College Guide

FOPsGuide
OurCollegeAdmissionsandFinancialAidGuideForAllStudents
By
FairOpportunityProject
InBrief
The college application process is an exciting time that provides an opportunity to consider
different futures. But its also complicated. High schoolseniors fillout applications notjustto
demonstrate who they are as students but also to show who they are as individuals. Colleges
evaluate applications on many characteristics that are often subjective, hard to define, and
difficult to cultivate. This guide isaboutgettingyou the informationyou needtoput your best
footforwardnomatterwhereyouapply.
Weputthistogetherbecausewegiveadamn.
Thefactisthatmillionsofdollarsarespenteachyearoncollege consultantsthatdoexactlythat:
help those who pay them to get into college. Approximately onethirdof all collegeapplicants
hire private admissions consultantstoassistthem withcollege applications, andtheseservices
canrange fromhundredstotensof thousandsof dollars,all withthesolepurposeofincreasing
thechancesofsuccessfulcollegeadmissions.Ifyourenotinthiselitecrowd,yourgotoresource
may be the counselor at your high school. Since the average public high school guidance
counselortostudentratiois471to1,manystudentsmissoutonvaluableinformation.
Wewantedtodosomethingaboutthat.
Pulling together an editing team of students from around the world, weve written a free
digitized book highlighting the best information out there to help you succeed, regardless of
your geographic orsocioeconomicbackground.We alsoknow that affordingcollege matters as
muchasacceptanceourguidereviewshowtoapproachthefinancialsofcollegeaswell.
While thismay soundbold, weve alreadydoneit. This guide isanupdated,expandediteration

of a manual written by FOP author Luke Heine that was sent to every publically listed
superintendent, principal, and counselorinnineMidwesternstates representingtwo million
kids. The FOPs Guide responds to feedback from the 200 rural high school counselors and
numerousstudentsthatusedtheguide,withoverwhelminglypositiveresults.
Were here to help you succeed, giving you the best resources including free SAT prep
platforms, scholarship websites, and essays that worked in onelocation.Pleaseprint, email,
anddistributethisguidewithabandon.
MITLicenseCopyright2016FairOpportunityProject
TABLEOFCONTENTS
SectionI:TheCollegeApplication
Chapter1:CollegeApplicationTimeline
Chapter2:StartingYourCollegeSearch
Chapter3:StandardizedTests
Chapter4:CreatingaCollegeList
Chapter5:OrganizingtheCollegeApplication
Chapter6:LettersofRecommendation
Chapter7:TheApplication
Chapter8:TheCollegeEssay
Chapter9:OptionalInterview
Chapter10:UpdateLetter
Chapter11:PostSubmission
SectionII:AffordingCollege
Chapter12:FinancialAid
Chapter13:Scholarships
SectionIII:BeforeCollegeApplications
Chapter14:TimelineBeforeCollegeApplications
Chapter15:PickingHighSchoolCourses
Chapter16:TakingInitiativeandStartingProjects
Chapter17:SummerExperiences
SectionIV:EssaysthatWorked:FromCommonApptoSupplements
Chapter18:ExperienceEssays
Chapter19:ReflectionEssays
Chapter20:StrictPromptEssays
Chapter21:ShortResponse
SectionV:FeedbackandAdditionalTools
THECOLLEGEAPPLICATION
Thecollegeapplicationisacomplexprocessthatrequires alotofplanning,time,andeffort.This
guide is all about prepping you to control the college application process and find the
scholarships and aid you need. Doing sorequires a deep understanding of theelements ofthe
collegeapplication,whatmattersinacollegeapplication,andhowtopresentyourselftoschools.
Well never lose sight of the reality that college is expensive and have dedicated ourselves to
collectingresourcesyoucanusetoreducethecost.
Remember:thisguideisforyou.Printit,highlightit,writealloveritdowhateveryouneedto
identifytheinformationthathelpsyou.Takeadvantageofandandallofthemanyfree
resourceswementionhereinthewaythatsbestforyou.
Chapter1:CollegeApplicationTimeline
SophomoreYear/SophomoreSummer
1. Startpreparing forstandardizedtests.Althoughmuchofhighschoolhappensbeforeyou
take the first standardized test ofyour application,the formalcollege applicationreally
starts with a standardized test. During sophomore year and sophomore summer, you
should start preparing for standardized tests that you will take at some point in your
junior year. Preparation can include taking the PSAT, going through SAT/ACT prep
materials(availableboth onlineand inbookstores),goingtosummerschoolatyourhigh
school, or taking a SAT/ACT prep course. By beginning to prepare, you improve your
chanceofsuccess.Practiceleadstoresults!
2. Get to know your guidance counselor. The Common Application, and therefore most
colleges,requirea letterof recommendationfromyourschoolcounselor.Howevermany
students donot gettoknow their guidance counselorand thereforeendupwithabland
recommendation. Making time to meetwith andbefriend yourcounselorwill goa long
wayinhelpingyousucceedinhighschoolandwhenapplyingtocollege.
JuniorYear
1. Signup andtake standardized tests. Signup totakeyourfirstSAT/ACTtestsinbetween
Octoberand January.You should aimtobeabletake atleasttwoSAT/ACTtestsduring
your junior year. If applicable, take at least one round of SAT IIs (SAT Subject Tests)
during your junior year. Chapter 3 includes indepth information about taking and
affordingstandardizedtests.
2. Gettoknowyour teachers.Teachersare goodsourcesofadvice,strongrolemodels,and

willwritelettersofrecommendationwhenapplyingtocollege.
3. Meetwith your guidance counselor.Scheduleameetingwithyourguidancecounselorto

start an ongoing conversation about the college application process. Your guidance
counselor will often be your gotoperson foranswers regarding whereyou canpick up
yourtranscript,whereyoucanrequestfeewaivers,andmuchmore.
JuniorSummer
1. Create a working college list. Start making a list of colleges.Thelist doesnt have to be
long, a list of one or two schools is great, but more is welcome. This process involves
researching each college,its affordability, andthe applicationrequirements. Chapters 2
andChapter4havemuchmoreinformationonthisprocess.
2. Consider writersfor yourlettersof recommendation.Duringjuniorsummer,youshould

start thinking about whom you will ask for letters of recommendation. Chapter 6goes
intothissubjectinmoredetail.
3. Create a student resume.Thisgivesyouthechancetobragaboutyourself.Thisisnotthe

placetobemodest,or shy! Thisarea ismeanttohighlightallthatyouvedone.Listallof
yourhonors,achievements,initiatives,awards,etc.Thiswillbeextremelyhelpfultoyour
recommenders later on, and you may even be able to send it into certain colleges. In
addition, donthesitateto include places whereyouveworked.Resumesarejustwaysto
trytoassertwhoyouare,andadmissionscounselorsloveseeingwhetheryouscoopedice
cream ortookyour turn atlawnmowing.TopCV andLiveCareeraretwo ofmanyonline
resumegenerators.MicrosoftWordalsooffersafreeresumetemplate.
4. Start writing college essays. Start brainstorming topics, maybe even writing an early
draft.The essayis asignificant part ofthecollegeapplicationandrequiresafair amount
of time and effort get asmuch done as youcan duringthe summer!We describe the
processof writinga collegeessay andhowyou should approachit in Chapter8.Lookto
SectionIVforsuccessfulcollegeessays.
5. Make a scholarship list. An important part of affording college is applying to

scholarships.Althoughsomescholarship deadlinesareinthefall,manyareinthespring.
Apply for those that are available and start making a list of those that are due in the
spring (with their respective deadlines). Weve included lots of valuable information
aboutscholarshipsinChapter13.
SeniorFall
1. Meet with your high school counselor. Schedule a meeting withyour collegecounselor
(orCAPadvisor)togooveryourworkingcollegelistandthecollegeapplicationprocess.
4

2. Finalize SAT/ SAT Subject/ ACT Tests. By senior fall, you should be finishing up
standardized tests. Make sure to check the standardized test submission guidelines for
eachcollege.Certainschoolsrequireteststhatothersdont!
3. College application. Work on completing your college applications during senior fall.
Deadlines are sometimes as early as October. Well gettomore important information
aboutthepartsofthecollegeapplicationinChapter7.
4. Finalize letters of recommendation. Teachers are busy, especially during college

admissionsseason, soask teachers early in theschool year. Make suretofollowupwith
your recommenders so that the letters are submitted on time. See Chapter 6 formore
details.
5. Apply tofinancial aid. During senior fall,you should start applying forfinancialaid.We
providealotofinformationonthatinChapter12.
6. Interview for early admissions (ifapplicable). Someschools offer interviewson campus

orwithalumni afterapplicationsare submitted.Sometimesthe interviews areoptional,
although manyschool nowmakethisarequirement.Thisisagreatchancetolearnmore
about thecollegeandmakeagoodimpression.We shareinformationaboutwhattowear
andhowtoprepareinChapter9.
7. Apply for scholarships. Some scholarships have early deadlines. Find out which
scholarships you are eligible and apply for them. Chapter 13 covers this more fully
thoroughly.
SeniorSpring
1. Interviewsforregularadmissions.Again,looktoChapter9formoreinformation.
2. Send an update letter tocolleges (if applicable).A lotmighthappen between when you
submit your college application and when colleges let you know of their admissions
decision. An update letter is one way toupdatecollegeson whatyouve done andwhat
has happened since youve submitted your application. We provide informationon the
updateletter,alongwithacoupleofexamples,inChapter10.
3. Apply to scholarships. While you wait for college admissions results, you shouldnt let
senioritis hit quite yet. Even if youget into thecollege of yourdreams,you needtobe
able to afford it. There areliterally thousands ofscholarshipsfor high schoolseniors to
serve that exact purpose. Apply for scholarships onyour list fromthefall andcontinue
usingwebsiteswithlistsofscholarships.
Chapter2:StartingYourCollegeSearch
Thecollegesearchisaninvolvedprocess,butitgivesyouachancetosampleavarietyofschools
tofindwhatfitsyoubest.Thecollegesearchcanbeexciting,butitcanalsobeverystressful.
Dontletthestickerpricescareyouawayfromanycollegetherearenumerouswaystomake
collegeaffordablewhichwecoverindetailinSectionIII.Inaddition,theresalotofbad
informationoutthereoncollegesexpense.Sobeforeyoucrossoffcollegesduetocost,discern
whatreallymatterstoyouinanacademicsetting.Collegemaybevocational,oritmaybepurely
tolearn.Nomatterwhatitis,findingwhatmatterstoyouisthefirststep.Ifyouwanttoattend
anundergraduateschool,herearesomequestionstostartaskingasyoubeginthecollege
search.
In deciding where to apply, first consider your values. Do you value being close to home, or
would you prefer to go elsewhere? Are you looking for schools with strong resources in your
current favorite subject, or are you looking to have a school with a lot of potential choices?
Perhaps you can find both.Whataboutthesizeof the school?Your main concernmay also be
finding the sweet spot between affording college and getting a quality education. Considering
whats important to youandwhatisntisagoodwaytogainclarityaboutwhatyouactually
want from your educational experience. Itcanbehelpful to writedown the qualities you value
next to aspects you would prefer to avoid. The key point in determining what you want is to
listening to what you actually care about. Take this opportunitytobreak outof theshould to
reflectupon what you reallywant. Onceyou havenarrowedinonthingsyouvalue,putthemon
paper andrevisit themthrough the applicationprocess. Here aresomeofthethingstoconsider
whilereflectingonwhatyouwantoutofyourcollegeexperience:
Academics. What are the academic programs that interest you most? Do you want aschool
witha liberal artscurriculum?Areyoupotentiallyinterestedinacademicresearch?Whatsortof
academicatmosphere doyou want duringyourcollegeexperience?Wouldyoupreferprofessors
who are highly esteemed in their field, or professors who are eager to sit and talk to
undergraduates for hoursare there places that offer both? Do you prefer large classes or
smallerseminars?
Location. Do youwant to beclosetoyour family or far away? Doyoupreferarural,urban,or

suburban setting? Do you care about the locations climate? Do you want to be near the
mountains, the coast, or perhaps both? The difference in lifestyle and extracurriculars in a
snowyplaceversusasunnyplaceisremarkable.
Size.Do you wanta closeknitcollegeexperiencewhereeveryoneknows,orknowsof, everyone

else? Or, do you want to attend a big school so youll always have the chance to meet new
people?
Public/Private.Doyou have apreferencefor public or privateschool? Public schoolstend to

havemorestudentsfromthatstatethanprivateschoolsisthataplusoraminus?
Housing. Do you want to live on campus all four years? Would living off campus in the
surrounding area be affordable? Is it more expensive tobe oncampus,relying on theschools
housingandmealplan?
Social life. Do you want to attend a schoolwith prominent Greeklife? Do youwantaschool

that has more of a social scene on campus or off campus? How do you like to spend your
weekends? Do you want your peers to come from similar geographic areas, share
political/religious views,orbe ofthe samegender/race/ethnicityasyou?Doyouwanttogoto a
placethatpridesitselfonadiversestudentbody?
Food. Doyou requirespecific dietaryorreligiousneeds?Doesthequalityoftheschoolsdining

hallsmakeadifferencetoyou?
Athletics. Is a strong school athletic program important to you? Do you want a lively,
sportscrazedatmosphere?Areyouuninterestedinorputoffbysports?
Extracurriculars. Are there certain clubs or extracurricular activities that youwanttojoin?

Doyouwanttoplayintramuralsports?
Finances. How much can your family or you realistically afford to spend per year on your
collegeeducation?
Before you decide on colleges that best match your familys financial preferences, you should
think deeply, consider all of these questions, and sketch out the characteristics of your ideal
college experience.Then look tothemanyfinancialresourcesthatare outtherethatcouldmake
thatexperienceareality.
We willdiscussmatchingpersonalpreferenceswith what colleges have to offerandtheprocess

ofcreatingthecollegelistinChapter4.
Chapter3:StandardizedTests
No matter where you want to apply, youll likely have to submit test scores for at least one
standardized test. The reality is that standardized testsare oftena significant component ofan
application and a comparison of your scores vs.acceptedstudents scores should be afactoras
you make a college list (Chapter 4). With thousands of applicants from around the world,
standardized tests offer an imperfectway to assessacademicability. Alwayskeep in mindthat
these testsdont determinehow smart you are, justhowgood you are attakingthatparticular
test,andaswithanythingyoullgetbetterthemoreyoustudy.
Therequirementsfor standardized tests depend ontheschool. ManyschoolsrequireanSATor

ACT score,andmanyeithersuggestorrequireSATSubjectTestsaswell.Over850schoolspride
themselveson not requiring standardized test scores, likethoseon this list,somakesure tosee
if theschool/s you wanttoattend ask forthe SAT/ACT.Assumingyou takeastandardizedtest,
many studentstaketheSAT/ACTmorethan once,largely to improve their score.Researchhas
found that more thanhalfof studentsimprove their scoreswhentakingastandardizedtest for
thesecondtime.Asyoustartmakingyourcollegelist(Chapter4),learn thestandardizedtesting
requirementsforeachcollegeonyourlist.
ACTandSAT
The two major standardized tests for college admissionsinthe United States arethe ACTand
theSAT.Mostschools willrequire oneorthe other,but neverboth. Neithertest isregardedas
moreimpressiveorlegitimatethantheother.
Thetests, however,docoverslightlydifferenttopicsandusedifferentstructures.Kaplanoffersa
nicebreakdown ofthe differencesbetweenthetwotests.Notably,theACThasa sciencesection,
whiletheSATdoes not. Thetestsare designedtostaypretty constantintermsofwhateachtest
includes. However the SAT was recently changedsignificantly.We recommendtaking practice
testsofboth,andseeingwhichfitsyoubest.
If the price for either test is a barrier, there are fee waivers accessible via both companies
websites, and many schools offer a free testing service. Testing isheldaroundthe schoolyear
anddatesvaryannually,soheadtoeithertests websitetocheckwhenthetestsarebeingoffered
and whento sign up. Registerfor thetest early, as registrationcloses a good time ahead ofthe
actual test.Youllberequired to submitaphotousingtheonlinetool andtobringaphotoIDon
test day. These tests are typicallyofferedevery month or everyother month. The testing dates
areavailableontheCollegeBoardwebsitefortheSATandACTwebsitefortheACT.
SATSubjectTests
FindoutifyourschoolsaskforSATSubjectTests.MostschoolssuggesttwoorthreeSAT
SubjectTestswhenapplying.Theseexamstest,astheirnamessuggest,aspecificsubjectandare
besttakenattheendoftheschoolyear,rightaroundthetimewhenyourestudyingforother
finalexamsorAPexams(ifyouhavethem),sothatyoucandrawonthatknowledge.Again,
studyoptionsabound,andwerecommendyoudosomeprepworksincethesetests,likeall
standardizedtests,haveahighdegreeofpredictability.Duetoyourabilitytochangeyourtest
performanceinasitting,wehighlyrecommendstudyingforwhichevertestyoutakeyesyoucan
study,andyesitiseffective.
Preparation
Ifyourechoosingbetweentakingaprepclassorusingabook,wedgobookeverytimeasit
increasestheamountoftimeyouspendactuallysolvingproblems.Itsalotlikeweightlifting.
Sure,youcanpayforafitnesscoach,butonlythenumberofrepsyoudowillmakeyouputon
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muscle.Makesuretopracticetakingtimedtestslimitedtimeisoneofthehardestpartsabout
theSATandACT.Thatsaid,ifyouarestuckonaconceptorneedamorestructuredstudy
routine,anSATtutororregularSATstudycoursecouldhelpboostyourscore.
Werecommendusingapreparationbookwrittenbythemakersofthetestbecausethosebooks
mostaccuratelyreflectthequestionsandformatoftheactualtests.TheSATiswrittenbythe
CollegeBoard,soforaflavorofthetestcheckoutTheOfficialSATStudyGuide.TheACTis
writtenbyACT,Inc.,soforthattestwerecommendTheRealACTPrepGuide.Otherprep
bookscouldprovideadditionaltipsthatthemakersofthetestsmightbehesitanttoprovide,
suchashowmanyprobabilityquestionsyoucanexpectonthemathsection,orwhyyoushould
skiphardquestions,orwhystandardizedtestsareflawedtoyouradvantage.PrincetonReviews
CrackingtheACTisoneofourfavorites.
Ifpurchasingprepbookspresentsafinancialchallenge,gotoalocalbookstoreorschool/public
library,andusethepreparationbooksthere.Manyschoolsandlocallibrarieshaveacollege
prepbookshelfsotakeadvantageofthem.Youcanalwaysasktoborrowbooksfromfriendsor
classmates.Youcouldevencreateastudypoolforthestandardizedtestofyourchoice.There
aretonsofonlineresourcesforstandardizedtestsaswell.KhanAcademyandYouTubearetwo
excellentresourcesforstandardizedtestpreparation.Additionally,thoroughSAT/ACT
information,tips,andpracticeproblemscanbeaccessedthroughtheSilverturtlesGuidetoSAT
andAdmissionsSuccess.
Whenyou do practiceproblemsortake practicetests,thefocusshouldbeontryingtoimprove.

