Application, Essay, and Recommendations

 

Application

 

Applications to college are made up of the application form, which identifies the student, SAT/ACT scores, the studentÕs high school transcript, teacher recommendations, and a school counselor recommendation.

 

  1. Complete the Senior Questionnaire (blue), Application Deadline chart (white) and ParentÕs Perspective (green-optional) and return them to your counselor by November 1 (October 1 if applying Early Decision).

 

  1. Make sure your SAT/ACT scores have been sent to all the colleges on your list.

 

  1. Determine if the colleges to which you are applying accept the Common Application or whether you will be using individual collegesÕ applications. The Common Application is a standardized application form accepted by a large number of four-year colleges and universities. Colleges that accept the ÒCommon AppÓ agree to accept it just as they do their own version of an application.

 

  1. Decide whether you are going to complete a hard copy or online version of the application.  Common Application strongly encourages you to apply online.

 

  1. For hard copies, type or print very clearly.

 

  1. Make sure someone else with good spelling skills reviews your applications.  We often find typos on applications, including misspellings of the college name or the subject a student chooses as a major.

 

  1. Make copies of everything before sending it. Submit/mail applications with the application fee before the final deadline.

 

  1. Within a week of submitting/mailing, call or email each college admission office to confirm they received your application.

 

  1. Colleges will send you postcards acknowledging receipt of your application as well as requests for any more information they need.

 

  1. Most colleges will be looking for indications of Òdemonstrated interestÓ from applicants. You can demonstrate interest by emailing the person who interviewed you or the admissions representative responsible for Thetford Academy and saying why the college is high on your list. Also, direct any questions to that person during the application process.

Essays

Text Box: Why do colleges require essays? A college application includes a lot of information about you, such as grades, recommendations, lists of your extracurricular activities and test scores. All of that information is very important and helps admission officers form a picture of your accomplishments and abilities. However, while it tells about how other people see you, there isnÕt much about how you see yourself. ItÕs that inside view — how you see yourself — that colleges hope to find in your essay. The essay performs other functions, as well, such as: ¥ The essay can be a way of showing that you have researched and thought carefully about the college to which you are applying. It shows, in your own words, why you and the college would be a good Òmatch.Ó An essay demonstrates your writing ability, which is a key component to success in college. ¤ In your essay, you can show that you are willing to put yourself into what you do. That kind of commitÂment is an important part of effective learning in college. And it shows the admission committee that you are someone who is willing and able to be a contributing member of a community of learners. ¥ Your academic record is the central and most important part of your application. For selective colleges especially, your essay provides additional insights about you-as a student and as an individual-for a college to consider as it reviews your application. (Printed with permission from the Associated Colleges of the Midwest)

 

Tips for Writing Your College Application Essay

 

HereÕs advice from the people who read them!

 

Does writing a college application essay seem like a daunting task to you? For most people, the answer is a resounding Òyes!Ó However, the essay is also an opportunity for you to show your talents and creativity to their best advantage.

To help you get started, here are some insights on writing an essay from the people who read hundreds of them every year — admission officers at ACM colleges.

The essay is your chance to use your voice.

The essay is the living, breathing part of your application to a college. In the essay, you can speak in your own voice and personalize your application. HereÕs your opportunity to show something about you that doesnÕt really come across elsewhere in your application.

So, step back and be reflective. Think about who you are as an individual. How do you view the world? What do you care about deeply? What experiences and people have been important in shaping you as a person? What are your aspirations in life?

It is in such reflection that you can find your own, unique voice. ThatÕs the voice that will help you write an interesting essay that only you could have written.

Now, on to some nuts and bolts of writing the essay.

Show your command of the basics of good writing. Here are some key points that admission officers look for in an essay:

¤       Make sure to answer the essay question and to follow all the instructions that are given.

¤       Start off with a strong opening paragraph that captures the readerÕs interest.

¤       Use a style that you find comfortable and that is appropriate for the subject matter.

¤       Use correct grammar, punctuation and spelling.

¤       Make a point and stick to it; develop your argument or narrative.

¤       Check all of your facts. Do you mention a date, place or event in your essay? Make sure itÕs correct.

¤       Have you given your reader complete information, so he or she wonÕt be confused?

