to community college for a year with the intention of transferring to a 4-year school? Absolutely. This is a great plan to get some credits in and save some money.
Don’t do things as part of your “master plan” to end up at an Ivy League or Top Tier school.
Don’t be that kid.

Really.

Find silver linings

There’s a saying in college admissions: “Everyone ends up where they’re supposed to go.”

And it’s true.

Truly, everything happens for a reason, and you were meant to go to the school you ended up at. Maybe you were supposed to meet a special someone, maybe form a lifelong friendship, or maybe find a mentor for your future career.
If I hadn’t gone to the school I go to, I don’t think I would be going in the career direction I am thinking of now. I would have gone organizational psychology instead of developmental. I would have wanted to work in offices instead of schools. With adults instead of teenagers. The school I attend was my first choice, and I was lucky enough to get in, and I really feel that I was meant to go here.

And finally, hopefully this doesn’t need saying but…

Don’t be pretentious about your choices
Don’t think of a school as “below you” or your “safety school” if it’s truly your only choice. To be a bit controversial… if you only got into your safety school, you overestimated your abilities and over-applied.
And guess what? You’re there now. You’re no better than any of the other students who are now your classmates. Find the good in where you are. Find things you love. If you’re the big fish in a pond that is too small for you? Do well freshman year and try to transfer. Don’t want to do that? Become valedictorian and go to a top tier grad school.

College acceptances are what you make of them. So make the best, even if the situation isn’t ideal.

Happy D-Day everyone. And may the odds be ever in your favor

D-day.
Decision Day. Denial Day. Death Day.

Ivy Release day.

It comes once a year. And it’s stressful. You feel like your teeth are falling out until 5PM, when you feel like every second is a millennium.

While I never went through D-Day in the first person (I applied early decision to my school), I know how stressful it can be. You might be waiting on your one dream reach school. You might be waiting for that denial you know will come. It might be a success. It might crash and burn. And, more than anything, you just want this waiting to be over.

So top three tips for D-Day:

1.     Keep yourself distracted

I know that waiting is hard. Trust me. I’m terrible at it. But distract yourself. My parents took me to the bookstore (my favorite place) on my release day and had me walk around and look at books for an hour to help me release my anxiety. It helped. Do something that you love , something where you’re bound to get engrossed in something. Go for a run, see a movie, take your dog for a walk. Anything fun.

2.     Don’t compare yourself

Its very likely that some of your friends are waiting to hear back. Do yourself a favor. Stay off of facebook if you don’t have good news. Seeing others getting in is only going to depress you more.

3.     Know that the pain of rejection shall pass, and you’ll fall in love with the school you go to.

If you’re a qualified or pseudo qualified ivy applicant, even your safety schools are going to be top-notch. Everything happens for a reason, and there is a plan. So maybe you weren’t meant to go to Harvard, or maybe life didn’t mean for you to get enough financial aid to go to Cornell. You were meant to go to your state school for free, because that money saved is going to help you later on. There are always silver linings out there, find them.

Good luck everyone.

It’s the little things: Dressing for class

Today I was hosting a visitor to my school who pointed out that the students at my school “dress for class.” While I had heard the term before, I never thought it applied to my school. To me “Dressing for class” is wearing suits, or sundresses and pearls.

People at my school definitely have style, but seeing someone in running clothes or sweatpants is just as common as seeing someone in a sweater and riding boots.

So a little thing to consider when visiting schools is, “Do students get dressed up for class?”

I have my own personal style rules that I follow, and I definitely am the type to dress up for class (I don’t even own sweatpants). Many schools have a typical “atheistic” that students generally conform to. This might be southern preppy, northern preppy (yes they’re different), metropolitan, hipster, punk, athletic, etc. And while there are no rules for displaying your own style, it’s always nice to go somewhere that you can share clothes with your friends.

Personally, I like to look nice 99% of the time, and no one finds it strange that I dress up in class here. But it’s just as common to see someone in leggings and a t-shirt.
And yet, you don’t really see PJ pants in class here.

When you’re touring, look around at what the students are wearing. If you’re a messy hair and sweatpants kind of person, a school where all the girls are wearing pearls might not be the best fit.

Likewise, if you’re the type of person who takes their appearance very seriously, a school where snow mandates layers and layers of warm clothing might not work out for you.

Dressing for class should be a personal choice, but it’s always best to go somewhere where you’re not going to stick out like a sore thumb for caving and wearing leggings and a sweatshirt to an exam.

So, make sure to find out if students dress up or dress down for class

Don’t base it on one person

            When investigating a list of schools the question will always arise: Do we know anyone who goes there?