No oneneeds to knowyour practicescores,and youarent trying to impress anyone. Ifyouare
unsure about a question and guess correctly, dont justforgetaboutit! Aftereach practicetest
you take,go back andreview anyquestionsthatyou guessedon, gotwrong, or hadanydoubts
about. The more you reflect on your practice tests, the moreyou can identifyyour weaknesses
and do better next time.For example,ifyou goover yourmath sectionsfor the ACT/SAT, you
might noticethatyou needtowork ongeometry more.Focusingyoureffortsonwhereyouhave
roomtoimprovewillhelpyouachievethebestpossiblescores.
SubmittingyourScores
FortheACTandSAT,youcantakebothtestsmorethanonceandcanusuallyjustreportyour
highesttotalscoretotheschool,referredtoasyoursuperscoreyourhighestpossiblescorein
eachsectionofthetest.IfyourtopreadingscoreisfromaMarchtest,andyourtopmathscore
isfromaJunetest,youllhavetosendtheentiretestscoresforbothtests.Thecollegeswill
tabulateyoursuperscorebyrecordingthebestscoresofeachsubject.Althoughsuperscoring
mayseemlikeagoodidea,enablingyoutoreallyfocusinononesubject,itisntalways:some
schools,e.g.PomonaCollege,theUCschools,orSacredHeartUniversity,willrequireyouto
reportallyourtestscores.Therefore,ifyoureportthatyouvetakentheACTninetimesanddid
poorlyoneightofthem,theadmissioncommitteewillalsoseethisrecord.
BoththeACTandSATprovidescoresubmissionoptions,wheretesttakerscanwriteincolleges
wheretheydliketosendscoresbeforetheytakethetest,sometimesforfreeorreducedcost.
Thefreesideofthisisgreat.Thatsaid,thedangeristhatifyoubombastandardizedtest,that
scoreissentstraighttothecollegeyouwanttoimpressifyoudontselectthecollegethenit
wont,butyoullhavetopayforsubmittingyourscorelaterviatheonlinetoolwhereyoualso
registered.
Insummary,seewhattestsyourschoolsaskfor,writethemdowninaspreadsheet(seeChapter
5),andthenstartstudyingfortheteststhatyouneedtotake,onesubjectatatime.Yourgoalin
testingistogetthesetestsoutofthewaywithgoodscoresASAPsothatyoucandevotetimeto
themorenuancedportionsoftheapplicationinsteadofhavingtobeworriedaboutretaking
yourstandardizedtests.
Chapter4:CreatingaCollegeList
As thetimeline stated,students shouldstartfinalizingtheircollegelistbythebeginningoftheir

senior year.Thefitofwhatastudentwantsfromcollegeandwhatthecollegeprovidesisahuge
partofafulfillingcollegeexperience.Collegerankingscanbehelpfulinfindingcollegestowhich
youmay wanttoapply, but thereis no fitelementtothem.Thus,itwouldbeunwisetosimply
rely on collegerankings toapplytoschools. Thefirststep increatingacollegelististo reflecton
what you want out of the college experience. Make a list andwrite this down. We hadyou ask
someoftheimportantquestionssurroundingyouridealcollegeexperienceinChapter2.
Now its time to match your ideal college experience to what different colleges have to offer.
Thinkaboutwhatyouwantandthenusethefollowingresourcestofindoutwhereyoullfindthe
best college fit. Dive deeply into learning what each college is like and figure out whether it
matches what you want from your college experience. In addition to the resourcesbelow, the
Additional Toolssectionincludesa briefquestionnaire createdby Roy Gamseandpublishedby
theWashingtonPosttohelpyouthinkaboutwhattypeofschoolsinterestyou.
1. TheCollege Board CollegeSearch Acollegesearchengineinwhichyoucanapplyfilters

toalistofcollegestofindonesthatbestmatchyourpreferences.
2. The Fiske Guide to Colleges A guide of over 300 colleges that provides a
straightforward insider look into colleges. If purchasing the book is difficult, wed
recommendskimmingorreadingthebookatabookstoreoverseveraldays.
3. Niche A website that allows you to get ratings on dorm quality, food, and sociallife
throughstudents submitting their own feedback.Asstudentssubmit thescores,youwill
get imperfect information, since students will likely be biased. With that in mind,you
mightstillgetsomeusefulinsight.
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4. College Confidential Awebsitethatoffersanonymousforumsforstudentstoaskmany

questionsaboutcollegesandgetanswersfromfellowstudents.
5. Just Ask! A workbookbytheAmericanFederationofTeacherstoevaluatecollegesand

findoutwhichcollegeisthebestfittoyoursituationandpreferences.
Whenyoure makingacollegelist,makesuretohaveabalancebetweensafety,match,andreach
schools.Safety schools areschoolswhereyourelikelytogetaccepted.Areachschoolisaschool
that is a stretchtoget accepted, meaning itmight be hardget into or has admissionstandards
(GPA, test scores, etc.) that are a bit above yours. A match school has standards between the
safety schools and reach schools. Use the average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted
students for each college as a guide for whether the school is a safety, match, or reach.
Importantly the schools that interestyou willhavevarying acceptancerates.Viewingschoolsas
difficulty levels, you should strive to get a variety of acceptance rates so that if your more
difficult schools dont work out, you still have options about which you are excited. By
diversifying, you wont have all your eggs in one basket. We recommend having one or two
schoolson yourcollegelistwhereyouknowyoucangainacceptance,somematchschools,anda
couple of reach schools. It is importantnot to count yourself out from any schoolbecauseyou
think the difficultylevelmightbe toohigh.Wecantstressthisenough.Youreguaranteedtonot
be accepted tothecolleges you dont apply to,and even if you geta rejection letter weallgot
ourfairshareyoucanknowyouchallengedyourself.
Forconfirmingaffordabilityofaschool,seeSectionIIIformoredetails.
Chapter5:OrganizingtheApplication
Throughout the collegeapplication process,it iscriticalthatyoustayorganizedto stay ontopof

deadlinesand requirements. Youalsoneedsufficient time to prepareapplications.Herearethe
toolsthatourwritersfoundthemosthelpful:
Spreadsheet or Table. Use a spreadsheet or table to keep track of the colleges youare
applyingto,the requirements,and thedeadlines.Inthespreadsheet, make sure to note
thedatesthings needto besubmittedand cross themofforhighlightthemwhenyoudo
itll save you a lot of time in the long run. Some writers of this guideused an Excel
spreadsheet, others used a large poster board that they taped to awall in their rooms,
whileothersreliedon GoogleCalendar. Figure outwhat works bestforyou.Remember,
its important to keep the spreadsheet updated. During the summerbeforeyour junior
year, you might take a look at your spreadsheet once or twice a week, but during the
middle of the application season, you should be looking at your table once a day or a
handful of timesper week.Remember,youdontwanttomissa deadlineforyourdream
school! Applyingtocollege issomething that takestime andeffort, so adaily check isa
must.
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Table1:ExampleSpreadsheet
Deadlines(Highlighted=Completed)
College
Common
App
Supple
ment
Recommendations
Tests
Financial
Aid
Merit
Scholarship
UniversityofMaine
12/30
12/30
12/30
1/15
2/1
11/20
Harvard(Early)
11/12
11/12
11/30
11/15
11/15
NA
BardCollege
12/30
12/30
12/20
1/15
2/1
11/15
Florida International
University
1/01
11/01
1/15
1/15
3/1
10/15
Planner. In addition to having a higherlevel spreadsheet or table, you should use a

planner to keep track of deadlines and break thecollege application processintosmall
chunks. Try to do something everyday, including tasks from take one full, timed SAT
practice test to schedule meeting with college counselor to review scholarship and
college list to complete the second draft of the common app essay. Planners and
calendars more generally area great wayto reduce procrastination. Physicalplanners
especially small ones that you can use to catch fleeting ideas are great andthere are
alsofreeonlineplannerslikeG
oogleCalendar.Findoutwhatworksbestforyou.
ExamplesofPlannerEntries:
SpendThursdaynightcompletelyrunningthroughapracticeACT
FinishthefinancialaidportionoftheapplicationbyFridayofthisweek
WritedraftofcollegeessayonWednesdaynight
Chapter6:LettersofRecommendation
Theletter ofrecommendationisanotherchanceforcollegesto learnmoreaboutyouasaperson

similar to your college essays but this time from a secondhand perspective. The
recommendationshouldeitherdeepen andcomplementanexistingelementofyourapplication
oraddanentirelynewelementintothemix.
Most colleges require two recommendation letters from faculty along with a letter from your
representative counselor. Make sure youre getting your recommenders all the information
theyneedandaresettingthemupforsuccess.IntheprecedingversionoftheCommonApp,the
company allowed thesubmission of a resume or an activities sheet asheetthatdetailedallof
the things that you did in school. While the Common App now has no place to upload an
activitiessheet,creating one allowsyou to detailthehonors,awards,andaccomplishmentsthat
12
you can submit to your recommenders. Recommenders will generally write about their
experiences knowingyou, butanactivitiessheetcan helpmaketheirjob ofhighlightingwhata
great student and person you are easier. If you dont sendthem an activities sheet, sendthem
something elseorhave a chat withyourrecommender.Allthewhile,begrateful.Teachersdont
get paid extra to write letters of recommendation, so make sure that they know youre
appreciativeandthankful.
WhoToAsk
At the very least, ask those teachers who will write favorably of you. Next, consider how the
perspectiveof theletter willadd to yourapplication. Collegesoftenaskfortwoacademicletters
of recommendation and one optional nonacademic letter of recommendation, so there is a
strategizingelement.Herearesomeconsiderations:
1. Consider teachers who teach higherlevel courses. Letters of recommendations should

typically come from teachers the student had during junior year for this very reason.
That way the teacher can also speak to how you are as a student now, or how youve
grownasastudentsincefreshmanyear.
2. Consider asking a teacherinasubjectyouenjoy.Ifyouhaveastrongpassioninacertain
subject, werecommendasking ateacherinthatsubjecttowritealetter.Ifyouredeeply
interested in mathematics, a letter of recommendation from a math teacher would
furtherexpandyourproclaimedanddemonstratedinterestinmath.
3. Consider teachers who can provide insight into who youareatapersonalorsociallevel.
Teachers who served as sponsors of clubs inwhich youwereinvolved might beable to
providethisperspective,orateacheryougetalongwithwellwhoknowsyou.
4. Especially if optional letters of recommendation are allowed, ask an advisor, mentor,
coach,orbosstogivethecollegeawellroundedlookofwhoyouare.
HowtoAsk
Ask if the recommender would be willing to write a strong letterof recommendation onyour
behalf. Its best to do thisinperson and, in all honesty,therecommender should be the sortof
person you are comfortable asking in person. It is also a good idea to ask during the very
beginningof seniorfall or during junior summerviaemail. Thisgives therecommender plenty
oftime towrite arefinedrecommendationletter, andallowsyoutoavoidtherequestrush from
otherstudentscloser to thedeadline. A goodrule of thumb isthata recommendershouldhave
atleastamonthtowritetheletter,butthemoretimeyougive,thebetter!
Whenaskingyourteacherforarecommendationletter,wehighlyrecommendrequestinga
meetingwithyourteachertodiscussyourapplicationandhowyouplantoframeyourselfasan
applicant.Thoughsometeachersprefertoworkindependentlyandmayalreadyhaveanideaof
whattheyplantowriteforyourletter,manyteacherswouldfindithelpfultohaveasmuch
informationaboutyouaspossible,andhearhowyouviewyourselfasastudentandan
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applicant.Thismeetingensuresthatbothyouandyourrecommenderareonthesamepage,and
helpsyourteachercraftaletterthatfitsbestwithyourapplication.
Whileanactivitiessheetcanbehelpfulingivingarecommenderaplacetostart,besureto
chooseteacherswhoknowyouwellenoughthattheycansaymoreaboutyouthanjustwhat
extracurricularsyouparticipatedin.Astrongletterofrecommendationwillalsospeaktoyour
character,workethic,andpersonality.AftergettingtheO.K.fromyourrecommenders,its
smarttocheckintoseehowthelettersarecomingalongandtoaskwhethertheywouldlikeany
additionalinformation.Again,yourjobistomakeyourrecommendersjobeasy,whichiswhy
itsimportanttocreateyouractivitiessheetbeforeyoubegin.
ThankYouNotes
Teachers arenot getting paidtowriterecommendationlettersandareoftenaskedbymore than
one student. To express gratitude, be cool. Write a thank you note. A handwritten thank you
note,thoughsimple,isatouchinggesturethatyourrecommenderswillappreciate.
Chapter7:TheApplication
Now that you have a list of schools youd be excited to go to and have asked yourteachersif
theyd be willing to write a letter for you, track down whatis neededtoapply for admissions.
Find out whether they accept the Common Application or whether they have their own
application wellgoover what this means when they need testscores submitted,whattests
theyrequire,and what questions their supplements ask.Settingaside plentyoftimetoworkon
theapplication andthe collegeessaysis truly worth theinvestment:it canyieldacceptanceinto
thecollege ofyour dreams, meritscholarships,and save youand yourfamilytensofthousands
ofdollars.
TypesofDecisions
EarlyAction.Earlyactionallowsyoutoapplytoaschoolearly,meaningthatyoullhearback
sooneraboutyourstatusasanapplicant.Earlydeadlinescanhelpbreakupyourcollege
applicationworkloadwithtwodifferentdeadlinestypicallyNovemberforEarlyActionand
JanuaryforRegularAdmissions.Someschoolsofferexclusive/restrictiveearlyaction,which
meansthatyoucanapplyearlytothatschoolbutnotanyotherschool.Otherschoolsrestrictive
earlyactionprocessesallowyoutoalsoapplyforpublicandinternationalschools.Regardless,
theadvantageofearlyactionisthatwhetherornotyoureacceptedtoyourearlyactionschool,
youcanstillapplyregularactiontootherschoolsafterward.Earlyactionshowsthecollegethat
youredeeplyinterestedintheirschool,increasingyourlikelihoodofacceptance,butleavesyou
theflexibilitytostillgotoanotherschoolifyouwish.Also,ifyourewaitlisted,youthenget
anotherroundatregulardecisionduringwhichtheadmissionsofficerswillconsideryour
applicationagain.
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EarlyDecision.Thoughtheysoundalike,earlydecisionisdifferentfromearlyaction:inearly
decisionyousignacontractsayingthatyouwillattendtheschoolifyouareaccepted.Ifyoure
totallyinvestedinaschoolandknowforsurethatswhereyouwanttogoregardlessofhow
muchfinancialaidyoullreceivethengoforit!Ifnot,orifyouwanttowaittoseewhatyour
financialaidisbeforemakingadecision,thenholdoff.Statistically,theacceptanceratesfor
earlyactionandearlydecisionarehigherthanforregulardecision,althoughcollegecounselors
willsaythatthisisaresultofmorequalifiedapplicantsapplying.Earlydecisionisthemost
extremesignaltoacollegethattheyareyourperfectschoolthough,whichundoubtedlyhelps
yourchancesofgettingin,evenifthecompetitionisintense.
RollingAdmission.Rollingadmissionmeansthattheschoolwilltakequalifiedapplicantsuntil
theclassisfilled.Youcanapplyanytimeafteracertaindateandwillhearbackwithina
particularnumberofweeksonyourstatus.Therefore,asalways,itsabenefittoapplyearly.
RegularDecision.Thisisthefinalandmostnormalopportunitytoapplyforaschool.Makesure
yougetyourapplicationsinbeforethisdeadlinesoyoudonthavetoworryaboutit.Mostof
yourapplicationswillberegulardecision.
Transcript
Collegeswillwanttosee howyouusedyourtimeinhighschool,examiningyourcourseloadand
grades.Usually colleges willweigh thehigh school juniorandsophomoreyearswithmoreclout
than freshman year, as they understand the adjustment period to high school can be hard.
Overall, colleges are mindful of trends in your transcript, so dont be too worried about an
individualpoorgrade or twoif possiblehave yourguidancecounselorspeaktowhythedipmay
have occurred in the recommendation letter. Colleges you apply to will want to see your high
school performance up to senior winter, andifyoureaccepted into the school and then accept
the offer, spring. Stopby yourcounselorsoffice to dropoff a list of thecollegesyouveapplied
to, probably via a spreadsheet or table, so that your counselor knows where to send your
transcript.Collegeswillweighyouracademicperformancerelativetotheopportunitiesavailable
atyourschoolandnotagainsttheopportunitiesofotherstudentsfromotherschools.
MidYearReport
If you have applied to a school with an early deadline then you will also need to submit a
transcriptat thehalfway point of yoursenioryear.Thisreportwillinclude yourgradesfromthe
firsthalfofyoursenioryear.Dontforgetit,anddontcatchsenioritistoosoon.
FinalReport
Afteryouvebeen acceptedtocollege, youwill need to submitatranscriptreflectingyourentire
timeinhighschool,includingyourconfirmationofhighschoolgraduation.
ACT/SAT/SATSubjects
15
See the ACT/SAT/SATSubjectssectionsinChapter3for moredetails.Thesetestsprovideaway

