Admissions Tip: Reading will help you

Juniors, I have an amendment to my Junior Summer list. Read.

Even if you’re not a big lover of words and stories make sure to sit down with a few books or plays in these months while you’re starting to apply. It’s going to help you more than you know.

First of all, reading a lot can help you with your standardized tests. 

I’m often asked for tips on SAT Critical Reading and Writing. And while I give the best advice I can, my real method for tutoring someone in these subjects is “At about 8 years old make them start reading a lot, and then keep it up through high school.”
I kid about that (though I truly believe my SAT CR/W scores were a result of my life long love of reading), but honestly, reading is one of the best things you can do for your tests. Even if you don’t know the exact rule, if you’re comfortable enough with the language you will know if a sentence sounds right while you’re reading it. It will also improve your speed. Think of it as a muscle that needs to be exercised.  

Also, make sure to read at least three books over the summer that you really enjoy and can talk about.

If you interview, at some point you’re going to be asked about books. Your favorite book, a book you just read, a book that had an impact on you.

And while you can defer to the typical answers (Perks of Being a Wallflower, Great Gatsby, Catcher in the Rye), having a few non-cliché answers that you feel passionately about can go a long way. It shows that you’re culturally aware and have academic interests.

But be careful; don’t get lazy and just sparknote a few intellectual sounding books to talk to it. I know someone who loved to read Shakespeare, and her English-major interviewer thought she was lying and asked her questions about the plays she said she had read. It can happen, be prepared and actually read. You can’t fake passion.

They also don’t have to all be big, high minded titles. My four books that I talked about most in interviews were:

1.     On Ego by Mick Gordon (actually a play, it’s about psychology philosophy and neuroscience)

2.     The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (I love this book)

3.     Othello (I have very strong feelings about Othello and Iago and who was actually right in that play)

4.     GONE series by Michael Grant (A YA post-apocalyptic series I was obsessed with. They don’t all have to be high-minded. It came up because I discussed with the interviewer how much I love post-apocalyptic sci-fi).

Finally, read the news. Every day. Real news, like the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal.

Even if you scan the front page of the websites daily, make sure you’re on top of the news and current events. You don’t want to be stumped on a question because you’re not up-to-date. Being aware, and having opinions will show your interviewers that you are an engaged citizen. But do not bring up politics. You don’t know your interviewer’s opinions about issues, so unless you are specifically asked, do NOT be controversial. It’s not worth the risk.

So Juniors, as you’re prepping to apply, make sure you read.