For my top 3, which ended up being a top 2 when I took Kenyon out of the running (just too far and too hard to travel to, though I still think it’s a fabulous school), I had a sibling at one, and knew not a soul at the other.

I eventually found 3 people to contact for my school. I didn’t know any of them directly, but 6 degrees of separation helped.

One of them had a terrible experience. He enjoyed the nightlife a little too much and eventually dropped out because his grades were too low. (Which is funny to me now, because people often complain about the lack of nightlife here).

One of them had a mediocre experience. It was a safe-ish school for her (low match) and though she had a good time and enjoyed it greatly, she didn’t feel super strongly about it.

One absolutely loved it and raved about the school to me. She told me about how happy she was and how wonderful the programs were.

Three people with three very different experiences.

When you’re asking current students about their experiences remember that you’re only seeing one point of view. Their experiences are going to be biased by what they participate in, who their friends are, what their major is, and just their personality in general.

If I have an opinion on something I either love or hate it. So I l.o.v.e. LOVE my school. But when I talk to people I know who are still in high school, I always make sure to remind them that even though I love my school it’s definitely not for everyone. If you can’t handle stress, grade deflation, or being surrounded by nerds all the time, you probably won’t be very happy here. But if you thrive on stress and love some nerdy nerds, it’s great.

So don’t base your opinions of the school on one person’s experience. One person’s trash is another’s treasure.

Unpopular Opinion: Don’t keep your hopes up on a waitlist.

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Author’s Note: Today’s going to be a bit depressing, just starting out. But remember that this series is unpopular opinion; it’s how I feel about something after going through the process myself and helping others. Don’t take this as law, if it doesn’t work for you don’t do it. That being said, lets move on.

Your decisions have finally come in, and, alas, you have received a spot on the waitlist from your very top choice school.

You don’t know what to do. You’re not in… but it’s not a full-blown rejection either… So you know you’re not happy but you’re also not terribly sad. It’s a weird limbo space. One that, unfortunately, is going to require you to wait and wait and wait some more. More uncertainty. More checking your phone and email constantly. Just… more waiting.

So what should you do if you’re waitlisted?

First of all, ask yourself the question: If I got in here, would I 100% go?

If the answer is yes, send back that post-card or email accepting your place on the waitlist.

If the answer is no, it might be best to put it aside in your head and deny your spot.

Why?

Because the anxiety of waiting for something that probably won’t happen might hurt more than closing that door altogether. You may very well be better off denying that spot on the waitlist and focusing on the for sure things than waiting around to hear back. If a school is not absolutely your first choice, you might be better off saving yourself the heartache of sitting on a waitlist.

What do you mean, probably won’t happen?

Waitlists are created with the hope that they wont be used. Schools have a complex calculation of approximately how many people accept their offers of acceptance, and use that to send out enough acceptances to fill their class. The waitlist is a backup in case not enough admitted students enroll.

Very few people are actually admitted off of waitlists. Some smaller schools accept as few as 3 or 4 students off of their waitlists, while the higher end of the spectrum have about 70 or 80 accepted.

That’s out of hundreds or thousands of students on the waitlist.

So what should I do?

Take a waitlist as a nice rejection. There was nothing wrong with you, you were certainly qualified, but nothing gave you that tip factor into the admit pile. You’re gently rejected. The “oh I would if I could”

But they probably can’t. So don’t get your hopes up too too high.

I would say that if you were only accepted to your safety schools and waitlisted by all of your “matches” (insert skepticism, a raised eyebrow, and the thought that “high matches are not matches” here), accept spots on your matches’ waitlists. If you really feel that your offers are subpar, you should try your luck with a waitlist. But remember, your chances are slim on a waitlist.

But this isn’t the only case where you can accept a waitlist spot:

You should accept a spot on a waitlist if you desperately want to attend a school. If you cant shut the door in your heart, take that spot.
BUT
Find and commit to other things as well.

Still go to admitted student’s days for the schools you did get into. Put down a deposit on the one that is best for you. Buy the apparel, stalk the incoming student’s group, and declare your undying love to your future home on facebook.
Don’t count on the waitlist coming through.

It might, but don’t count on it happening.

My biggest piece of advice for waitlists is, even if you end up taking a place on a waitlist, treat it as a closed door in your mind. Eliminate the possibility of attending that school. Because sitting around waiting for the waitlist is going to get you nowhere fast.

Be excited for the opportunities you’ve been given, don’t sit around hoping for the one in a million chances.

Weird Tip: Make academic goals (And then re-evaluate them constantly).

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One of the best pieces of academic advice I ever received was that I shouldn’t make goals for my classes until I had my first grades.

This, of course, goes against everything we’re taught. You’re supposed to shoot for the moon, strive to be the best, only accept perfection… Right?