todirectlycompare an extremely diverseandtalentedapplicationpool.Youmustsendscoresto
each school via the College Board or ACT website. After you have submitted your online
application,makesurethatthe schools youve applied toalsohaveyournecessarytestscores.If
you havent sent these through score report when you were in your test sitting, then head to
either theSATwebsiteorACTwebsite,loginthroughtheaccountthatyouvecreated, andselect
theschools thatneedyour testscores foreithertest to thensendthem.Thiscostssome money,
butthereareneedbasedfeewaiversavailable.
Recommendationletters
Having given your recommenders plenty of time, you now must make sure that your
recommenders submit the information to your respective school before the application date
ends eitherbymailing themorthroughathirdpartysubmissionsoftwarethatyourschoolmay
use.Teachersarehumantoo,sostayintouchwiththemtomakesuretheyreontopofit.
CommonApp
The Common App is a universal application meant to remove a lot of the redundancy of the
fillingout applicationsformanyschools:essentially,itcentralizesinformationsoyoudonthave
toreenter iteverytime.ThenicethingabouttheCommonAppisthatmostcollegesacceptit.It
asks, among other things, for personal information, extracurricular activities, honors and
awards, testscores,courses,andessays.Thisgives theadmissionscommitteeanideaofhowyou
spent your time duringhigh school,aswellasyourpersonalandfamilybackground.Filloutthe
CommonAppasinstructedintheC
ommonAppwebsite.
AlthoughtheCommonApphasbeenthemostcommonuniversalapplicationtoapplytocollege,
there are many other application platforms, such as theUniversal College Application andthe
Coalition forAccess,Affordability,andSuccess.Somecollegeshaveschoolspecificapplications,
meaning that you need to fill out an entire application just to apply to that school. Do your
research andfindout how to applytoeach college. Justabouteveryapplicationwillinclude,at
the very least, family information, extracurricular activities, honors and awards, tests scores,
courses, and an essay. While the Coalition and UCA are accepted by fiftysix and fortyfour
colleges and universities respectively, the Common App is used by over500. Becauseit isthe
mostcommon,thatiswhatwewillfocusoninourguide.
CommonAppEssay
The Common App essay is a blanket personal statement intended to act as a way for the
committee to get to know you and what matters to you. Check out Chapter 8 for some more
detailedinformationontheCommonAppEssay.
SupplementEssay(s)
Supplement essays are a way for a collegetohearyour thoughtson aquestionorprompt they
pose.Again,wehavemuchmoreinformationaboutthesupplementessay(s)inChapter8.
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OptionalEssay
Some schoolshave optional essaysincludedinthe student application. While schools saythese
are optional, if youre passionate about the school, do them anyway. An additional essay
demonstrates interestinthe schooland givesadmissionsofficers evengreaterinsight into who
youare.
AdditionalMaterials
If youre applying to a music or art program, you may also have the opportunity to submit
additionalinformation,likearecordingorartportfolio.
SchoolSpecificApplications
Some schools will have individual applications and will not employ the Common App. These
schoolsare usually publicuniversities.In this case,you willlikelyhavetoresubmitmuchofthe
informationthatyoufilledoutintheCommonApp.
MeritScholarshipDeadlines
If meritaidis offered,youllfindit listedunderfinancialaid.Wewillgothroughwhat meritaid
means,butknowthatapplyingforitwillusuallyrequireadditionalessays.
FAFSA
The FAFSA is a financial aid form that you are required to fillout regardless of the type of
school you attend.It is a form createdby thegovernmenttodetermine howmuch government
financial aid youare eligible to receiveand whetheryouareeligibleforsubsidizedloans suchas
the Perkins and Stafford. In order to findout how muchaidthegovernmentwill actuallygive
you, sit down with your parents or guardians and fill outthe FAFSAtogether,whichbasically
asksforinformationonyourfamilysfinancialassetsandwealthinordertogaugeneed.
CSS/FinancialAidProfile
The CSS/Financial Aid Profile is a supplementforthe FAFSA.If youre acceptedintoa private
collegethatoffersneedblind,needbasedfinancialaid,thecollegewillhavetoassesshowmuch
financial aid you need after accepting you. Many private colleges are needaware, where the
admissions committee takes into account how much financial aid you need while making a
decisionon yourapplication. Thetool that many colleges usetoassessaidistheCSS/Financial
Aid Profile, which collects your familys income and assets through a secureportal.Besideall
your colleges that have need aid, make sure to include the CSS/Financial Aid Profile as a
requirement in the spreadsheet next to them.The profile willalso chargeyou $25forthe first
college you apply to and $16 for all following colleges. Importantly, colleges judge need and
weigh the ability to pay differently. The CSS/College Financial Aid Profileis away forprivate
schoolstorunyourdatathroughtheirneedestimatoralgorithms.
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EndofYearTranscriptSubmit
Attheendof the year,after youve decidedwhere youll gotocollege,youllalsoneed tomailin
anendofyeartranscripttoyourschool.
For frequently asked questions regarding the components of the college application and the
importance of eachcomponent,werecommendchecking outtheSilverturtlesGuidetoSATand
AdmissionsSuccess.
Chapter8:TheCollegeEssay
Hey you!Yeah,you! You can write an amazingcollege essay(or essays) andit only takesbeing
yourself and a bit of time and thought. In reality, this is oneof the most dreaded parts ofthe
college application process, but it doesnt have to be. In fact, the writing process can be an
intellectually and personally meaningful experience. It is an opportunity toreflect on how far
youvecomeandonwhereyouwouldliketogonext.
Keepthesefewthingsinmind:
1. The essay is the first opportunity for the admissions committee to hear from, andnot
hear about, you. Thats exciting. Colleges dont admit a list of accomplishments they
admit human beings. This is your chance to put the human into the rest of your
applicationandshowadmissionsofficersabitmoreaboutyourself.
2. Unlike other parts of the application (transcripts, testscores, extracurriculars) that are
set in stone bythetimeyougetaroundtoapplying,youcantweakandimprovetheessay
rightuptothedeadline.
3. Youaretheworldsforemostexpertonthesubjectoftheessay:you!
Thecollegeessayisusedbyadmissionsdepartmentsprimarilyforthreereasons:
1. To evaluate students writing ability, with specific focus on developing a logical and
coherentessaystructurewithpersuasiveandwellwrittensentences.
2. Tolearnmoreaboutthestudentthroughthetopicandcontentoftheessay.
3. Toseewhatthestudentwouldcontributetothecollegesstudentbody.
While there aremanyways to writeasuccessfulcollegeessay,eachessayshouldengagewithall

of the three areas above. Weve included helpful tips and information in this section to clarify
howstudentsshouldapproachwritingtheircollegeessays.
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Weve compiled college essays that were part of successful college applications to topschools.
These canbefoundinSectionIV. Butjustlikeflippingrightawaytotheanswersofstandardized
testsis not thebest practice,dont cheat yourself.Read therest ofthis section and spendsome
time thinking about whatyou mightwritebefore skippingtothesefinishedessays.Dontforget
tojotdownyourideasalongtheway!
TypesofCollegeEssays
CommonApplicationEssay:
This essayis part ofthe Common Applicationand isstrictlylimitedto650words.TheCommon

Appessayissenttoevery schoola student appliestothroughtheCommonApp,makingiteven
moreimportantthatthisbeanexcellentessay.Hereareafewpointers:
1. TheCommon Appessayisthetopbrickofthepyramidthatis yourapplication.Itshould

frame and give direction to yourapplication byplacingyour scores, classes,references,
andgradeswithinasinglenarrative:thisiswhoyouareandwhereyouaregoing.
2. It is often the first thing an admissions officer reads in your application. With that in
mind, your Common App essay should be intriguing, persuasive, and wellwritten. It
shouldexcitetheadmissionsofficeraboutreadingtherestofyourapplication.
3. TheCommon Appessay isa place tobeyou.Ifaschooldeniesyouforwhoyouare,then

youprobablydontwanttogothereanyway.
4. Your Common Appwill be sent to every schoolyou applytothroughthe Common App,

somakesurethatyouressayisnotdirectedatanyparticularschool.
An excellent reference guide on the college essay is provided by Yale. We highly recommend
checkingitoutforfurtheradvice.
SupplementalEssay:
Manyschoolsthatyou applytowill require schoolspecificsupplementalessays. Thinkofthese

as additional narratives of who you are as a person that refine, complicate and expand the
profileyouvesketchedintheCommonAppessay.Again,afewpointers:
1. Avoid significant overlapbetweenyour Common Appessayand yoursupplements.You

onlyhave theeyesand earsofadmissions officers fora limited amountoftime.Andthe
650 words of the Common App could never capture your infinite richness and
complexity. So you might use the supplemental essaytoshow adifferentdimension of
yourself.
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2. This is a great time to highlight your specific interest in the school to which you are
applying. Study the individualschoolswebsites,becomeanexperton their school,and
then demonstrate your expertise. For example, if you arepassionate about journalism,
youcould tella collegewhy youare interested in exploringtheirjournalismprogram.If
you are interested in a particular area ofstudy or in thework ofa particular academic,
you could express your desire to work with a particular department or an academic.
Schoolsacceptapplicantsthattheybelievewilltakegreatadvantageoftheresourcesthey
offer.
3. Supplemental essay questionsvary. Somecolleges ask slightly strange questionstogive

students an opportunitytodemonstrate their creativitywhileothersask more standard
questionslikeWhyXCollegeorUniversity?.
Remember: eachcomponent ofthe applicationshouldaddanadditionaldimension orsnapshot

ofyou.
TheTopic
Selectingthe essaytopic isone ofthehardest partsof writingacollegeessay.Tryafewofthese
things:
1. Startbythinkingabouttopicsthatyouwanttowriteabout.Thesearemostlikelyto
representsomeimportantaspectofyourself.Evenwithoutanywordsonthepage,the
topicofaparttimejobasayouthsoccerrefereeimpliesthatastudentisprobably
responsible.Anessayaboutfamilycanindicatethatfamilyvaluesareanimportantpart
ofthestudentslife.Selectatopicthatreflectswhatisimportanttoyou.Ifyouare
blankingonatopic,justspendafewminutesonedayjottingdownwhateverideascome
tomindforapotentialessay.Theydonthavetobeperfect,orevencomplete.Then,
revisityourideasanothertimewithafreshperspective.
2. Dontworrytoomuchaboutwhatothersarewriting.Thereisnoonewaytowriteabout,
letalonetohave,ameaningfulexperience,role,personorreflection.Avoidcopying
successfulpastessays.And,equally,avoidsteeringclearofsocalledclichdtopicslike
playingonasportsteamorwritingaboutalategrandparent,unlessyoucaninjectsome
noveltyintothesubject.Intheend,admissionsofficersjustwanttoreadaboutwhatyou
findimportantandmeaningful.
3. Dontbeafraidtoabandonatopicandfindsomethingthatworksevenbetter.Often,the
successorthefailureofanideaisrevealedinthewriting.Itiscompletelynaturaland
expectedforyouressaytoundergomanyshiftsandchanges.
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4. Successfulessayswontnecessarilyaddanotherbulletpointdemonstratingacademicor
extracurricularsuccess.Theactivitiesandhonorslistwillcarrythisburden.Instead,
focusondeepeningtheimagetheadmissionscommitteehasofyouandofyour
character.Someofthemostcompellingessaysarewrittenasstories,andmightdescribe
arelationship,ameaningfultimeofyourlife,oraninterestthathashadanimpacton
you.
TheTone
In additiontothetopic,thetoneisimportanttoconveyyourvoice.Mostgoodcollegeessaysdo
not read like dry, academic papers you might write for a 11th grade English literature class.
Instead,the collegeessay isachanceforstudentstodemonstratetocollegesthattheycanwrite,
while presenting certain aspects ofthemselvesthroughthe essay.Successfulcollege essays can
be witty, clever, touching, or even solemn. In each case, be yourself and present your voice.
Typically,the toneis not overlyacademicand doesnothaveanexcessivenumberoflongwords
fromathesaurus.Beyou!
TheProcess
The process of writing college essays can beunlike that of writingacademic essays. Writers of
this guide agree that planning to spend weeks, and sometimes months, on college essays isa
good idea.Itprobably seemslike adaunting task theessays area weightypart of thecollege
application and students might not know where to start. But it is one of the most important
essaysyoullwrite in yourhigh school career, andcan in factbequite liberating.Herearesome
tipsourwritersusedtogoaboutwritingtheiressays.
1. Brainstorm. Starting the essay can be the hardest part. Brainstorming about your
personality traitsand thecharacteristics youdliketheessaytoilluminateisagoodplace
tobegin.If youfeelcomfortable,talk aboutyourbrainstormingprocesswithpeoplethat
knowyouwelltogettheirfeedbackandhelp.
2. Get words on paper.Afteryou have anideaof what to write about, createanoutline to

organize your essay and let the words flow. Do this as soon as possible. Words and
sentenceswill oftenbetrayyou: an idea that sounds promisingin your head may notbe
so on paper. Dont worry about making it perfect. Focus on getting your ideas flowing
and yourthoughtsonthepaper.It'ssomucheasiertocutoutorchangewordsthantobe
blockedaboutnothavinganywritingatall.
3. Keep it simple. Sentences should be simple and communicate ideas clearly. Trying to
fluffupsentenceswithfancywords isnotthemosteffectiveuseofspace.Remember, this
isatimetoshowtraitsofyours, notshowhowwellyoucanlookupwordsin athesaurus.
Morefluffmeanslessyou!
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4. Put yourself in the colleges position. Ultimately, colleges want to accept studentsthat
are going to graduateandbesuccessfulintheworldaftergraduation.Itisvitalforyouto
presentyourselfas someone that canthinkcritically,wholovestolearn,andhaspassion
forsomething.
5. Show donttell. Youshouldconveyyourcharacteristics throughexperiences orreflection

instead of through explicit statements. In order for you to demonstrate that you are
intellectually curious, it is better to describe an example of the student being
intellectuallycuriousinsteadofopenlystatingIamintellectuallycurious.
6. Balance use of imagery. Most sentences should contribute to the goal of displaying
characteristics. Imagery can be important to set the stage, but dont go overboard.
Vividly describingscenes only furthers thefirstgoalofthecollegeessay makingitclear
thatthestudentisacompetentwriter.Butoverwritingcanbeoffputtinginitsownway.
7. Use the essay to say what your application cant. The essay is the chance for you to
communicatewhatthe testscores, lists of extracurriculars, andawards cannot.Colleges
wanttolearnwhatmakes youunique.Imaginesittingwiththecollegeadmissionsofficer
and respondingtothe question Whatelse do I need to know?Theessayshould reflect
someresponsetothisquestion.
8. Stay humble. Avoid drawing easy conclusionsand forcing satisfying conclusions.You

will likely have many different and complexfeelings,questions and thoughtsaboutthe
subject ofyour essay.Keep an optimistic outlook,but youressay need not resolve these
tensions in one grand epiphany. The conclusion you reach is less important than the
thinkingyourthinkingthatledtoit.
TheReview
Acommonlycitedquotationin collegewritingclassesis:Thereisnosuchthingasgood writing,
onlygoodrewriting. This quotation certainlyapplies tothecollege essay andiswhyit isvitally
important to start writing early. Once you think youve written everything, proofread it and
proofread it again. Save copies of rough drafts and trydifferentideas outinnew copies.Then
youcan reread anddecidewhat draft youthink ismore effectiveataccomplishingthegoalsofa
college essay. Once you think your essay is ready to submit, work with a teacher, parent, or
mentor to go through your essays to seek out the grammatical mistakes that you might have
missed. Dont have a committee write your essay, but do get a couple of trustedvoices in the
process to ensure that the essays represent you. Here are four tools that can help students
improvetheiressay:
1. Use a spelling and grammar check. Most word processors like Microsoft Word have
featurestoreviewspellingandgrammar.
22
2. Have the computer read the essay back. Most computers have a feature of
texttospeech with which the computer can read an essay to the student. This is an
excellent way to catch errors and improve the flow of the essay. As an alternative
strategy,readtheessaytoyourselfinfrontofamirrortoaccomplishthesameend.
3. Printandreview. It can be helpful to print out the essay to make handwritten edits.
Having a hardcopy of your paper can be great to read while on the bus, subway, or
anytime that you have 5 minutes to review. Just make suretorecycleallof that paper
whenyouredone!
4. Teacher and counselor review. Once you are satisfied with the essay, feedback from
teachers and/or counselors can be helpful. Feedback from people you trust,who know
youwell,cansignificantlyimproveyouressay.
Theprinciplesinthis chapter aimtoprovide useful information to help studentsimprove their