Text Box: Possible pitfalls when writing an essay ¥ Writing a poem or making a videotape in place of an essay is probably not a good idea, unless youÕre applying to a specialized school that encourages such a submission. ¤ Humor can be risky, so be careful how you use it. ¤ ÒHonor codeÓ rules are in effect when you write an essay, so do your own work and donÕt make things up. As a practical matter, other items in the application, such as letters of recommendation, make it quite possible that you would be found out if you tried to make things up. Some final tips ¥ Leave yourself time to rewrite and revise. For the great majority of people, this is not an easy assignment. Start early and leave plenty of time! Most likely that means to give yourself weeks (not days, and certainly not hours!) to rework your essay. ¥ If your essay is longer than three pages (unless the instructions call for something longer), then it had better be interesting! Think hard about what you really want to focus on, and take out whatever gets away from your central point. ¥ The admission committee will take your essay seriously. You should, too. You have a lot to gain by putting in the time and effort to write a good essay! Suggested reading The College Application Essay by Sarah Myers McGinty (The College Board, New York, NY).


In general, itÕs best to be succinct. If there is a recommended length for the essay, pay attention to it.

¤       The essay should be neatly typed.

¤       Remember that mistakes, especially sloppy mistakes, make it look like you donÕt take the essay (and, by extension, the application) very seriously.

What to write about? Where to look for an essay topic.

Does the application ask you to choose a topic to write about? There are as many (actually, many more) good topics as there are applicants. Here are some ideas for where you might look for an essay topic:

¤       Do you have hobbies and non-school pursuits that really excite you and that engage your heart and mind? Writing about your out-of-classroom interests could help bring out a part of you thatÕs not covered — or not covered completely and to your fullest advantage — elsewhere in your application.

¤       Is there a social cause that you hold near and dear? Remember, an essay is not an academic paper. A cause that you feel passionately about and that has been in your thoughts and activities, might be the basis for a strong essay.

¤       Perhaps there is an event (local, national or international) that has touched you in a personal way.

¤       Is there an academic subject that really sparks your interest? Why does the subject engage you? Has it led to experiences or study outside of school? There may be essay material that goes beyond the courses you took or scores on AP tests.

How to handle a topic

Often, colleges will ask you, the applicant, to write about an experience youÕve had, an achievement in your life, or someone who has had a significant influence on your life. In handling such a topic — or, for that matter, any topic you select — go beyond the what and dig into the how and why. In other words, donÕt settle for simply providing a description of an event. Take the next step and tell about the impact the situation had on you. For example:

¤       This is a personal essay, not a travelogue. So, if youÕre writing about a trip to another country, tell about how your experiences affected you, and why they were interesting or meaningful to you. In other words, the people reading the essay are interested in what makes you tick and how you got the way you are, not in how the trains run in Paris.

¤       Are you writing a tribute to your grandparents and their influence on your childhood? Be personal and specific, not just sentimental. Explain how the particular things your grandparents did or said were important to you.

¤       Did you overcome an athletic injury and recover to perform well? A description of the type of cast you wore and your rehab routine is not likely to make a compelling essay. However, your reflections on what it felt like to be watching your teammates, instead of competing alongside them, might be the basis of a memorable essay.

Recommendations

 

  1. By October 1, you and your counselor will choose which teachers you will be asking for recommendations. When you ask them if they are willing to write your recommendation, find out if they would prefer to mail their recommendations or give them to Guidance to include in the TA mailing of your transcript and Secondary School Report.

  2. At least 3 weeks before your deadline, give each teacher a hard copy of the recommendation(s) along with a stamped and addressed business envelope for every recommendation they will be mailing. It is helpful to teachers to have a copy of your resume also. Remember that teachers have multiple requests for recommendations, writing a recommendation letter takes a long time, and they wonÕt be able to meet your deadlines if you ask them the week the application is due.

  3. At least 3 weeks before your deadline, fill out the top portion of the Secondary School Report form for each college (just one if using Common Application) and give it to your counselor.  Counselors will mail that form plus your transcript and Guidance recommendation letter.

  4. Politely follow up with each teacher and counselor to confirm all material was sent to the colleges.

  5. When you receive decisions from colleges and scholarships, no matter what the decision, thank each teacher for writing the recommendations and let them know the outcomes of your applications. A written note of thanks is especially welcome. Remember, these people put a lot of time and thought in writing for you.