Well actually, you’re more likely to reach your goals, and be satisfied with your performance, if you’re realistic about your expectations.

You should absolutely make goals, but they should be attainable and realistic. We can’t all get straight As all the time. Sometimes there are classes that we’re happy to get a B in (have I mentioned I took astrophysics in college?). But if you make your goals before you really know what to expect from the class, you may find yourself giving up out of discouragement.

Okay then, what should I do?

Start off in every class the way you usually do, striving for that 100% or A.

Then see the syllabus and get a good picture of what the class is going to look like. Is it going to play to your strengths? Or are all of the evaluations in your least-favorite format. If you’re a mediocre at best writer, and a class comes down to one final essay, you may have to lower your expectations for the grade just a bit.

After a few weeks in the class, you’re going to have a decent idea of what the level of difficulty is going to be, and that might change your expectations a bit as well.

Then, finally, take the first test (or turn in that first essay, present your first oral presentation, etc). See how you do. Many times you’ll find that even though you thought you understood the material, you didn’t hit the level of detail you needed. Though you can always improve on a poor first test grade, oftentimes you will have to adjust your expectations after it returns.

Adjusting your goals is not admitting defeat. In fact, having realistic goals keeps you from rage quitting on effort. Well if I’m not going to get an A it doesn’t matter should never be your attitude.

If you can only realistically expect a B, don’t see that B as a failure. Make that B your goal, the best of your ability. Be PROUD of that B (again, have I mentioned astrophysics?)

The same goes for college admissions. While you can gauge your competitiveness, many of us oversell ourselves when picking out dream schools. Maybe that first rejection can help you adjust your expectations for what a realistic college is.

Be proud of what you have done, don’t dwell on lost dreams.

It’s the little things: Core Requirements

When looking at schools high school students tend to ignore the core. Those pesky general education classes that students have to take to graduate are hardly a blip on a high school student’s radar, because it seems no different from high school.

And that, my dear children, is where you’re going to make a big mistake.

One of the best parts of college is that you get to study things you’re interested in broadly and deeply. You might take a bunch of classes in your history major, and then a few dance or science classes that interest you.

So pay close attention to the school’s required classes before you choose it.

Most schools have you take at least one class in the major subjects (A History, a Social Science, an English/Literature, an Art, a Math, a Natural Science), though some break down a little differently.

For example, even though there are 7 different areas of the gen-eds at my school, you have to take 3 histories, 2 hard sciences with lab (biological and physical), 2 social sciences, 1 English/literature, 1 math, 1 philosophy, 1 art, and 4 semesters of foreign language). The idea is that, because it’s a liberal arts university, you have to take a variety of courses in both sciences and humanities, and it should take up about 1/3 of your time at the college (the other 2/3 being major requirements and electives).

 This did not really deter me very much (though not having to take a physical science would have been great). You can choose to take these classes in whatever department you choose as long as they qualify the requirement. So, for example, I ended up taking almost all of my literature and history classes in the religious studies department, hence my unintentional religious studies major. My music-major roommate takes her history classes in the music department. My fellow psych majors and I take the required psych-stats class for our math and neuroscience classes for our biological science.

Other schools have fewer required classes, but less flexibility in what you can take. So while some schools might have a variety of math classes to take that range in difficulty, others might have one general math class that covers lots of subjects that every student has to take.

This option never appealed to me, because I didn’t want to be pitted against physics and math majors on the same curve. Nor did I want to have to turn in literature essays with the English majors when doing anything but APA citations gives me a headache.

And still, some schools do away with the core entirely. This option is nice because it ensures that everyone in all of your classes really wants to be there. Another pro is that not having to take classes in your weaker subjects really does wonders for your GPA. But this can leave you to be very limited in what you take. Did I enjoy astrophysics? No. Did I learn a lot and am I a more educated individual for having taken it? Yes. And I never would have taken that without my school laying down the law with me having to take physics.

One last thing to learn is how the classes are graded. One of my best friends goes to a school that lets her pass/fail 1 class a semester, even her core and major requirements. This can do wonders for your GPA if you choose your pass/fails wisely. My school, on the other hand, only lets you pass/fail elective classes (no core requirements or major/minor requirements), and only junior and senior year. This system makes sense in the context of my school (hello grade deflation and well-rounded focus), but also can really suck (see previous comment about astrophysics, the most work I’ve ever done for a B).  