collegeessays.ExamplesofsuccessfulessayscanbefoundinSectionIIIofthebook.
Chapter9:YourInterview
Theintent of thecollege interview isfortheschooltomeetyou.Bygettinginterviewed,youget

the opportunity to show who you are. This interview is not designed to assess whether or not
youll be accepted, but present a picture of you that hopefully will be consistent with all your
other application materials. Additionally, this interview might be theonly timesomeonefrom
thecollege/universityhas achancetomeetyoupersonally,so thisisthemomentto presentwho
youareasapersoninadditiontoyourresume.
Schoolshave different approaches to theinterview. Whilemanyrelyonlocalalumnitoconduct

the interview, some places offer oncampus interviews with admission officers.You should go
onto the schools admissions website to findouthowtheschoolcoordinatesinterviews. Insome
cases, you will be contacted for an interview by an alumnus over thephone or byemail.With
alumni interviews, the interview truly begins with the initial contact with the alum. Give a
strong firstimpression by acting professionally: communicate clearlyandconfidentlywhileyou
find a timefor the interview.Respondtoall phone callsand emails within 24hours.Ifsending
an email,be sure toproofreadfor grammatical mistakes.Ifspeakingover thephone,remember
towritedownthedateandtimeoraskfortheinterviewtosendafollowupemail. Ineithercase,
you can ask the interviewer if it would be appropriate to bring your resume to the interview.
Demonstratingresponsibilityandcarefororganizationwillmakeapositiveimpact.
Beforetheinterview,doyourhomework!Refamiliarizeyourselfwiththeschool.Spendtimeon
itswebsite.Ifyouhavefriendsatthatschool,talktothem.Chatwithaguidancecounselor.
Learnaboutwhattheschooloffersthatrelatestoyouracademic,extracurricular,orsocial
23
interests.Researchsomerelevantclassesandprofessors.Themoreyoucantalkaboutthe
school,whyyouwanttogo,andwhyyoudbeagoodfit,thebetter.
When the interview comes, the most important thing to remember is to relax, take a deep
breath, andbeyourself.Yes thatscliche, but its true! Youshouldfeelno pressuretoactoutof
character. This is not a test. The interview is really supposed to be an easy, freeflowing
conversation meant for theinterviewer to learnaboutyou, yourstory, and your interestsinthe
school. The talkis meant for youto strutyourstuffanddemonstratehowspecialyouare!While
you dont want to sound arrogant, dont be afraid to discuss your accomplishments and your
passions.However,thatcanbequitedifficult,sohereareafewtips:
Arrive ontimeoralittleearly.Showingup afewminutesearlywouldnothurt,but

dont get there too early! Aim to get to thelocation510 minutesbeforetheappointed
time.
Whenmeeting your interviewer,politelyintroduceyourself.Bewarm,friendly
andconfident,evenifyourenotfeelingthatway.
Make an effort to make eye contact with your interviewer, especially when
speaking.
Beanactivelistener
Speakslowly.Manypeoplegetnervousandtalktooquickly.
Avoidusingfillerwords(like,um,uh,er,yknow)
Dont spendtoo muchtimeon anyone subject. Most interviews last between 30
and 60 minutes, but some can be even shorter. Make sure things movealong andyou
dontrunoutoftimetodiscusssomething.
Ask your interviewer questions. If there is time and/or if yourinterviewer offers,
askinggoodquestionscanshowthatyoutrulyhaveavestedinterestintheschool.
Leave a good final impression. Thank theinterviewer andshakethepersonshand
whilemaking eyecontact. Whenyou gethome, senda noteoremailtoyourinterviewer
(seebelowforfurtherinstructions).
Again,the interviewshouldbeviewedasitis:a chataboutyouandabouta collegeoruniversity

you hope to attend with an adult who wants to get to know you. Remember, thesepeopleare
eithervolunteeringtheirtimeorgetpaidtodothis,sotheyreallyenjoyit!
If this makes you nervous, then practice! Ask a friend or a guidance counselor or a family
member. Practicingwill help. Ifyou donthaveanyonetopractice with,then consider thinking
aboutthefollowingquestions:
WhydoyouwanttogotoXUniversity?
WhatdoyouwanttostudyatXCollege?
Whataresomeoftheextracurricularactivitiesyoudo?Whydoyoudothem?
Whatisyourfavoritebook,andwhy?
Whoissomeoneyoulookupto?Why?
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Afterthe interview,theinterviewersfill out aform about the experienceconsidering howyoud

doattheschool.
WhattoWear
Unlesstoldotherwise,wearbusinesscasualattirefortheinterview.Becomfortableinyour
clothing,andadjustyourattirebasedonthevenueoftheinterview.Undernocircumstances
shouldyouweartshirts,shortsortornclothing.Heresasitewithwhatbusinesscasualmeans.
WhattoBring
If your interviewer asks you to bringa resume,then make sure to haveiton hand. Itsusually
besttobring theresumeinaprofessionallookingfolder,manila,orsomethingelse.Inaddition,
bringapenandpapertotakenotesforyourself.
QuestionstoAsk
Althoughtheinterviewerswillinevitablyaskyousomequestions,youshouldalso askquestions.
Come prepared with a question or two to ask the interviewer that will reflectyour familiarity
withtheschool.Beabletoasktheintervieweraboutsomeinterestofyoursandhowitiscovered
at the school, e.g. studying abroad, club sports, theater productions, internships, a particular
area of study. Moreover, everyone likes to talk about themselves, so if this is an alumni
interview, feel free to ask about the interviewers experiences at the school. Here are some
possiblequestions:
1. WhatwereyouinvolvedinatXUniversity?
2. Doyoustayintouchwithfriendsfromcollege?
3. Whowereyourfavoriteprofessors?
4. Whatdidyoudoduringhighschool?
5. WhatwasyourfavoriteclassatXUniversity?
6. Doyouhaveafavoritebookorbookrecommendations?
7. Whatwasafavoritememoryfromyourtimeincollege?
ThankYouNote
As an act of courtesy, it is nice to send each interviewer a thank you note, usually within 24
hours ofthe interview. Itshouldbea handwritten noteorwellwrittenemail.Youshouldthank
theinterviewer for meetingwithyou,refertosomethingthathappenedduringtheconversation,
and express how excited youare about attendingtheschool. Hereisaroughexampleofathank
younote,tobeamendedtoyourownpersonalvoice:
DearMs.Smith,
Thank youfor interviewing me onTuesday afternoon. I reallyenjoyed speaking toyouabout
your experiences at the University of Chicago and particularly liked your story of meeting
Milton Friedman. I still cant believe you got to chat with him. Ialso appreciated yourbook
25
recommendation. Ive alreadyordered Catch22and lookforwardtoreadingit overthenext

fewweeks.
Ourconversation confirmedwhyImsoexcitedaboutgoingtotheUniversityofChicago.I will

letyouknowofmyadmissionsresultassoonasIamnotified.
Thanksagain!
Sincerely,
John
Chapter10:UpdateLetter
If something worthwhile occurs between when you submit your application and when they
notifyyou of youradmissionsresults,wesuggestwriting aletter to thecollegestowhichyoure
applyingtoupdatethem andlet themknowthatyourestillseriouslyconsideringattending the
school ifaccepted. Werecommend doing this after application submissionandofcoursebefore
decision day. It is useful to send the colleges that youappliedtoan updateletter during early
NovemberforEarlyAdmissionsandduringmidFebruaryforregularadmissions.
Whattoupdatethemon
1.
2.
3.
4.
Extracurriculars
Newprojects
Awards
Acceptancesatotherschoolsletthemknowyourewanted!
ExampleUpdateLetter#1
LukeHeine
CloquetSeniorHigh
Cloquet,MN,55720
RegularDecision
FebruaryUpdate
GreetingsX,
As promised, this is the update to my previous letter for inclusion in myapplication.AsIm
sure youalsohave quite the todolist,I keptit short foryour convenience, notbecause of a
lackofinterest.Beforeyouevenbegin,thanksforyourtime.Itmeansalot!
Since our lastconversation, asfarasscholarshipsgo,Iwas fortunate enoughtoearn

the Minnesota High School Leagues Arts, Athletics, and Academics award (awarded to
students excellinginallthose subjects)for Section7AA.Thisis thefirsttime anyonefrom my
school has won it in eight years, andas I am advancing to state in the competitionI
26
cautiously hope to be thefirst individual everfrom Cloquet to win Minnesota. Well seewhat
becomesofit.
Additionally,IalsowonNorthernMinnesotas MostValuableStudentAwardthrough
the Elks Society, so Ill also havetheopportunity to competefor state in that.On asidenote,
theAXAAchievementAwardshasnotyetseparatedtheirnationalwinners fromtheirfinalists,
soIunfortunatelyhavenonewsorupdatesonthatend.IwishIdid!
Avoiding the information expressed through my midterm transcript(Ithinkyou will

like what you see), I want to spend the rest ofthisletterquickly updatingyou onthisyears
Northland Frisbee Invite, the nonprofit Ultimate Frisbee Tournament I run. So far, Ive
reservednine fields, signed another DJfor theevent,distributed500ofthe1,500stickers,and
pouredhours intoworkingonthewebsite.Asfarasthewebsitegoes,exceptforafewaesthetic
tweaks (while it may work for Nike, I think our site has too many greyscale hues), its
completed.Also, some friendsgotthetwitterintegrationworking,so,whenofficiallylaunched,
one can simply attach #northlandfrisbee to atweet,and it will transfer alltagged content to
our websites homepage. Finally, as far as other NFIdevelopments go, Imnow working on
shirt,poster, andbanner designs, openingupanother contestfor localartists,and gearingup
tosignsponsors.
Itshould be abusyspring,but Imsureyouknowhowthatgoes.Thanksforyour time.

And,Ihopetoseeyounextfall.
Sincerely,
Luke
ExampleUpdateLetter#2
DearMr.X,
Iam writingthislettertoexpressmygenuine interest in attendingOhioWesleyanUniversity

nextfall.
Since I submitted my application in December, I have undertaken more responsibilities and
continued to focus onmyacademic success.Backpacksfor Peru, an organizationIfoundedto
contribute to my older sisters community service mission trips, has become a Non Profit
Corporation and will become an annual event. As CoCaptain of my varsity tennis team, I
have ledmy team to a2ndplacerankinginourdistrict,a9thplacerankinginthestate,anda
qualificationforthestatechampionshiptournament.Iamalso nowanOpinions Editorforour
schools studentrun website, StudentConnect, and I have qualified for FBLA States in
economics after I took my districts economicstest onJanuary 16th. Furthermore, I wasjust
notified that I am a CocaCola Scholars Program Finalist (selected out of 90,000 applicants
and 2,200 semifinalists). All the while, I have excelled in my IB requirements4,000word
Extended Essay (I wrote mineon death imageryinT.S. Eliotspoetry)andvariousIBinternal
assessmentswhile,as evidentinmymidyear report, earning straightAs for thefirst two
semesters.
27
Ohio Wesleyan ismytopchoice school. OhioWesleyansmathematicsprogramisidealforme

because its strong faculty, notably Professor X and Professor X, would offer me chances to
learnandresearchunder thepioneersinthefields.Thisprogram,pairedwithOhioWesleyans
flexible curriculum, would enable me to combine complex mathematics and a broad
foundationintheliberalarts. However, mostimportantly,thepeopletherewill emboldenme
to learn through interactiondiscussions that are intellectually stimulated, vitalized, and
passionate.
Ihope to act onmysincere desire to be a part of,andcontributeto,OhioWesleyan'sdynamic

campusnextfall.
Thank you for your consideration! Please contact me if there are any questions about my
application I wouldevenprefertoconveymythoughts,ideals,achievements,andpassionsin
amorepersonalmanner.
KindRegards,
X
OhioWesleyanHopeful18
Chapter11:PostSubmission
Once youhave submittedyour application, youll eventuallyhearfrom the colleges.Acceptance

orrejectionare straightforwardoutcomes, butwhat doyou doaboutthe waitlist?If youget on
thewaitlist, just assumethatyouwontgetin butdo selecttobefurtherconsidered.Studentsdo
get in off the waitlist, but by assuming that you wont, itll be a pleasant surprise over an
unexpected disappointment. If you are placed on a waitlist,werecommend sending aletter to
the school saying that youre still invested and seriously considering attending if the school
grantsyouadmission.
If youre accepted to multipleschools, andtheschool youwantto attenddidntgiveyoutheaid

thatyouwerelookingfor,dontbeshytoletyourschool knowthatyouvebeenacceptedatother
universities that if true have given you better aid. Asimpleletter likethiscouldbeworth
thousandsofextradollarsinaid.
Howtodecide
Choosingthecollegeyoullattendcannodoubtbedifficultwhengivenmultipleacceptances.
Makesureyou haveanideaof what eachschool willcostyou.Knowthatfinancialaidpackages

are rarely static: in the case that you dont feeltheaidofferedmeets yourneed,students who
appeal to the school have been known to receive more generous allotments. Though its not
28
entirely common, admissions officers have the ability to increase a students aid package,
especially if, for instance,afamilyhasreceiveda higher offerfrom acomparableschool or if a
familys situationhaschangedinsomeway.Keep thisinmindasyouevaluateyouroffers during
the month of April admissions and financial aid officers should be readily available to field
questionsanddiscussyourpersonalfinancialsituation.
Manystudents liketoreferbacktothatoriginallistof values youcreated beforeyouappliedto

schools in order to reevaluate theoptions younow have. Thinkaboutthereasons youhave for
pursuing a collegeeducation,whatyouplantodowithyourdegree,andwhichinstitutionwould
prepare youthe best to achieve your goals. With thisinformation on hand, manyfindithelpful
to think about where you would regret not going most, as that maygiveyou insighton where
youdliketogomost.
Formany,however, the correct choicecantbe foundonaspreadsheetorlist. Itisoften,atits

core, a gutdecision.Where youdmost wanttospendthe nextfouryearsof yourlife isoften a
very personal decision, one only you can make for yourself. There is no right or wrongset of
criteriaforchoosingthecollegethatisbestforyoupayattentiontotheadviceofthoseclosestto
you(butdont be afraidtodisregard it!).Throughyourhardwork,youveearnedyourrighttoa
decisiononlyyoucanmake.
Oneof the bestways to tease outwhat feelsright isattending theadmittedstudentsday(s)at

the schools to which you were admitted. A number of colleges anduniversitieshost multiday
programs oncampus withthe purposeofsellingadmittedstudents(you)onthe experiencethey
have to offer.You shoulddefinitelyattendtheseprograms if youcan. Call the schooltoseeifit
offers financial aid for the travel cost. Its important to keep in mind that these programsare
primarily focused on selling you on the school. Be sure to enjoy yourself as you collect
information on these schools by visiting classes, speaking with professors, and talking to
students about their experiences. Evenif you alreadyvisitedasaprospective student/applicant,
often being on campus as an admitted student has an entirely different feel to it. Your
experiencesatadmittedstudentsweekendswilllikelyaidinyoursearchfortherightcollege.
One somewhat odd yet extremely effective method of choosing the school that feels right is
listening to your gut when people whom you dont know well give youadviceon where togo.
When we receive advice from those whom we respect and who know us well (e.g. parents,
teachers, mentors and friends), they tendtohaveinherentbiasesandideasof whatsbestforus
that may not line up with our true feelings. Its often easy to agree with these people in the
moment, even though they may not know whats best for us. Listening to your gut when you
hear the advice of total strangers (e.g. the people you meet touring schools, friendsof friends
who hear about your decision) can often be agood wayof assessingyour deepseated feelings
about where you wouldbe happiest. Often,your offthecuff reaction to theadviceyouve been
givenisagoodindicatorofwhereyouatyourgutlevelfeelyoubelong.
Know that any decision you make might feel right in the moment, and wrong the next day or
29
over thesummeraftersenior year.Accept thisas an inevitability.Everyinstitutionhas itspros

and consyourebound to feel unhappy about some thingsat theinstitutionyou dochose, and
missout onsome ofthe great offeringsattheoneyoudont.However,asmanystudentsreport,
if you go with your gut decision,youll almostcertainly feel you madethe rightdecision in the
end.
Reflectingonthecollegeapplicationprocess
Now that youre finished with your college applications and decisions, dont forget to take a
moment to reflect and appreciate all that this process has given you.You were a very different
person when you first began looking at colleges! Though the process is often thought of as a
chore thrustuponstressedout 17 and18yearolds, its importanttorecognize howmuch ofa
learningandgrowingexperience itcanbe.Youshouldfeelasenseofaccomplishmentforallthat
youveachievedandallthatyouvelearnedaboutyourselfalongtheway.
AfterDecision
After youve accepted where youre attending, many schools will have you make a deposit to
confirm your place in the class.Just hit this date, andyoull be fine. Upon acceptance to some
universities, they may also askyou to doplacement testsforyour ownguidanceofwhatclasses
totake.Dothem,andyoullbefine.
Doafirstyearprogram
In addition, you may have the opportunity to attend a preorientation program. Many
collegeage students writethattheirpreorientationprogramwas one ofthe bestthingstheyve
everdone.Itwillsetyouupwithagreatgroupoffriendsrightoutofthegate.
Connect,DontCompare
Once youre in collegeyoull find people dramatically different from you and better than youin
many things. Instead offeeling intimidated bythis,having otherstudents more skilledinsome
areas than you youll bemoreskilled in others isa tremendousopportunity to learn from
each other. While connecting instead of comparing with your peers may seem like obvious
advicenow,makesure tokeepitinmindwhen youentercollege.Yourpeerswillprobablybethe
bestexperienceofyourcollegeprocess,somakesurethatyouembracethem.
Explore
Whenyou gettoschool, try abunch ofstuff outand dont beafraidtoquitthethingsthatdon't
capture your interest. As a freshman, youre going to be hit by all sorts of information about
joiningclubs or getting involved in activities. Our advicehere istoexploreallthatmayinterest
you, but feel free to cut themassoon as youfeelyourenot getting alot out of it. By doingthis
youll meet a variety of people from all different types of backgrounds, who can become close
friends even if you choose not to stick with the activity. This is your time to sample whats
possibleenjoyit!
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31
AFFORDINGCOLLEGE
College isexpensivebut thereare ways to make itaffordable.Asthe cost to attendcollegehas

skyrocketed, being able toafford it hasbecomeparamountinthe applicationprocess.Inorder
todoso,studentsshoulduseamixofinstitutional,outside,andfederalaid,andunderstand that
a college will rarely cost you what they advertise. Some of the most affordable schools
Harvard, Stanford initially appear obscenely expensive, but despite an annual cost of
~$60,000, 90% of U.S. students would find Harvards financial aid makes college more
affordable than their public option. You should tap into as many resources as possible to get
fundingforcollege,andwehopetohelpyouunderstandandfindthem.
Chapter12:FinancialAid
The most common resource to afford college is financial aid. This is a combination ofmoney
that thegovernmentagrees to pay andthe amountthe collegeyoull be attending agreestopay
foryour school.Nailing down how mucha universitycosts willrequireunderstanding thetools
thatareavailable,butinordertodothat,weneedtounderstandthetypesofaidoffered.
InstitutionalAidforCollege
1. Need. Need aid is given by a universitytoensure that astudentcan attend. Some schools,
especially private colleges and universities, will note that they meet students financial needs
through needbased aid, meaningthatifyou areaccepted to that school,the school will assess
your need through financial statements, usually submitted through the CSS/Financial Aid
Profile, and will fully provide the aid that youre deemed to need. Be cautious, though.
Definitions of full need, however, vary dramatically per school. Luckily you can get an
assessmentof how muchtheycostthrougha needbased calculator, covered later inthisguide.
Many of these schools also employ needblind admittance, meaning that the schooldoes not
weighyourabilitytopayfortuitionintheapplicationprocess. Needblindfinancialaidpackages
also assume that youllbeworkingover thesummer andschool year andfactor those earnings
intotheirawardamounts.
2. Merit. Many schools, public and private, offer merit aidthatis given to studentsbased on
theiracademicqualificationsor abilitytomeetsomedesiredoutcome.Byanalogy,thiswouldbe
considered in line with a traditional scholarship, that because astudentdoesXexceptionally
well, the school will give them Y (hence, merit). A good example of this is the University of
Alabama, which offersa fulltuitionscholarship to students whohavescored overa 32 ontheir
ACT along with having over a3.5GPA. Merit aid maybeautomatically awarded or applied for
throughseparateapplications. Make sure youknow whether merit aidis offered atyourschool
so that you don't missthedeadlines usually accessible through thefinancial aid portion of a
collegeswebsite.
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3. FederalAid.Dependingonfamilyincome,federalfinancialoptionsexistforstudents.Perkins
and Stafford Loans are subsidized government student loans that your FAFSA financial aid
report will determine whether youre eligible to receive. For more information on federalaid,
hereishelpfulresource.
4. Student Loans.Asyoumighthaveheard,studentdebt(acquiredthrough studentloans)ison

therise.Youwanttotryveryhardtonottakeoutloansto affordcollege!Graduatingwithalarge
amount of debt can present a hugeburden,especiallywhenyou consider what youwanttodo
aftergraduation.Therearetwotypesofloans:subsidizedandunsubsidized
I.
Subsidized Loans These are loans that are subsidized by the federal government,
meaning that the interestpaymentson themare verylow(which isbetter foryou).Two
ofthe mostcommon subsidizedloansaretheStaffordandPerkinsLoans.Wedontwant
you to take out loans by covering anyunmetneed withscholarshipsand merit aid,but
thisisyourbestbetifyoureallyneedtotakeoutaloan.
II.
Unsubsidized loans These are loans usually offered byprivatecompaniesthathaveno
federalgovernment subsidy, meaningthattheyhavea higher interestrate(whichisbad
for you). Really, really try to avoid these! Make sure that you talk to your college
counselor anddoplenty of researchbefore(wehopeyoudont)takeoutanunsubsidized
loan.
5. Scholarships. Usually private,outside aid to studya specificsubject, makesuretoapply for

local scholarships either posted at your guidance office or showcased in newspapers, as your
chancesofwinningaresignificantlyhigher.Thenextchapterisallaboutscholarships.
FindingaCollegesPrice
As you wont usually pay the price that a university costs, understanding the types of
institutional financial aid will help decode a colleges actual price. Every school isrequired to
offer a net price calculator with which studentscaninput their familysassets andget arough
approximation of what theyll pay. We strongly advise that you do this asit maysurprise you
what youll owe! If a school offersneedbased aid, again, also assesswhethertheschool offers
merit aid that you can apply to receive. Importantly, oftentimes merit aid applications have
different deadlines from regular applications, so make sure to confirm those ahead oftime. To
double check whatyoull approximatelybepaying, theUS Departmentof Educationhas setup
college cost calculators that allow students tosee themeanprice ofcost,debt, andgraduation
indexed per school. Our recommendation is to use both the colleges' calculators and the
governments assessment for a good, although not perfect, estimate. Finally, also tally up the
cost of applying to schools. To get a total cost upfront, add $16 to each application for the
CSS/College Financial Profile, ~$12 if youchoose to independently submitanACTorSAT,and
upto$85perapplication.
If application fees are a barrier to you,waiversare offered through theCollege Board andalso
throughsome colleges.Inaddition,theSATandACThavefee waiversforspecialcircumstances.
33
SpeaktoyourcollegecounselorsandifyouareeligibletheycanapproveyouforfreeSATorACT
tests (including SAT Subject Tests). While applying to collegecan beexpensive, its afantastic
investment. Withawellputtogether application,a degree atyour dream schoolcan oftenlead
toahigherlifetimeincome.
After understanding what merit and needbased aid you can expect to receive, put your
tentativeaid downinthe spreadsheet next to the collegesthatyouve selected. If aschoolistoo
expensive for you, feel no remorseincutting itfrom yourapplication list. Youmay noticethat
were living and dying by an organized spreadsheet forgoodreasonwriting out as muchas
youcan willprevent youfrom stressingout,forgettingthings,andputtingyourselfinthewayof
yourownsuccess.
GetAwayfromBadAidInformation
Theres a lot of poor information out there on college expenses, most notably with the Ivy
League, which has someof thebestfinancialaidinthenation.Foroneofourwriters,itwasless
expensive to go to Harvard than the University of Minnesota as it would be for 90% of
Americans. Otherprivate schools areknownforstrongfinancialaidprogramsheresa listof62
schools that ranges from Rice University to Mount Holyoke College, allof whomsay they will
meet full financial needs. If these schools dont align with your list, heres another list of 50
schools ranked according to ability to serve applicantswhose familiesearnlessthan $48,000.
Generally, public universities have a much lower tuition fees for instate students, making a
higher education possible and affordable. In addition, many states have instate tuition
reciprocity with those neighboring and even some international reciprocityexists:for example
between Minnesotaand Manitoba.The pointis toseekoutthefactsyourselfusingtools likethe
college cost counselor and the free resource Accredited Schools Online. Youll thank yourself
later.
Chapter13:Scholarships
Many students fail to take advantage of the many scholarships out there.Investthetimeinto
completing scholarship applications: though sometimes burdensome, they can provide ahuge
return.
1. Apply Early. College is expensive. Manystudents dont realizehow expensivecollege is

untilthey gettheirfinancialaidpackageaftertheyfindoutwhichcollegesaccepted them
(usually between February and April). Students might start scrambling to apply for
scholarships to afford their school, but this is sometimes too late. Many scholarship
deadlines might have passed and those that are left are more competitive with many
others students also scrambling. Start looking for scholarships during your junior
summerand continuethroughout thecollege application process.Keep arunninglistof
scholarshipsyoufind.
34
2. Use Scholarship Searchers: There are many online scholarship websites that compile
lists of scholarships for students. A list of hundreds of scholarships can be quickly
compiled by simply putting insome basicinformation.Someof ourfavoritesare Zinch
andFastWeb.
3. Talk to YourCounselor: Some of thebest scholarships arelocal those offered bylocal
organizations for students from specific high schools. Some have very few applicants,
especially the scholarships that require essays or recommendations. Oneofourwriters
applied fora scholarshipand everyone that appliedgot some amountofmoney!College
counselorsoftenhavelistsoflocalscholarshipstalktothemtofindoutmore.
4. Ask olderstudents.Theyve beenthrough it,so learn fromthem what to applyfor.Your

peersmaybeyourbestresources.
5. Increase your odds apply to many. Even if you are only selected for one out of 50
scholarshipapplications you fill out,manyscholarshipsare for$1,000 or more,making
it a worthy time investment. Make anExcelsheetofscholarships andtheirapplication
deadline.Tryyourbesttoapplytoallofthescholarshipsyoucan.
6. Reuse essays. There isno harm in reusingparts ofyour collegeessays or otheressays

forscholarships. Fillingoutscholarshipapplicationsbecomeseasierasyousubmitmore,
becauseyoullhavemoreessaysandinformationtoreuse.
35
BEFORETHECOLLEGE
APPLICATION
This section isa little different fromthe others as it applies mostly to studentsnotyetapplying
tocollege. For those franticallyfillingout their application,writing collegeessays, or otherwise
already fully immersedin the collegeapplication process,feel free toskipSectionIIIorpass it
along to a youngersibling. Feel noguilt if youddidntdo whatwerecommend because, ifyou
haventyetsubmittedyourcollegeapplication,theresstillplentyyoucando.
Section III is all about what students can do, from thestartof high schooltorightbeforethey
starttheircollege application,toimprovetheirchancesofsuccessfuladmissions.Welldiveinto
choosing challenging classes, starting projects, planning rewarding summer experiences, and
muchmore.
Chapter14:TimelineBeforeCollegeApplications
Thepurpose ofthis chapter istobriefly sketch out atimeline of concrete steps youshouldtake
toprepare yourself forthe admissionsprocessandimproveyouradmittancechancesbeforeyou
startapplying.
FreshmanYear
The first year in high school is an excellent chance foryou to getacclimated tohighschool (it
canbe scary,weknow).Freshmanyearisatimeoftransition.Formoststudents,this isa period
of flux a new school, new students, and also new possibilitiesand demands.Hereare some
concretetips:
1. Exploreinterests. Highschool isanexcellent timefor youtotrynewsubjects,clubsand

opportunities.Wedrecommendyoutobecomeinvolvedatschoolorinyourcommunity.
Try newthings!Thisisagreattimetofigureoutwhatyoulikeandwhatactivitiesgetyou
excited.
2. Take some cool classes. Exploration during freshman year should extend to classes as
well. Seek outclassesthatinterestandchallenge you,asdoingsowillprepareyoutotake
higherlevelcoursesinthefuture(whichisalsogreatforcollegeapplications).
3. Have fun! High school can be tough, but when done rightit canbe funand rewarding.
Considerhowyoumightmakehighschoolmorerewarding.
36
SophomoreYear
OK, so youknow how to open yourhighschoolslockersnow andcan find thesciencelabs,but
heressomedirectadviceforyoursecondyear.
1. Narrow involvement. Sophomore year is a great chance to start becoming more deeply
involved in a passionorhobby.Considerjoiningorstartingaclubatyourhighschool.If
youwanttostartanewclub,talkwithsomefriendsandaskateacherforhelp.
2. Get involved in your community. There is a shift in theadmissionstaking place across

thecountry.Activitieslike communityservice,volunteerwork,and contributingathome
arebecomingmuchmoreimportantcharacteristicsforprospectivestudents.
3. Consider ways to take initiative. Begin considering ways to take initiative. Taking
initiative is an excellent way to demonstrate responsibility and passion. Initiative can
take on different forms at different levels. It could be pushing yourself to get good
grades.It could be organizinga fooddrive.Itcouldbevolunteeringat yourlocalplaceof
worship. Itcouldbedirectinga play. Theresno rightway to do aproject, butithelpsif
youcareaboutwhatyouredoing.
4. Take challengingcourses.By sophomore year, youshould start takingmorechallenging

courses, especially in subjects of interest. Sophomore year is a period in which you
shouldcontinueexploringchallengingandmeaningfulacademicopportunities.
JuniorYear
Youreanupperclassmannow andstarting torealize thatyoullone day graduate.Itsalsotime
tostartthinkingmoreaboutwhatyouregoingtodoafterhighschool.
1. Push yourself academically. Junior year is arguably the most important year
academically.Take challengingclasses,getgoodgrades,anddowellintheendofcourse
examsifoffered,suchastheAPexams.
2. Continue taking initiative or run for a board position. By the end of junior year, find
some way to demonstrate initiative on your own or through an existing organization.
Dontdo itjusttodoit. Thinkaboutclubs, passions, ororganizationsthatyouvefound
most fulfilling and find ways to get even more involved. If there is a niche you are
interested in orproblemyou want to solve,consider starting somethingon yourownor
with peers. Its about quality and passion more than quantity when it comes to
extracurricularactivities,especiallythosethatyoustartonyourown.
3. Consider the PSAT and the PLAN. The PSAT (Preliminary SAT), also known as the
NMSQT (National Merit Scholar Qualifying Test), is a standardized test that is issued
during the junior year in many high schools across America. Its not considered
37
necessary for college application, but if you score high on it in comparison to other
students in your state youll be considered a National Merit Scholar (NMS). Many
collegesofferscholarshipsandtuitionbreaksforNMSs.Italsoissomethingthatyoucan
do sophomore year that you can list one your resume. The PLAN test is the ACTs
another college entrance exam version of the practice test. While high scores dont
result in any perkslikethePSATsNMS,thetestisaneffectivewayforstudentstogetan
idea whattheycouldimprovefortheactualACT.Dependinghowyoudoontheseexams,
takingtime over the summertoprepareforthe actual testcanbebeneficialifyou want
toboostyourscore.
4. Win thestandardizedtestinggame.Junior year should alsoinclude takingstandardized

tests,suchasAPs,SATs,andACTs.Althoughtedious,itisvitaltomethodicallyapproach
standardized testing and gain help whereneeded(lotson standardized tests inChapter
3).
5. Visit some colleges. Visiting every college you apply to, or even one of them, isnt
necessarytoget agood senseofwhat eachschool islike. Itsalsoreallyexpensive.There
are many resources that can provide insight into what being a student at a particular
college is like (much more on this in Chapter 2 and Chapter 4). Still, visiting some
schools can give you a better sense of what college is all about generally and, very
stereotypically, could be a chance to bond with a parent througha collegeroadtrip. If
youreinterested incollegevisits,therearemany flyinprogramsthat studentscanapply
fortogoonfreecollegetrips.Forsomeofthemanyflyinprograms,heresagoodlist.
6. Plan forjunior year summer.Try nottosit athome,hangingoutduringjuniorsummer.
Examples include volunteering, researching, gettingajob, startingaproject, andmuch
more(seeChapter17).
Chapter15:ChoosingHighSchoolCourses
Colleges want to see that you are taking full advantage of the academicresources availableto
you. Ultimately,a collegeis investinginadmittedstudentswiththehopethattheywillsimilarly
take advantage of theacademicofferingsincollege.Whatisconsideredtakingfulladvantageof
a schoolsresources,though, variesby school.For example,a6,000studenthighschoolinLos
Angeleswill likelyhavemoreoncampusacademicofferingsthanamuchsmallerruralschool in
Maine. College admissions officerstake these differencesin context into account,and consider
howstudentschallengethemselvesgiventheopportunitiesthattheyhave.
Colleges also look for bothbreadth anddepth in high schoolacademics,two areasexemplified

by round or pointy applicants. Round students have taken advantage of a wide range of
academic opportunities, as provided above. Pointy students, however, have developed deep
expertise or talent in some skill or subject matter. Colleges maylook for studentsin the latter
38
categorywho usetheiracademicexposure to deepenknowledge. For example, the studentwho

loves writing, takes highlevel English courses, writes at the school paper, or runs a poetry
workshop might be considered a pointy student. Think about which types you most closely
identifywith. It isperfectly fine to be apointy student, buttakingand doingwellinavarietyof
classesstillholdsmerit.
Dontfear:there aremany waysinwhichyou canfurtherchallengeyourselfacademicallyifyou

gotoahighschoolwithfewhighlevelcourseofferings.
Herearesomesuggestions.
1. SelfStudy forAP Exams. Anystudentcan choosetoselfstudy forAdvancedPlacement