So the main things to evaluate about a school’s core are

1.    What subjects must I take classes in?

2.    How many of each type of class do I have to take?

3.    Are there general classes, or can you pick and choose what fills the requirements?

4.    Can I pass/fail the required classes, or must they be on a grade scale to count?

It’s the little things: Semesters vs. Quarters

One of the things that sets a college apart is how their schedule works. The majority of colleges and universities use a semester system, where there’s a fall and a spring semester. You’re usually in school from August to December, and January to May, and you take two sets of classes a year.

Some schools, however, use a Trimester or Quarter system (they’re the same thing). You start school in September and finish in December. Then you have a set of classes from January to March, and a set of classes from April to June. You take three sets of classes a year.

While it doesn’t seem like that big of a difference while you’re looking at schools, it will make a big difference while you’re there. Many people who are on quarters find the system to be a bit isolating if all of their friends are on semesters, because the breaks never line up.

For example:

I am very good friends with a pair of twins who I went to middle and high school with. Since I started college, I have only ever been in the same room with both of them once. Why? One goes to a school on semesters, and one on quarters.

This doesn’t mean that being on the same system as your friends ensures you’re going to have your breaks together. I go to school in the south while most of my friends from high school stayed in NY. I always have my breaks a week or two before my friends, meaning I only get to see most of them for a day or two when I’m home.

While it’s not a huge decider, it is something to consider.

I guarantee some of your friendships from high school will fall by the wayside, but having mismatched breaks can make a huge difference.

The semester system is nice because it allows you to take longer classes. You’ll learn a little bit more as there are a few extra weeks to get information in. You’ll only have to deal with two sets of finals, which is still two too many.  

A big advantage of the quarter/trimester system is that you get to take three sets of classes a year. This is great because you’re more likely to get to take all of the classes that interest you, and if something really stinks you get to be out of it faster.

So a little thing to consider when choosing schools, Semesters or Trimesters?

How To: Visit Overnight

How To: Visit Overnight

While selecting schools many students elect to go for an overnight visit. These visits let you get a real look at what life at the college is like. You get to see a real dorm room, bathroom, eat the food, and see the nightlife (sort of, more on that later).

Some schools have formal overnight visits where they stay with a student guide and attend programs designed for visiting students, and others just crash on a friend or acquaintance’s dorm room floor.

So today I’m going to break down the advantages and disadvantages of both types of overnights, and what you should look out for while attending one.

The Formal Overnight

This is an overnight that is designed by the school to show you how great student life is. You’ll stay with a student guide who is there to show you around and, quite honestly, sell the school to you.

Some benefits

1.     There’s set activities that will show off the school

2.     Your guide is prescreened

3.     You get to meet other prospective students

Some disadvantages

1.     You won’t get an honest look at the nightlife

2.     You may not get to meet as many varieties of students

3.     It might be a little bit lame and dry

The Friend Overnight

Your friend, or a friend of a friend who already attends the school has invited to you spend the night when you visit. They’re going to show you around and take you with them on whatever their weekend activities are.

Some benefits

1.     You’re going to get a real look at the school because, as much as they’re showing it in a positive light, it’s still not put together by admissions. So you might see the worst dorm on campus or eat in the crappy cafeteria.

2.     You’re going to get to hang out with a lot of actual students, and they’ll all probably try to convince you to come.

3.     You’ll probably have a pretty fun night, and your guide will tailor the experience to you (if you want to party, they’ll bring you to a party, if you want to hang out and go to a movie they’ll do that).

Some Disadvantages

1.     You’re going to see the real nightlife. So, yes, you may run into some vomit or dirty fraternity floors. You might be a little intimidated by the parties you attend.

2.     Your view is going to be limited to what you friend can show you. For example, if they’re super into a fellowship group that doesn’t drink or party, even if you’re at a party school you won’t get a real glimpse at the overall experience.

3.     You might run into some awkward situations or lags in time because there’s no set schedule.

Some things to try to do if you’re visiting, either way:

1.     Go to a class

2.     Eat in a dining hall (not a “banquet” that the admissions sends out, I promise the real food is not nearly as good)

3.     Talk to your guide about their experience at the school, and what is special about the school.

So two hypotheticals, one for each of the situations.

An organized visit:

            You have been invited to attend your school of choice’s overnight weekend. You arrive at the school Friday afternoon and are introduced to your guide, a junior in your potential major who is on student government. They take you to their dorm room, which has a little sign on the door welcoming you, and you notice how ridiculously neat everything is. Your guide takes you to the admissions office, where you attend a welcome session and a tour of the school. Then you have a “banquet” where the food is excellent, and you mingle with the other prospective students. Then you attend a school-run social event, where there’s a DJ, some dancing, and a room off to the side with pool tables and arcade games. You have a fun time, but it’s a little dry, and you’re wondering what the real parties are like. You then go off to your guide’s room and meet some of her friends, all student government people. They talk to you about how much they love the school, but everything feels a bit scripted. When you ask about nightlife they answer your questions for the most part, but imply that they’re not really allowed to take you to any parties with alcohol.  In the morning it’s back to admissions where they bring out an acapella group to entertain you during the complimentary breakfast. There’s another info session, this time with students, and then you’re off on the road.