(AP) exams. If your school does not offer AP Calculus, for instance,you can choose to
selfstudy froma prep bookand takethe AP testanyways.Thisisa greatwayforyouto
demonstrate to colleges that they are not only capable academically(if they dowellon
thetest)but also proactive in takingadvantage ofacademicopportunities.Thereislittle
riskintakingadditionalAPtestsbecauseyou choosewhichscorestosend tocollegesand
which not to. Taking an APexamcosts$92, andthe parent company offersfeewaivers
based on student needs.TheSilverturtlesGuideforSATandAdmissionsSuccessdetails
eachAP testandtheeasewithwhicheachcouldbeselfstudiedforstartingonpage81of
theguide.
2. Think about summer schoolor summer programs. Taking classes overthe summer isa
great way to learnthe fundamentalsof aparticular courseorsubject.Classestendtobe
smaller and more relaxed so theres greater attention from teachers to help you
understand the subject. Manycollege studentsalsotakesummerclassestogetaheadfor
theupcomingyear.
3. Online Courses. There are many online platforms through which students can take
additional courses.Manyschool districts andstatesprovidemostofthese onlinecourses
forfree,but some may costmoney.Again, success in these courses,inthe form ofgood
grades, communicates to colleges that you arecapable andproactive.Be sure to talk to
yourcounselorbeforesigningupfor an online coursesomeofthemareforcreditand
appear on studentshighschool transcripts (preferred) while others are for a certificate
of completion(also valuable).Youcanalso takecoursesjustfor yourown interestorto
prepare for the following year. In addition to online courses offered by districts and
states, considertaking courses throughplatformssuchas Courseraand EdX,whichoffer
versionsofcourses foundatsomeofthebestcollegesaroundthecountry.Here aresome
freelearningresourcesasofJuly2016thatcouldbeusefulforgenerallearning:
a. KhanAcademy
b. Codecademy
c. Coursera
39
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
EdX(IncludesHarvardX,MITX,ColumbiaX)
Udacity
MITOpenCourseWare
Bento.io
StanfordOnline
Duolingo
4. Takingcourses ata localcollege or community college.Asinthe caseofonlinecourses,

students can challengethemselvesbytakingcoursesat localcolleges.Again,someschool
districts offer these courses for free while others present costs to the student. College
coursescan betakenduring theschool yearasa sort of extracurricular,ortakenduring
the summer. Taking higherlevel courses ofinterest ata community collegecan convey
genuine interest in a subject and proactivity two characteristics that colleges value
greatly. If you do well in the courses, it also demonstrates that you are ready for
collegelevel classes. Again,checkinwithyour counselor to seeifthecredits from your
collegecoursescantransfertoyourtranscript.
Once youhave selected and enrolled in yourclasses,youshouldconsider acouple otherfactors.

First, and this almost goes without saying, do as well as you can in the classes in which you
enroll!While collegeslookforrigorinyourcourseselection, theyalsolookforexcellenceinyour
achievement in thoseclassessodonotoverburdenyourself.Lastly,whenitcomestochoosing
classes, takethe classesthatpique yourinterest andthatyou thinkwill exciteyou.Ifyoureally
enjoy art, photography, shop, or environmental science, try andtake those courses.Ultimately,
colleges look for applicants who areboth challenging themselves and engagingdeeply with the
material in their classes. Youdontneedtotakeeverycourseavailableoronlyhighlevelclasses,
but taking ones in which you can do well will goa long wayinshowingthatyou arereadyfor
college.
Chapter16:TakingInitiativeandStartingProjects
InJanuaryof2016,areportwasreleasedbytheadmissionsdeansandothertoprepresentatives
ofsomeofthenationscollegesanduniversities.ItistitledTurningtheTide:InspiringConcern
forOthersandtheCommonGoodthroughCollegeAdmissions.Thisreportwascreatedwith
thegoalofreshapingandrestructuringthecollegeadmissionprocessnationwidetoputhigher
emphasisonstudentactivitythatworkstowardsthecommongood.Sowhatdoesthismeanfor
you?Getinvolvedinyourcommunityhelpothers,volunteeryourtime,anddowhateveryou
cantomaketheworldabetterplaceforeveryone.Asastudent,thisiswhereyoucantakeyour
initiative.
Colleges value selfstarters who take initiative. They want the sort of students that identify
problems and work to solve them. Many colleges receiveapplications from students with high
GPAs. What you do outside of class can help make you standout amongst other applicants.
40
Takinginitiative teachesyoualotaboutyourselfandcanhelpyouexploreyourinterestsoutside
oftheclassroom.Herearetwowaysinwhichthiscanbedone:
1. Initiative within an existing organization. You dont have to reinvent the wheel every
time:Take initiativeasamemberofanexistingorganizationbycreatinga newprojector
event. Forinstance,you could create aNationalHonor Society(NHS) tutoringprogram
as an NHS member, or launch a new division or column for the existing school
newspaper.
2. Independent Initiative. Alternatively, you could start something completely new. This
couldbeinthe formofstartinganewclub,foundinganonprofitorganization,startinga
business,helpingtheelderlyinyourcommunity,writinga book,shootingvideos,making
dressesoutofyogurtcupsreallyanythingaboutwhichyourepassionate.
Do something that interests you! Take initiative by starting something that you actually care
about. If youdont haveapassion towards theproject youre running, youre less likely todo a
goodjob. Focus onthe thingsyou enjoy andexecuteon them.Dontjustdoprojectsinorderto
getinto college. Dothem becauseyoucareabouttheissue athand.Byhavingthatattitudeyoull
learn more about the experiencethrough the process.Believe itornot, this genuine interestis
often detectable by admissions officers. Its easy for colleges to see through projects that are
done just to presentthem. Do something that youcare about and, if you want,startsomething
new with a group of peers or faculty member. Remember, high school is about your
development:explorethe areas thatinterest youand dont count yourselfout.Giveyourselfthe
chancetogrow.
SuggestionsonHowtoBeginyourProject
Heressomeadviceyoucanfollowornotthatmaybehelpful.
1. Dosome preliminary researchand brainstorming. Figure outwhatsubjectsyouresuper

interested in. What makes you happy? What do you want to see changed in your
community? In yourcity? Inthe world?Dont beafraidtodreambig,butmakesureyou
understand the time and effort it takes to complete a project and do it well. Decide
whether this willbe a projectjustby yourself or if youdliketoform apartnership with
yourfriends,family,orfacultymembers.
2. Figure out whereyoull getyour resources. Every projectwill either cost moneyortime
(or both!) soit isimportant that youbudget aprojectbeforestarting. Ifyourprojectwill
costmoney,makeyourselfa budgetusing a spreadsheet, and figureoutwhatsourcesof
funding are available to you. Does your school offer some kind of fund forprojects?Is
therea charity or group in yourcommunitythatoffersfundingforlocalinitiatives? Will
yourparents bewillingtopayfor yourproject?Considerthesethingscarefully.Running
out of moneyhalfway through yourprojectwouldbedisastrous!Ifinsteadyoudecide to
start a project that will not cost any money, the project will definitely cost your time.
41
Understand that youll be giving up your free time in order to committoyour project.
Make sure that youll be able to manage schoolwork, sports, and other extracurricular
activitieswhileundertakingthis project.Manystudentshavebeenknowntocomeunder
a lot ofstresswhiletryingtoget theirprojectsstarted,andthiscanleadtothemlowering
theirGPA or losing their positions onsportsteams. There isalways an opportunitycost
tostartingaproject.Makesureyouknowwhatyouregivingupbystartingone.
3.
Create a timeline of major deadlines. Manypeoplestart a project,getsidetracked along
the way, and never end up completing it. A good way to avoid procrastination and
deviation is toplanoutyour projects timeline before it starts.Thatway,youknowwhat
work needs to be done for the week, and youll get a general sense of how much time
youll need to devote so thatyou canmanageyourtimewisely.Timemanagementisone
ofthe mostimportant skills in college.Beingabletolearnhowtomanageyourtimethis
earlyinyourcareerwilldefinitelyhelpyououtalotinthefuture.
4.
Measure and record. Keep track ofeverythingyoudo.Recordkeepingnotonlygivesyou
a resourcethatyou can look back onifyou dontrememberwhatyou did acertainday,

butalso allows youtomeasure theimpact that you have hadand to easily transferyour
project to another person should they be willing to continue theproject.Keeptrack of
when youfinish each part ofyour project. Takenoteof whichpersonshowed uptoeach
of your events (and keep track ofwhobailed).Measurehow many peopleslives youve
changed. Knowing how many people youveaffectedwithyour projectis agreatwayto
understandtheimpactyouvemadeinyourcommunity.
5.
If there areproblems, dontstress.Restart.Sometimeduringyour projectyoumightrun
intosome issues.You might runoutoffunding,oneofyourfriendsmighthavebailedon

a volunteering event,or you couldbesuper stressedout because of an upcomingexam.
Dontstress. Attheendof the day, yourprojectisoptional. Youre doingit because you
caredeeplyaboutacertaincause.Ifsomethingshavetobecutbecausefundingdriedup,
so be it.If yourfriend bails on you,understand that people will bailon youagaininthe
future.The pointof aproject isnotjusttocompleteyourinitiativebutalsotolearnfrom
the experience. That means learning skills like problem solving,managing people, and
pickingupthepiecesandstartingagainifaprojectfails. Usethistimetobecomeabetter
personandtolearnvaluableskillsinyourcareer.
6. Finish your projectand reflect. Reflection iskey.Take a few breaths,rest easy knowing
youve done agreatjob, butalways comebackand seehoweverything workedout.Did
you accomplishmoreorless than youwanted to accomplish? Whatdidyou learnalong
the way? Did the project make you a better person? Do you have anytipsfor the next
person starting a similar project? Reflecton your experienceand feel satisfied with the
impactithadonyou.
42
MaketheInitiativePresentable
After you have taken initiative to start a project that you care about, its wise to make it
presentable. Therearemanywaysto dothis,givingcollegesgreaterinsightintoyourprojectand
itslegitimacy.
1. Name the project. This might go without saying, but you should create a namefor the
project. This is useful generally but especially when presenting ittocollege admissions
officers.The San JoseHospital BookDriveseems moreofficial andlegitimatethanthe
bookdriveforthepatientsofSanJoseHospital.
2. Create a website. Ifpossible, createa websitefortheirprojectoraskatechsavvyfriend

for a favor which is also not a bad life lesson. The link to the website can easily be
included in collegeapplications, givingadmissionsofficersachancetolookatpicturesof
a project or learn about it in greater detail. Websites add huge amounts of validity to
whateveryouredoingtypicallymakingthemagoodinvestment.
3. Getpresscoverage. Oftentimesaninitiativewill getcoveragefrom local orschoolnews

because ofits valueorimpact. However,itdoesntnecessarilyhurttoreach outtomedia
sourcesthatmightbeinterestedincoveringyourproject.
4. Consider engaging your community. Let your friends be your force multipliers.
Initiatives that engage your friends, family, and community in meaningful ways
oftentimes can be more enjoyable and have better results. Theres no reason why you
shouldntgetsomeofthepeopletowhomyoureclosestinvolved.
5. Ask yourrecommender tomentionyourprojectintheirrecommendationletter.Colleges

take recommendation letters seriously. A great way to get your initiative noticed is to
have your teacher mention it in his/her letterof recommendation. Make surethat your
recommendermentionstheimpactyourprojecthadonyourcommunityorschool.
QuestionsfromtheInterviewer
Manycollegesofferalumnioroncampusinterviews,whichwedetailinChapter9.Itislikely
thatyourinterviewerwillaskyouaboutprojectsyoucareabout,participatein,orfounded.
Whensittingdownandexplainingyourprojectorinitiativetoacollegeinterviewer,beprepared
forsomequestionsonceyoufinishtalkingaboutyourexperience.Interviewerswillwantto
probeyourstorytocheckifitistruthfulandtomakesureyourereallypassionateaboutit.
Somethingstheymayaskyouinclude:
Tellmeaboutaprojectorinitiativeyouhelpedstart.
Tellmewhyyourepassionateaboutthisinitiative.
Wasitdifficulttobalanceyourtimewithotherextracurriculars?
43
Tellmeaboutatimeduringyourprojectthatyouwantedtoquit,butdecidedto
pushforward?
Whatwasthemostdifficultpartofyourinitiative?
Tellmeaboutatimeduringyourprojectthatyougotintoadisagreementwith
anothermember?
Someofthesequestionsmayhavebeeneasyforyouanswer,butsomeofthemmayhavebeena
bitmoredifficult.Youwonthavealotoftimetothinkandreminisceonyourproject,soitis
highlyrecommendedthatyouknowtheanswerstothesequestionsbeforeyouheadinforyour
interview.Knowinganswerstoquestionsliketheseispartofthereasonwhyreflectionisso
important!
Chapter17:SummerExperiences
Thesummer is an excellent timetopursue yourinterests.Deliberatelychoosinghowyouspend

your severalmonth summer break can demonstrate to colleges a lot about who you are and
what you like. Summers rock! Be a kid, have fun, hang out with friends and family, but also
think about how you can continue learning duringyour summers. Thereare endless ways you
canspendthehighschoolsummers,butherearesomecommonones.
1. Working. Working is an awesome opportunity to demonstrate character and

responsibility. Most of our authors held summer jobs, including as a mover and a
Wendys fry cook. Dont be afraid to list your work experience on your application. It
showscommitment,responsibility,andperseverance.
2. Shadowing. Shadowing at the vets, doctor offices,orany professionallows an excellent

opportunity to explore your possibilities, is accessible for many, and again is looked
favorably upon. Email or call professionals ofinterest in yourarea andmany wouldbe
happy tooffer ashadowingexperience whetherhalfa day, a fullday,orlonger to a
proactiveandinterestedstudent.
3. Summerschool. As mentioned before,summerschoolcanbeawonderfulopportunityto

engagewithsubjectsinarelaxedenvironmentwhilealsoraisingyourGPA.
4. Volunteering. Volunteering at an organization of interest is a great waytogiveback to

yourcommunity,demonstrateinterest,andproductivelyspendasummerbreak.
5. Volunteeringabroad.Youveprobably seen it: picturesof ahighschoolstudentbuilding

a house in a rural village in a developing country. There is a lotof merithere, but the
experience andespeciallythose experiences achieved through more formal programs
may be a lot less valuable than they appear to be. Collegeadmissions officers know
44
that many of these programs are expensive and only accessible to those with the
resources.Students wontbe at adisadvantage fornottakingpartinaprogramlikethis,
but will be if they dontfindanother waytogrow fromtheirsummers.Thatsaid, some
programs offerfinancial aid andmanydo offergreatopportunities forstudentsto travel
anddosomethingmeaningful.
6. College programs. Like volunteering abroad, college programs are typically expensive
and manystudentscantaffordthem.However,taking/auditingcollegeclassesorgetting
involved with a professor's research over the summer (email professors) is a fantastic
way to get in research experience, find out more about yourself, and distinguish your
application.
7. Research. Demonstrate academic interest by pursuing research at a local college or

research institute. This can be agoodwaytolearnaboutatopicofinterestorapotential
careerpath.
45