Overall, you had a good time but you feel the experienced was sanitized. You learned a lot about the school, but everything was staged.

A friend visit:

You were admitted into a school that one of your friends from high school attends. They insist you go to admitted students day, and spend the night before in her room. You arrive Friday night, and sit outside of their dorm until they come running to find you. You go to their room. Their side is neat, but their roommate’s side looks like they just made the bed and piled stuff on their desk. You are told that you’re going to meet said roommate later, because they’re still in class. You attend a club meeting with your friend, where everyone is really nice to you and excited to meet you, and then you go out to dinner with everyone from the club. The cafeteria is crowded and the options are limited. Your friend tells you what to avoid, and you end up with a meat and starch dinner that’s basically edible.

After dinner it’s back to the room, where you walk in on your friend’s roommate getting changed. She’s going to a date-party, and there’s a bottle of liquor on her desk. You’re a little shocked at how blatant she’s being (because they’re both freshman) but you get over it quickly. The roommate is a little tipsy, but pretty friendly overall. She remarks that “she’s coming back early tonight,” and walks out. Your friend then helps you get changed into some “going out clothes” and tells you you’re going to a pre-pregame at a friend’s dorm, a pregame at an off campus house, and a dance party at a fraternity. They pull out a bottle of wine and offer you some, but you don’t drink so you abstain. After you’re changed you go to another dorm where people are taking shots and taking pictures. Then you go to an off campus house where there’s more drinking and picture taking. Everyone you meet offers you liquor, and tells you how much they love their school and how you should definitely come there. You’re not uncomfortable, but you’re a little intimidated. Finally, at around midnight, you head to the party. It’s crowded and gross, people are just grinding up on whomever, and everyone’s just a little too blatant about everything.

At around 2, after a pretty fun night of dancing, your friend’s friends remark that they’re going to the bars. Your friend tells them you don’t have a fake ID, so you head back to their room. Their roommate is sitting at her desk, drinking a bottle of wine and writing a paper.

You sleep in your friend’s bed while they take the floor. You wake up at 8 to go to admitted student’s day, take a shower in the hall bathroom (which is co-ed and just a bit frightening), and head out.

You had fun, but you wish you got to see more of the school and not just how much alcohol they had.

Overall, take everything you see with a grain of salt. Everyone is trying to impress you in one-way or another. But getting to see the facilities and meet students is an opportunity you’re not going to want to miss.

To write formally or to write casually? That is the question.

To write formally or to write casually? That is the question.

In addition to providing a glimpse into your life, your college essay serves as your writing sample. The essay is intended to be a demonstration of your skill in writing and formulating a narrative essay. In theory, this essay should be the crème de la crème of your formal writing.

Yet more and more students are shirking this trend and choosing to write conversationally. These casual essays are a gamble, but if done correctly, can be a nice, personal touch.

If you are going to choose to write conversationally there are some things to consider. Firstly, conversational writing will not excuse poor grammar, punctuation, or spelling mistakes. You can have voice without breaking the rules.

(This blog should not be an example of proper conversational writing. I write informally on this blog. The style is far too casual for college essays).

Secondly, use the first person. Telling the story from your perspective will excuse the conversational tone. It demonstrates to the reader that it is purpousely conversational, and not a lack of formal writing ability.

Thirdly, make sure a conversational tone is appropriate to your topic. If you are writing about research you did with eels your junior year, you should probably not use an informal style. If you are writing about your collection of vintage hats, a casual style will help sell the essay.

Lastly, and take this with a grain of salt, don’t squander a chance to show your writing chops. If your SAT/ACT scores or English grades aren’t as nice as they could be, perhaps you should write a formal essay to demonstrate your academic writing potential. If you have flawless English grades and board scores, you can afford the gamble.

Two Undervalued SAT/ACT Muscles

Board Scores strike fear into the hearts of juniors everywhere.

When do you start? What guide do you use? How are you supposed to study for this test that is supposed to test reasoning skills?

And as much as you study, why does it seem like when you actually sit down to take the test that everything you learned falls by the wayside?

This is especially frightening in the wake of Collegeboard’s announcement that they’re adjusting the SAT to better fit today’s students and testing climate.
We don’t know yet what this new SAT is going to look like, but there are two skills that I believe are going to become even more critical with the changes in store.