ESSAYSTHATWORKED:FROM
COMMONAPPTOSUPPLEMENTS
Plagiarism in any wayisprohibited. Colleges are awarethatthese essaysarereleased to the

generalpublic.
College essays, both common app essays and supplement essays, can take a variety of forms.
Weve batched them into four types of essays: experience, reflection, strict prompt, andshort
response. We recommend writing the first couple drafts of your essays first, and then using
theseexamplesasinspirationforhowtostructureandsetthetoneofyouressays.
Chapter18:ExperienceEssays
CommonAppEssay1:ShiftingGears
I gestured to the sunglasses. Nice pull, a Turkish rider exhaled while passing. I tucked in
behind. Six Pentair andTarget jerseys fluttered in my shadow.Theirtime to pull, to face the
faceless prairie winds, would come. Minejustpassed.The switchgrassquilt rippledunder the
sky,andmythoughtssoonspunfasterundermyhelmetthanmywheels.
Andso,thereIwasagainlookingdownagravellydriveway, mycheeringmomanddadholding
BandAids and disassembled trainingwheels. I remembered years later peering into a dusty
garage and seeing a rusty, cobwebbed road bike in thecorner. Itwas beautiful. Iremembered
repair manuals, greasy fingers, and my first sundrenched ride. My hands clenched. I
rememberedcountingChristmas money,studyingthe newly broken frame, androllingmybike
intoadarkgarage.
APentair rider sweptby andrelieved theTurkish rider who nowdrankfrom hiswaterbottle.I
checked my odometerand theridersbehindyetto pull.Withsweat cascadingdownmyfaceand
mylegsfeelingbitter,Icuddledbackwithinmymind,goingbackfiveyearstomydoctorsoffice.
Iheardtwoknocks.Dr.Rogersfewstrandsofhairwavedhelloashebustledintotheroom.After
my first physicals inevitable awkwardness, Dr. Rogers signed my sport forms, asked about
school, and then mentioned he saw me biking. He smiled when myhandsjumped to describe
my selfrepaired 1973 Schwinn Traveler but frowned as I revealed its current condition. Dr.
Rogers noddedslowly,foundhisfeet,and said,Itll workout.Laterthatnight,Igotacall.My
doctor disassembled his winter biketrainer and now had a bike to spareif, addinga clinical
touch,Iworeahelmet.
The next day, I walked into my doctors white, organized garage and saw a crushblue 1987
Cannondale. It was beautiful. After explaining clipin pedals and giving me bike shorts and
shoes, Dr. Rogers added,While its notthe fastest bike,itll getyou out the door.Ilookedup,
shookmyhead,andgrinned.Thatnight,thebikeleanedagainstmybed.
46
My doctor gave me an opportunity. I seized it. My mornings filled with dusty sunglasses,hot
pavement, and cool wind. I guzzled gallons of water, devoured books likeSuperFoods Rxand
TheCyclingTrainingsBible,andstationarybikedinthewinter.Throughoutitall,ifIeverhada
questionorneededadvice,mydoctorwasthereahandon myshoulder.Fouryearslater,Iwas
here:cycling150milesacrossMinnesotawithsponsorsonmybackandabikeundermyfeet.
The line leader gestured. I looked over my shoulder. No one.Just ablack ribbon ofpavement
and one manstrust.Had itreallybeenthatlong? Grabbinga lastswigofwater,Itightenedmy
helmetand paused. I touched itagain.Changinggears,Isurgedtothefrontofthepacelineand
facedthewindsanew.
YaleSupplementEssay1:OfJumpsuitsandHotTubs
WhenI sawit,Iknew.OneApril day Iglimpsedthefuturewell,actuallythepast.There,folded
upon agaragesale table, beckoned afluorescentorangeandpinknylonjumpsuit:size,womens
medium. Althoughimmobile,I heardits swishes.Twodollarslater,Iwelcomedinmynewtrack
warmups.Yale,inthistimetogether,Iamlooseningupthetie.Ihaveaconfession.Ifyouinvite
me toyour NewHaven pagoda,you areinvitinganallaround character.The stories aretrue.I
like some peculiar things. I snowshoe at night, go to operas, build winter shelters, and pet
stingrays before prom night. That said, however, I am dead serious about education. While
hopefully conveyed through the rest of my application, I genuinely love learning. My favorite
book at age five was a DK rocks and mineral identification guide at age nine I planned on
revolutionizing the worlds energy market with hydrogen I later conducted basement
electrolysis much to the concern of myHindenburgleery mom andinfifth grade,I pondered
harnessingthepowerofblackholes.
Ilove ideasand information,butI also relishhavingfunthroughthem. Inshort,Iliketolaugh,
especially at myself. This can be accomplished through taping Krebs over the Bi in a
Bicycles only signorby wearingasombrero,waterwings,andaviatorswhilehottubbingwith
Minnesotasbrightestat StateKnowledgeBowl. Regardless,Imakesuretoloosenupwithsome
flair,athemeapparentinthenownamedGymClassExperiment.
Raising hands and walking in line aresecondnaturetostudents. They conform.Frighteningly,
many conformwithout thinking.Curiousof how deep thisacceptancewent,onedayIenacteda
tongueincheek inquiry. Excusing myself early to gym class, I greeted everyone entering the
locker room with a whispered Hey dude. The class slowly trickled in past my locker and
greetings. Soon, a usuallyboisterous group of boyswerenot only speakinginwhispersbutalso
enforcing the quasiruleuponeachother. Iwashumoredand amazed.Uponlacingupmyshoes,
Iturned around andasked,Whyare youwhispering?I walked out,leavingmypeersthinking
andwatchingforlemmingsyndrometherestoftheday.
Something happened when I wore my 1980sesque jumpsuit to track. At first, I received a
smattering ofoddlooks,highfives,and oglingembarrassingly enough, Isoondiscoveredthey
were partially seethroughbut thenext meet Iattended, Istarted seeing similar jumpsuits.In
fact,every consecutivemeet after my suits debut, morejumpsuitskeptpopping up.Eventually,
even my entire crosscountry team setaside adaytoraidlocalGoodwillsandSaverslookingfor
duplicates. If you accept me to Yale, you are getting more than justa hardworkingmanwho
loveslearningand lifeshumor.Youare gettingatruecharacter,anindividual,amanwho starts
47
Northern Minnesotan trackmeetfadswith afluorescentorange andpinknylonjumpsuit: size,

womensmedium.
HarvardSupplementEssay1
Ihave been victim to abusive relationships.Ive gotten pregnant, dealt drugs,contractedSTDs,

and fretted over my sexuality. I also ensured effective sexual education for my daughter,
prevented afriendfromdrivingdrunk,andhelpedanotherfriendget medicalattentionaftershe
wasrapedataparty.
Lookingback,Icannot think of amoreworthwhilewayofspendingmytime,because aftereach

of these events, Ive stayed in character and responded to questionsfrom the audience before
steppingoffthestageandchattingwithotheractors.
In the statewiththe3rdhighestteenpregnancyrate,thehighestrepeatteenpregnancyrate,and
governmentfunded abstinenceonly sexual educationprograms,Iseeaclearproblem.Whenan
audience member tells me, You cant get pregnantifyou doa backflipafter going alltheway
becausecentrifugalforcekeepsthespermout,thisissuebecomesevenclearer.
Through TeenAge Communication Theatre (TACT), I work to solve this issue and change the
lives of confused, angry, and curious teenagers. I spent much of a summer studying topics
relevant to teens todayhearing speakers, reading pamphlets, and memorizing skits. As my
freshman year came to an end, I auditioned for a spot as a teen leader, a PA (Project
Assistant). Since then, I have helped lead weekly meetings, train new members, run
performances, and moderate the Q&A session following each skit. During these discussions,
audience members can ask any question on an array of delicate subjects to which I have to
deliver a TACTful and objective response that leaves the skit openended and allows each
individualtoformhisowndecision.
I have to be ready for anything: talkative or shy audiences tricky, irrelevant, or inappropriate
questions and emotional responses from audience members. Some of the toughest audiences
are high school students, because they are afraid to ask questions among their peers.On one
occasion following the STD skit, a boy in theaudienceraised his hand andperplexedly asked,
WhatsHIV? Snickers andgiggles ran through the9th and 10thgrade audience. Mortified, the
boy visibly shrank, his face turning red. Encouragingly, I said, Thats actually a really good
question!Heglancedup. There were still afew murmurings.Asa matteroffact,doesanyone
hereknowwhatHIVstandsfor?silence.
This is the tricky part of being a PA. Relating to someone, but not embarrassing him.
Encouraging questions and preventing audience membersfrom discouragingthem. Givingthe
audience time to askquestions, butcontinuingtheflow oftheQ&Asessions when thereareno
questions. It is difficult but necessary to educate, encourage,and entertain while stressingthe
gravity of the topics in order to connect to teen audiences. Engaging audiences in open
discussions issucharewarding experience,becausethenecessityofaprogramlikeTACTstems
fromadearthofcommunicationaboutthesetabooissues.
TACT broadened my understanding of the diverse needs of teenagers through the topics I
studied and places I otherwise never would have seenjuvenile detentioncenters, shelters for
runaway teens, drugrehabilitation centers, and classes for pregnant couples at a nearby high
48
school. But more importantly, itallowedmetoopenthe eyes ofso many others whowouldnot
have received highquality andrelevant sexual education. Duringperformances, IcantellthatI
am providing audience members the confidence to stand up for what is right or to fix a
potentially dangerous situation. Though I have never gotten pregnant, contracted an STD, or
fallen victim to an eating disorder, I understand the viewpoints of those who have, and I feel
much saferknowingthatIcanhelpkeepmyfriendssafeinamultitudeofsituationsandaddress
questionsandmythsthatIhear.
BrownSupplementEssay1
Iclumsilystumble downthehill,trying toavoidtheerraticpotholesthatlittermypath.Iinhale
a combination of smoke from a cooking fire, goat dung and the indescribably fresh air of
Botswana. Livingwithahostfamilyfor amonthinthesmallsoutherntownofMogobane, Ihad
learned how to pluck a chicken, make maguini, wash my clothes in a river, and speak basic
Setswana. I was wise with this new knowledge, and proud. Next to me my host sister glides
gracefullydownthesamehillIwashavingsomuchtroublewith.ItwasafewnightsbeforeIwas
due to leave, and she was taking me to her favorite path in the surrounding mountains. She
raises an arm to grab a tree branch, and I notice a small braceleton herarm. Itwas the only
thing close to jewelrysheowned.It wasa bright,vibrantyellow,andstoodoutagainstherdark
skin. "Refilwe!"I exclaim, "Your bracelet iswonderful."Shesmiledbashfully.Shylyshelooksin
my tangledhairandsaysseriously,AndKeaton,yourhairclipismontle.Beautiful.Ithadbeen
a gift from my father back in England, and although cheap, was one of my most prized
possessions.Ithankher,touchthesilverclaspinmyhairandcontinuewalking.
In the flash ofthenextdays,Iamgatheringmystuff fromthecrampedroomsIhadsharedwith
my family of eighteen people. With tears in our eyes, we give final hugs and bittersweet
goodbyes. I leave thesparse room, my sleepingmat, thegrubbydoorframe, andwalkdownthe
dirtroad to the edge ofthe village,takingonelastglanceatthehaphazardtinstructurethathad
been my home. Boarding the bus, I openmybagand seea glimpseof somethingfamiliar: the
brightyellowbracelet.I remembered when Refilwehad toldme, Never forget the sosologawe
share. Sosologa in Setswana, according to her, meant bond. As I nowlookdown atthe vivid
yellow blur, IknewIhadlearnedsomethingfarmoreimportantthanhowtocook.Ihadlearned
how to lovepeoplewhowerestrangers. Ihad learned that sometimesthesmallest gifts are the
ones that mean the most. I had learned that life is about the connections we make, and the
impressions we leave. I know, indubitably, that I will live my life to the drum beat of this
mantra. As humans,globalawarenessandtherelationshipsitbringsisthemost importantthing
wehave. As I putthe bracelet over mywrist Ismile,knowingthatmysilverhairclipwasonmy
sistersbed,waitingforhertofindit.
49
Chapter19:ReflectionEssays
AmherstSupplementEssay1:Hands
Whoare those scoundrels? Itsacrispautumn day, andyoureinthe woods.Youre going fora
walk, enjoyingthe smells, breeze, andrustling trees the tapestry offall.Maybeyourewalking
yourdog, or whoknows,maybeyoureoneofthoseiconoclasticcatwalkers.Regardless,yousee
it: the soda bottles, sandwich wrappers, and plasticbags.Besides theobvious question ofwho
eatsa BigMac in themiddle ofthe woods,whojustdropstheirtrash?Thisselfishactinfuriates
me.
JFK didnt give his Frost Library speech about littering, but were describing the same ethos.
Squandering your education is selfish. It means taking the convenient routeand disregarding
whatyou leave behind. IfJFK andIwerewalking ourdogs(or cats) together,Iknowwewould
takethetimetobendoverandcleanupthetrashweencounter.Itconcernsmethatsomepeople
wont.
Its perplexing how wood trashisperpetuallywet.When I emergefrom the woods with milk
jugs, candy wrappers, andthe occasionalTshirtalldrippingwaterpeople alwaysask, Why
did youpickthatup?My favorite response is,I havehands.Ifyoudontpickitup,whowill?
Amhersts education is topnotch, but if you attend and only use that knowledge to enrich
yourself...now thatsawaste.I wanttoattendAmherstnotonlyformyB.A.,butsoIcanclean
up more than my neighborhoods messes. Someday, when Im working around the clock on
some farout, lowsuccess probability, but phenomenally important drug or product, and my
colleaguetakesmeasideandasks,Luke,whyareyoudoingthis?Illsmiletomyself.This time,
insteadofsayingIhavehands,Iwanttoanswer,BecauseIwenttoAmherst.
As I raised my flag and kept my face stern, fans gave disgruntled gestures and the attacking
playerburstoutinprotest.Istoodfirm.Afterall,Iwasthereferee.Theattackerwasoffsidesand
it was my job to makethe call.Havingoncebeen inthecleats of thoseyoungsoccer players,I
understand how important a referees call is to them. As achild,I chasedthe blackand white
object in a shapeless mass ofGatoradedrugged players.Now,Iamawhistlebearingsymbolof
authority, dedicated to make the right call. As a referee I experience the pressure that comes
withpower.I makegamealteringcallsandgarnercriticism fromnotorioussoccermoms.Butat
thecore,myonlygoalistobefair.
Mybelief in fairness seems be infused in everythingIdo.Whether I ensurethattryoutsformy
varsity soccer teamgiveall potential players a fairchanceorvote fora chickflick sothatmy
two sisters achieve a majority on movie night, my moral compass is my guide. With great
enthusiasm,Istrivetoserve those I represent.Asclasspresident, Iembrace beingthebruntof
jokes when conducting random sample surveys of my classmates preferences for activities. I
eagerly have taken on leadership positions where I can act onmypotentialtopositivelyaffect
others.Butthroughmyfervortoserve,myidealviewofpowerwascorrupted.
50
Powercan beflawed. Inmyschool, in my community,andinthenews,Iseeothersinpositions

of authority, acting unjustly and impacting others. Small, exclusive oligarchies control large,
motley factions of people. Why should I have the means to make decisions and be handed a
shiny, silver whistle? I can make mistakes. I can make the wrong call. But I can matter. In
retrospect, I understandthe magnitude ofmeremomentswherein thecourseofmylifeandthe
lives of those around me was irrefutably, if infinitesimally, altered: a suggestion on a way to
analyze TheWasteland in class, a musingovercoffee withmyfriends to organizea charity run
for a sports program in Dakar, a mothers judgment that I will finally have my own room, a
decision to blow my whistle during a casual soccer game at my local youth center. These
moments,similar in that eachencompassed a seeminglyarbitrarydecision,butdifferentinthat
eachdecision resultedinsome force that sentthe future ontoa different trajectory,remindme
that even the smallest exertions of power have consequences and rewards. And my moments
defineme.
I think back on the times when I wore an unflattering yellow shirt and ran up and down the
same line but never actually got anywhere. As a soccer referee, I learned the importance of
accountability andproperuseofpower.Inowrecognizethatfairnesscanbeachievedoneblown
whistleatatime,ifonlyIstopandreflect.
HadIsetupabankaccountfiveyearsagoandchargedtwentydollarseverytimesomeoneasked
me,Why Chinese?, I probablycould have coveredalltheairfareformysixtripstoChina.The
$24,000 answer: its a blend of reasonsthe direction our world is heading, over 1.3 billion
morepeoplewithwhomIcancommunicate,adeeperunderstandingofa5,000yearhistoryand
culture, and a love of the language itself. My studiesconvincedmethatfluentChinese andan
understanding of the culture are imperative for future business success. Ive experienced the
immediate connection that speaking unaccented Mandarin builds with native speakers and
studied the ways an American can unintentionallyoffend someone purely byherunfamiliarity
with the Chineseculture.Living, breathing, thinking,studying,and speaking Chinesenonstop
openedsomanypossibilities.
I neverforesaw alltheopportunities studying Chinesewould provide.For four years, Ivebeen

therare nonAsian employee ata Chinese restaurant.Mylove ofmusic led me toparticipatein
Chinese karaoke competitions, the finals of which had audiences of over 1,000 people. I also
performed at numerous other events in Dallas, Boston, and multiple cities in China. In the
summers of 2011 and 2012, I taught English in two Chinese lower schools and took many
students on weeklong camps toother cities.Managingtokeep 100 children undercontrol and
safe in Beijing, one of the most populous citiesintheworld,is no small task.Five years ago,I
had no clue that I would be Googleable (and Baiduable) under my legal name and my
ChinesenamebythetimeIfinishedmyfreshmanyear.
All of these experiences combined do not equal working as a special news correspondent for
China Central Television (CCTV), Chinas only national TV station. I spent three days
51
interviewing nearly 100OlympicathletespriortotheLondongamesduringmysophomoreyear.