I speculate that the new SAT is going to look a lot like the ACT. The ACT, believe it or not, is starting to be head honcho in the testing world. The SAT is reacting and changing their test, likely to resemble the ACT.

So back to skills,

Number 1 muscle to build? Time

I’ve said it before, The ACT is a test of time.

Time on the SAT is important, but not a crunch. You have a reasonable amount of time to answer the questions if you keep yourself at a good pace.

But time is about to be of the essence on your sections. A HUGE component of why scores go down between practice and test day are that at home you can fudge the timing. If you have three more questions to answer at home, you can finish them. At a real SAT? You cannot. And that is where so many people screw up, they don’t practice timed, and if they practice timed they don’t start early enough.

 You should start doing your practice sections timed at least two months before the SAT. You should be doing at least one full section of each component a week, and some practice questions as well. Keep those skills up, do every question available to you. Do them timed. You can learn how to take the SAT to the point where there are no questions that are unfamiliar to you. You just have to work hard.

The second muscle to build, and perhaps the most overlooked? Stamina

The SAT is a four-hour academic ordeal. You don’t get a break. You don’t get “the easy part.” You sit and answer questions for 2-4 hours.

You’re going to get tired. Your brain is going to feel like it’s melting. And you need to anticipate that. Most importantly you need to train for that.

How?

Take full tests. Do all four sections (Essay, Math, CR, Writing) in one sitting.  Start doing that at least a month in advance, and do it at least once a week. Once you’ve done the whole ordeal a few times, it will get easier and your brain will stop melting.
And just like when you’re training your body, go the extra mile. Allow yourself one bathroom break. Go to the bathroom and go RIGHT BACK to your test. That is less of a break than you get on the real test. It will help, I promise.

The only thing I can say with the SAT is that practice makes perfect. Its going to take time, tedious, agonizing time. But you need to do it to get the results you want.

So, when it comes to standardized tests, make sure to practice timing and stamina .

The Arts Supplement

Today I’m going to write about a bit of a niche-y subset, but its something that I happen to know a lot about.

Perhaps the most under-utilized part of an application is the arts supplement.
Underutilized because it’s hard to make, not advertised, and schools are unclear about what it’s used for.
Today I’m going to do a quick overview of what it is, what its used for, and then in my typical flair- give you some gut-wrenching advice about it.

What is an arts supplement?

Exactly what it sounds like. For those who are creative or performing art inclined, an arts supplement is a submission made to demonstrate high ability in an art. I have heard it used for:

1.     Drama 2. Fine Art 3. Dance 4. Music

For performing arts it is a 10-minute excerpt of the applicants finest performance work. It’s a tape of a scene from a play, not you standing and doing a monologue in your kitchen. It’s a dance from a competition or recital, not you in the studio.
For music you can send CDs or videos. Music is a bit more flexible about the venue in which you’re performing.

For creative art, it is a portfolio of slides of your work.

An arts supplement is different than an application or audition. If you’re applying to a fine arts, drama, or music program, then it is not a fine arts submission. If you’re applying as a bio major, but are a fantastic artist, then your submission would be a fine arts supplement.

Why would you submit one?

A fine arts supplement helps a school to get a concrete analysis of your creative ability. Arts are so subjective that they cannot know of your talent just from your list of activities, so this gives you a chance to demonstrate high skill level.

A good score on an arts supplement can be a strong tip factor in your favor on an application.

How are they scored?

While it does change a bit school-to-school, there is a general formula for how they are used.

You submit the supplement. The admissions office passes it off to the department at the school (EX: Sends a dance supplement to the dance department). They will then rate your ability on a scale (lets say 1-5), where the highest score indicates that you are as talented or more talented than the best students currently at the school.

So should you or shouldn’t you?

Here’s the part where I rip your hearts out.

I would highly recommend submitting a supplement if you are of very high talent in that area.

If you are average or below average? Don’t bother submitting, because it won’t help you.

A bad score won’t really hurt you (because an arts supplement is only really there to help you) unless you’re painfully untalented. But it’s a waste of time and money to make one of these if its not going to help

Be very honest about your ability.

For example, lets say you love to act, and you are in several plays every year.

But you never get any parts, so you don’t really have a lot to make a supplement with.
You think you’re a good actor, but not a great one.

It might not be to your benefit to make an arts supplement.

Ask your teachers/directors/conductors if they think it could be a tip factor for you.

One last thing,

Make sure that the school accepts arts supplements, and see what they say about them. Some schools, for example, don’t have dance departments so they can’t really evaluate a dance supplement. They’ll probably have that information on their website. If they don’t, email the department heads and the admissions and ask what the protocol is.

Also, YouTube some arts supplements to get an idea of what they’re looking for.

It only takes one. Or: Things to remember in the wake of rejection

A post that applies to any application process.

Today I was scrolling down my Tumblr dash (and checking my inbox) and all I saw were people bemoaning rejections and waitlists. Some of these people have likely letters or acceptances into great schools already, and they’re still waiting to hear back from more.

Rejection stinks. It really hurts to be told that an institution doesn’t want you (or doesn’t want you as much as some other people who applied).
It hurts. It makes you feel inadequate. You cry, you stare in disbelief; you tear it up into pieces.

But there is another way to look at rejections. Because you have to remember, you can only attend one school. Even if you get into every school you apply to, you then have to pick.

So each time you get one of those letters, let it roll off your back. They’re just making the final decision easier for you.  

I truly believe that everyone ends up where they’re supposed to be. It might be your first choice. It might be your safety school. It’s probably going to be a match school. But truly, everyone ends up in the school they’re supposed to go to.

My best friend at college is currently waiting to hear back from graduate schools. She’s gotten two stellar acceptances, and a handful of rejections. But when something like this happens, you have to remember that it doesn’t matter if you get into every single program to which you apply, you can still only attend one.

It only takes one school. People learn to love things. They find happiness where they don’t expect it. When a school goes from being your “back up if your reaches don’t work out” to your “top choice because those elitist pieces of poop rejected you” you’re going to see it in a new light.

Time heals all wounds. There’s a big difference between an “Ivy Reject” and someone who happened to be rejected from the Ivies.

You get to choose which one you are.

Panera, chipotle, Oh my. Or: Weird things to look for in your search

We all have our list of what we want in a college. It might be a sport, a location, a size or, a major.

But what about the oddly specific things that may only apply to you?

These nonnegotiables have their value, and can actually be helpful in your search.

A few examples of this:

I refused to apply to a school where I would have no access to a Panera. I know. Weird. But it’s my favorite lunch in the world, and no school was worth not having access to it 9 months a year.

A friend of mine had the same deal with Chipotle, and hers had to be walking distance.  

(Last food one I promise) I knew someone who refused to apply to a school where he couldn’t get In N Out Burger (basically cutting out everything but the west coast)

Another friend of mine won’t look at a school where boys wear “those pants with animals on them” (super preppy schools).

My friend’s twin sister wouldn’t apply to a school where the football stadium couldn’t seat at least 10,000 people.

Everyone has their quirks that make them who they are. And part of that is the weird things you need out of a school.

While you shouldn’t have a laundry list of these types of things, having one very strange nonnegotiable is reasonable. In fact, it just might make your search easier.
Hypothetically:

You can’t choose between two schools. One has access to Panera (or whatever your nonnegotiable is) and one does not. Bam. Decision made.

Or conversely…

You tour a school and feel “it,” that flutter in your heart. That perfect school. One quick Google maps search later; you discover that you would have to drive 20 minutes to get to the next Chipotle. And yet… you can’t bring yourself to cut the school. To me? That sounds like a perfect match.

Of course, most people won’t have a strange nonnegotiable. But if you have some kind of obsession or dream, there’s no reason not to add it along with “small class size” and “decent parking” on your list of nonnegotiables for a school.

But, one small note on this one, your nonnegotiable should not be tryout-based things. Because even if the school has them, it does not mean that you’re going to get into them. So, hypothetically, if you pick a school because it has a killer club lacrosse team, and then you don’t make said team, that’s going to be a big blow to your happiness right off the bat.

Other than that, let your freak flag fly. Have your one weird holdout. It might not be something to talk about in an essay (Why Northwestern? Oh it had a Chipotle in walking distance!) But it can help you sort your thoughts.

Unpopular Opinion: You don’t have to interview.

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Common knowledge says that if one can interview, they should.  Interviews put a face to the stack of paper that is your application. But interviews aren’t the best for everyone.

As with everything else, there are levels of competency with interviews. For some people, interviews always seal the deal. For others? Interviews are the kiss of death.

For me, face to face (or face to Skype) interactions have always been my ace in the hole. I’m personable and I think on my feet. So, in my limited experience, interviewing is a no-brainer.

Which, of course, just isn’t true for everyone.

While I’ve spoken about interviews quite a lot, and in fact, called them mandatory in the past… I may have been a bit hasty to say so.

I do think that many or most people should interview. But, of course, there is no one-size fits all formula or black and white line for who should and should not interview.

So I’ll break down a few of the strong indicators/types of people, and if they should or should not interview.

Charismatic:

For you, a smile and some nice words are no hardship. You can become best friends with anyone you talk to. Even when you’re not totally sure what to say, you’re always smooth with the delivery. You have great energy that draws people to you.  If nothing else, you’re charming.

Your Interview Weakness: You’d rather do some pleasant small talk than say something offensive, so you’re noncommittal when you speak.

Should you or shouldn’t you? If this sounds like you, interviewing will probably seal the deal. You might be the type who comes across better in person than on paper, so make sure you get that face time in.

Gift of Gab:

You are an acrobat when it comes to thinking on your feet. It’s nearly impossible to stump you, because your mind is generating an answer as you speak it. You’re not one to stop for breath until you finish a thought. Your bullsh*t skills are pretty high; you can make anything sound pretty and sugarcoated. You’re very enthusiastic.

Your interview weakness? Because you don’t always think out what you’re going to say in advance, sometimes the well of brilliant ideas runs dry and you put your foot in your mouth or talk in a circle.

Should you or shouldn’t you? You absolutely should. Try to stop for a second and think about what your answer’s thesis is (the point you’re going to make) before you speak, but as long as you don’t have any major hiccups, you’re going to be great.

Absent Minded Genius:

You’re smart. Anyone who has ever spoken to you for more than two minutes knows it. You’re a little spacey at times because you get trapped in your head, you’re frighteningly passionate about your interests, and sometimes you accidently speak in jargon. You would call yourself socially awkward, and the idea of sitting down and having to sell yourself to someone is a bit daunting. You’re still a pleasant and friendly person, you’re just a bit awkward.

Your interview weakness? You’re awkward and you know it. That can lead you to be a bit shy or uncomfortable in the interviews.

Should you or shouldn’t you? This may shock you, but you absolutely should. Your recs are going to mention your brilliance, and even a short interview is going to demonstrate that for the adcoms. Yes you’re a bit awkward, but professors love the students who are so brilliant they forget what day it is.

(Caveat: This type only applies to someone who is an actual special snowflake kind of brilliant, not your run of the mill 4.0/2300 “smart kid.”

A friend I had in high school was this type and he is legitimately brilliant. On his breaks from college he comes and guest lectures AP Calc BC and math theory, and he coached mathletes as a student. Think long and hard. Make sure you are actually the absent minded genius)

Pretentious Intellectual:

You’re smart, and you know it. You’re not humble, and why should you be? You’re not one to downplay your accomplishments. Some people call you arrogant, but really they’re just jealous that they’re not as smart as you. You give well thought out, well cited answers (Oh I was just reading in the Wall Street Journal the other day…).

Your interview weakness? The silly or creative questions tend to stump you because you don’t like to think too far outside the box on trivial things like what flavor ice cream you are.
(Note: Comment or message me what flavor ice cream you are and why. I’m cotton Candy- a little weird, delicious, sweet, and usually pink).

Should you or shouldn’t you? This is the middle ground. While you could probably impress people in your interview, your arrogance/attitude will be noted, and that could be a tip factor in the wrong direction. If you can keep your ego in check, and avoid offending anyone, go for it.

Ambivalent:

To be perfectly honest, you’re the type who is better on paper than in person. You have all of the parts to make a great applicant, but you’re sort of a boring person. Even if you excel, you’re not outwardly passionate about anything. Your people skills are fine, but nobody is going to remember you or anything you said.

Your interview weakness? You’re a bit dull. You’re run of the mill. You don’t have the energy or passion to come across as a great interviewee.

Should you or shouldn’t you? Let your application speak for itself. Don’t interview, a “meh” reaction is worse than leaving the interview section blank. Still tour the school and send emails, but the interview might hurt more than it will help.

Too Shy for Words:

The spoken word is not your friend. The thought of selling yourself to someone in five minutes is terrifying, as is speaking to a stranger who’s job it is to make a judgment on you. You’re shy. You might be anxious. You’re awkward. Unlike the Absent-minded genius, your intelligence does not shine through when you speak.

Your Interview Weakness: Even if you have the answers to their questions, you can’t form them into coherent ideas, or get the words out at all.

Should you or shouldn’t you? You are the type of applicant who can be hurt by a poor interview. Not everyone is great at face-to-face evaluations, and you shouldn’t dwell on that. Just make sure to express interest in other ways and put extra effort into your essays and resume.

When writing these types I had a person in mind for each of them, but that doesn’t make this the final list of interview types.

My biggest tip is to be honest with yourself. Find someone who is blunt and will tell you the truth. If you’re not sure if interviewing is the right choice for you, think long and hard before you make the jump. There are extroverts who are terrible at interviews (usually due to a foot-in-mouth situation) and introverts who excel.
There is not one clean-cut distinction for who should and should not interview, but remember that it could make or break your application.

But seriously everyone, interview prep time, leave a comment or send me a message about what flavor ice cream you are, and why.