Although I conducted the interviews in English, I introduced each athlete in Chinese and my
questions were pertinentto Chinesespectators.Throughoutmyjunioryear,Icontinuedto work
forCCTV, travelingtoHoustonfortheRockets(NBA)weekendhomegamesandsomeweekday
games. In addition to interviewing fans and filming short clips in Chinese about special
circumstances surrounding thegames,Ijoined other(mostlymale)reportersandmarchedinto
the locker room after the gamescameraman in towto interviewJeremyLin,JamesHarden,
andotherplayers.
Thetoughestpart alwayscameat theend ofthe night:afterthegame,mymanagerwouldwrite

a paragraph comprised almost entirely of new words and phoneticallytranslated names, give
me about 15 minutestomemorize it,and thenshoot afewtakesinwhichI hadtosaytheentire
paragraphinChinesefrommemoryatmediaspeed(whichisfasterthandaytodaylanguage).
Over thecourse of thesepastfiveyears,IhavelearnedsomuchmorethantheChineselanguage

itself.Ipickedupthe idiosyncrasiesofChinesemannerisms.Whenfacedwitheatinglambbrain,
I immersed myself in local culturesand traditionsand triedit. Ilearnedtobargain andhaggle
theprice ofanitem well belowthe priceshopkeeperstypically offerCaucasians anddiscovered
that stickingtovalues, morals,and goalstranscends language barriersas readilyasasmile.My
love of, passion for, andyesobsession with China led me to spend 42 weeks in Chinese
immersion. While I dontcurrently have the $24,000 in my pocket, I do haveyearsof Chinese
cultural and linguistic experience, and Im proud that teachers and classmates regard me as a
viablesourceofinsightintoChina.
PomonaSupplementEssay1
Wakingupevery morning, Islowlyarguablytooslowlyturn offtheMishkaReggae songthat
is set as my alarm, drag my half asleep bundle of limbs to thekitchentomake a Cuban coffee
(American just doesnt cut it anymore), and then get dressed for the day. Then, I have the
freedom to choose which shoes I wear, and though this may seem like an inconsequential
decision,itisactuallyinstrumentalindefiningmyday.
My soccer cleats, muddy, with tape aroundthe sole tocounteractthe effects ofmy abnormally
wide feet, enable me to do what I love most in the world, besides eating my sisters chocolate
chip cookies, and bragging to my brother about a victoriousping pongseries.In these cleats, I
canrunforever(as long as Iremain in thelines ofa soccer field),andcanchallengeanyone (as
long as theyre wearing shinguards). While wearing my soccer cleats, I sprint to the end line
regardless of where the coachs eyesfall andI stay afterpractice to workon my goal shot, just
because Iknow Ican improve. Theindividualaccomplishmentthatcomes withsettingpersonal
goalsisbalancedwiththesupportofteammateswhoinspireloyaltyand aretheretofallbackon.
Paradoxically, my mostdifficult challenges, playingtough inthesummerheat,isrewardedwith
thecamaraderieandfriendshipsthatcomefromsharinghardship.
Then, there are my athletic shoes. In these shoesI havehad adventures.From biking through
theeverglades,tohiking upmountains, to paddleboarding in thebay, the ripped,dirtsodden,
and holeinfested pair of kicks allowsmetomeetmynaturalinclinationtoexploretheworld.In
52
these shoes I have learned that intellectual stimulation is not limited to the classroom.While
onecan learnthe atomicmakeupofleaves,andtheprocessofphotosynthesis,onlythroughfirst
handexperiencecanonefeelthecreasesandthewrinklesoftheplant,and seetheleavesintheir
naturalenvironment.
Sitting nexttotheathleticshoes,areavaluable,unparalleled,andcustommadepairofflipflops
from Gap (bought during the 2 for $10 deal). I have learned that after soccer, chocolatechip
cookies and victory in ping pong, the next best feeling in the world is having time.Theseflip
flops remind me that life isnotall about assignmentsand deadlinesit isalso about reflection
and friendships. When Islipoff my flip flopstojoinapickupbeachvolleyballgame,thegoalis
nottowin, but tolaugh.In my flip flops, I stroll(I dont hike or run),toyogawhere Ilisten to
myheartbeatandfeelmyselfbreathe.
The good life is having the freedom to chooseto choose which shoes will define the day,
knowing that all three have valueand purpose.Whether I choose to spend theday feedingmy
body,mymindormysoul,myshoeswilltakemethere.
CommonAppEssay2
Order! Order!the judgescreamed,banginghis gavel on thewooded panel.The defendant is
guilty! She will share! It was all very professionalexcept for the fact that the judge was my
little brother, the gavel was a ruler and the wooded panel was the floor of our living room.
Regardless,the rulinghurt.Afterhavingmyownroomforacoupleyears,Iwasbeingorderedto
share aroom again,with my little sister. Living in a small housewith foursiblings, I knewthis
was inevitable, butit wasstilla shock when the newswas handed downby theauthorities. My
siblingsgleefully helped move my books, music andbed into my newabode.Theypaintedover
myoldaquamarinewalls,withapleasantanddecidedlymasculinebeige.
The first few weeksofroom sharing didnt go well.Mylittle sisterand Iargued overmess and
floorspace.Somethinghad tobedone.Iboughtfourdoors,andspenta rainyafternoon hinging
themtogether.Theirnew foldingpatternobscuredtheiroriginalpurposeandwhat wasleftwas
ournewroomdividerandpurveyorofpeaceandsanity.
My doors have since become averitable journal. A photoofmybest friendand me campingis

propped beside a schedule of next months meteor showers. Schedules of music festivals Ive
been to are pushpinned next to flyersfrom protestsI haveattendedandhelpedplan.Apicture
ofmyhighschool varsitysoccer teamis nexttophotobooth picturestakenwhenI was oneof
four chosen to fly to Tallahassee with the Youth Advisory Committee topetition the governor
about the importance of education. Notes to myself are written haphazardly across my
whiteboard. Commands such as "See" are scribbled above film such as The Bicycle Thief and
"Read" hovers over Pirsigs Zen and the Art of MotorcycleMaintenance andHawkingsThe
Grand Design. A picture drawn for me by a disabled camper at ShakeALeg Miami where I
volunteer,overlapsapicturedrawnofmebymyfriend,anaspiringartist.Shedrewmebald,but
witha big heart. Aphotoof my host family in Botswana ispartiallycoveredbyapaintingofthe
autumn leaves done by a young artist from Dorking, UK, the town where I grew up. A medal
53
from the half marathon I ran last year with my two younger brothers and my scuba diving
certification card are tucked beside index cards where I had written SAT words. Though I
finished taking thestandardizedtestsmonths ago,I still rotatethecardsoftenimagininghowI
will speckle the "erudite" words into tomorrowsconversations. My record player, an old,beat
up thing, rests against my doors with the aged vinyls leaning against its wooden cabinet.
AmongsttherecordsismyfavoriteFleetwoodMacalbum,theoneIlistentoeverytimeIneedto
study. Tuckedunder the cabinet aremyblackboots,neverworninpublic,mindyou,butperfect
forstompingtothebeatsof"GoYourOwnWay."
As I lie in bed at night, lookingat my colorful, lifeaffirmingdoors, my sister, lying in herbed

just a few feet away, asks me in a voice out of the darkness, how was my day? Though the
building of my doors wasinitially meant to beanactofselfpreservationand protection of my
privacy, Inow understandtheyservedtheirreal purposeso muchbetter thanI couldhaveever
hoped. My doors are in fact an openingto my passions, my mistakes, my accomplishments
and mywishes.Theyconnect me to people athousandmiles distant, and tothosesitting justa
doorswidthaway.MydaywasgreatSyd.Howwasyours?
In late summerbeforemyJunioryear,Inervouslyarrivedwithfour ofmysoccerteammatesfor
my debut atmyfirst big high schoolparty.Everyone knewuswhenweshowedup en masse in
our team jerseys. As people laughed and joked, the unfamiliar garage loft became friendlier.
When beers were passed around, I swallowed hard but took one, hoping I didn't look as
inexperienced asI felt.I tried to relax andjoininthe boisterousstorytelling. The joy cametoa
screeching halt when we heard footsteps on the stairs. I had never really felt despair until
hearing15halfemptybeerbottlescollectivelyhittingthe floor.Thepartyhadbeenbustedbythe
police.
Howcould Ihave beenso stupid?Poorjudgmentandcuriositycostmefourgamesofmyvarsity
soccerseason, my captainship,the respectofmyteam,and,perhapsworstofall,thetrustofmy
parents. Until this time, I hadalways seen myselfas someone who tried to makegood choices
based on my personal values.When theseniorsofferedto coverupmydrinkingandtakethe hit
for me, I thanked thembuthadtofacethe music myself. I needed toregainmyreputation for
integrity,andwithit,myselfrespect.
Despite my desire to hide in my bedroom, I dragged myself to the next practice to speak
personally to my coach. I felt like a pariah. Segregated from the practice and alone,sincethe
othersuspendedplayers decidednottoshowup,Ifacedmyteammatesdisdainfulstaresduring
water breaks, heardtheirwhispers, andfeared the difficult meetingwith my mentor.Because I
had a track record of avoiding drinking and partying,myteammatesweredisappointed that I
had let my selfishnesscome before the interestsofthe team.The wrenching conversationwith
thecoachand my apologies to eachplayer aswell astomy parentswerethe firststepstowards
healing.For two weeks Iwas demoted to practicing withthesecondsquad,sittingonthebench
during games, andwishing Icouldbeof use as welost fourstraight.OnceIresumedplaying,I
worked diligentlytoredeemmyselfbybeingapositivevoiceinspiteofalacklusterseason,andI
usedthepainofhumiliationasmotivationtoplayharder.
54
Months later, myzanydentist offeredto teach me to juggle following aroutine cleaning. I did
not expect an epiphany about the soccer incident to come from Dr. Martys lesson. Yet every
time the ball missed my hand, he repeated the same phrase, Focus on the toss dont worry
about the catch. This metaphor crystallized what I learned about myself thatfall:Imhuman
and that means Ill make mistakes. What counts most is my willingness to repair what Ihave
broken. There is nothing like cleaning up a mess you have made to keep you from making
similaronesinthefuture.
CommonAppEssay3
Becomingcertified asayouthrefereeattheageoftwelvegavememanythings:independenceat
a timewhenboundariesseemedtight,apositionofauthority whereIcouldactjustly,andalittle
bit of cash on the side. All of these newfound benefits enabled me to mature, grow as an
individual, yada yada yada... Most importantly, though, becomingacertifiedrefereegaveme
the ability to card my four siblings. For nearly three years after I earned my certification, I
carried around my yellow card for cautions such as reckless behavior (spilling cheerios),
dissent by word or action (disagreement about Sunday night television), and entering or
reentering the field of play without the referees permission (they learned to knock). The red
card, althoughrare in my householdof somewhat evenlytempered players, was necessaryona
fewoccasionsincludingviolent conduct (wrestling matches overshower turns), andreceivinga
second caution in the samegame/day (Ialreadytoldyou once!).While thecardswereditched
by my fifteenth birthday, I realize that asthemiddlechild ina family offive, those cardshave
metaphoricallyallowedmetoseetheworldasaplacetoachievebalance.
BecauseIplayedsoccerfromanearlyage,Iwasabletorecognizetheweightofmydecisionsasa
referee. Knowing the rules and recalling the power of having the whistle gave me insight. I
learnedwhentobowtoanothersauthority,whentorespondwithreasonandwhentoreactwith
passionateintensity becausejusticewasnotbeingdone.Theselessonshavetranslatedtomy life
off of the soccer field. As captain of the school volleyball team, Iachieve thebalance between
team player and team leader. As President of Support our Sports club, I facilitate student
involvement atthe schoolsextracurricularevents,butrecognizetheimportanceofmyacademic
responsibilities. I lead chants and paint faces but spend half time underthebleachers reading
Hosseinis The Kite Runner. At home, my family looks to me, the fulcrum between pairs of
siblings to determine who rides shotgun, or who empties the dishwasher,whilemymom is at
work. I have learned the importance of taking turns, embracing various perspectives and
bringingmyownbasketballtothecourtifIwanttotakeashot.
Though there are distinct momentsinmylife when I feel empowered,I havealso learned that
blowing the metaphorical whistle too often diminishes authority. Sometimes, everyone just
needs to play on. It is during these moments of restraint that I learn the most. Whether
learning from my political theory teacher that our governmental system has a unique way of
rewarding those withskewedmoralstandpointsorfrommyveganlittle sisterthatmyconsumer
choices can impactthe animal industry,I knowthatwhenI activelylisten, Ihavethechanceto
grow. Even the man on the bus bench taught methat,It alwayscomesifyou waitalesson
that has served its useful purposemany times.The trick istoknow thedifference. Mere active
55
listening couldnot raise over$20,000tobuildafreshwaterwellinasmallvillageinSenegalor

start a schoolwide polo shirt drive for students who cant afford school uniforms. It is the
learningfollowedbytheactionthatgetsresults.
So, I have become a man of balance. A student and an athlete, a curious intellectual and an
active doer, one who strives for spiritual peace and one who hopes to make a change in this
material world,and ofcourse, a playerand areferee.Seeing the world through filters ofyellow
and redhas allowed me to identifyneed andthenact justly. Thankfully,the physicalinfraction
cards are no longer necessary, except of course for real soccer games, and tense games of
monopoly.
Ihave knownthreefathersinmylife, and,no, mymotherhasnotbeenmarriedmultipletimes.
Each of my fathers has fostered my growth in differentwaysand helpedmeunderstand what
beingamanreallymeans.
My father, Kenny, is a man of vast intelligence and genuinecuriosity about theworld. He has
been my academicrole model,encouragingmeto set highstandardsfor myselfbecauseIstrive
to emulate his achievements. Along with nurturing my intellectual pursuits, he is largely
responsible for my internationalinterests.In the1980s, he foundedanorganization thatsends
high school and college students abroad for intensive community service work. I grew up
hearing his tales of exotic countries from his extensive travels, visiting with him some of the
villages where students lived, seeing thecommunitycentersand schoolclassroomstheyleftas
theirlegacies, anddreamingofexploringforeigncountriesonmyown.Eventually,Ibecameone
ofthesestudentsmyself.
Mysecondfather(Pap)isGalo, anEcuadorianorangepicker bytrade,whoismasterofhisown
world. Within atenmileradius of his town,Rio Blanco, heknowseverything.Whenwewalked
around,he wouldgreeteveryoneby name, asking aboutthewellbeingoffamilymembersor the
yield ofa certain crop. Galo builthisown house, doing thecarpentry andconstructionhimself.
He couldidentify almost alltheflorainthe area,pickingberriesfrom bushesandpoppingthem
in his mouth or carefully avoiding contact with poisonous plants. Yet there was a vast gapin
Galosknowledge:the farther fromhis circle,theless heknew.Onamap,forexample,hecould
notidentify the UnitedStates,nor his continent, or even hisown country.Galo isamanwhose
knowledge is a milewidebut twenty milesdeep.Thistypeofwisdomcontrasts greatlytothatof
my father, whose wisdom istwentymileswide butonlya fewmilesdeep.Papschooledmein
thevalueofknowingalotaboutalittleandtheusefulnessofmasteringspecificdisciplines.
Mythird father(Pap) isCarlos,a Peruvian farmer, whois amanof contagiousjoy.Hisfaceis
worn from62 years of strenuous workbutwonderfully wrinkledwith eachkind smile.Basking
intheloving comfortofhiswise,softsmilefortwentystraightdays,Irelishedthemomentsthat
madehim chuckle: ajokeaboutourpig,ApiSenca,ormygreatstruggletochopasinglepieceof
wood.Insteadof my habitoftrying to thinkmyway through problemsorsearchforanswersin
theworld aroundme,Carlostaughtmetolookwithin.Hiseasewithhisfeelingsencouragedme
to rely more on my emotional signals andto bemoreconsciousof the present.I affectionately
recall walking withhimearly each morning intothecornfieldsinsilencetogatherstalkstofeed
56
the guinea pigs. Though the work on his farm may have been monotonous, he has a zest for
beingapartofthecycleoflife.Eachmorningasheploppedthelargepileof grassand cornstalks
onthefloorandtheguineapigsscrambledtoeat, hewouldhavealargegrin.ForaslongasIcan
remember, my dad Kenny hassentmetosleepeach night with a Jewish blessingaboutpeace.
Paradoxically,IfeltthewordsofthatprayermostdeeplywhilestrollinginthefieldswithCarlos.
The dad who raised me has taught me about knowing the mind and the importanceof broad
intellectual pursuits. Galotaught me about beingattunedwithmyenvironmentandthevalueof
swimming deeply in narrow channels. Carlos taught me about knowing the heart and the
necessityfor passionand compassioninorder to be awhole person.One showedmehowtogo
outintotherealworld,onetofocusonthenaturalworld,andonetobeopentotheinnerworld.
CommonAppEssay4:Bees,Banjos,andBusDrivers
Allergic to bees but standing in an industrial beeyard,I reconsidered the wisdomof the deal I
had struck.I hopedrisking acaseofhivesto moveablockofhiveswasworththebanjolessonsI
hadbarteredfor.
Myadventure began onawetAprilafternoonjustbeforesteppingofftheschoolbus.Iturnedto

the driver, a neighbor but a stranger, noticing for the first time that behind hisbeardhe was
missing atooth. Isheepishlyapproached.I heardthatyou playthebanjowouldyoubewilling
toteachme?
Id loveto.How doyou feel about tradinglabor for lessons?Now,Imthe sortof personwho

loves a deal, andIve never shiedawayfrom manual labor.ThreedayslaterI wassitting in his
kitchen. Our conversationgot to thereason heneeded help: Andrew had Lyme disease. Dueto
theseverity ofhissickness,hecouldnotliftheavyobjects withouthisarmsbecoming numb.We
agreed that in returnforbanjolessons,Iwould,inessence,behisarmswhileworkinginthebee
yards.
Days later, I found myselfwading throughfloodedbeeyards carrying fifty poundcoloniesand

poundingTpostsdeepintotherockyVermontsoil.Overthehoursspentsweatingandgrunting,
Andrew and I would chat. He spoke about his love for dairy farming and the tragedy thathe
experienced when the Lyme disease forced him to sell out. Alongwith teaching me about bee
husbandry as we worked, he would reporton his daughter's progressas aScottishdancer and
his sons latest song on the ukulele.Allalong, I helpedthe apiary grow bydoing what Andrew
hadtroublewith,andwhentimeallowed,Andrewshowedmehowtopluckafewtunes.
As my summer of bees ended, I thanked myself for having hadthe courage to aska complete
stranger forlessons. I havegainedmanythingsfromAndrew:Icanjamwithanoldtimeband,I
know that an Italian queen beewill produce more mildmanneredoffspringthanherAustralian
counterparts,Iknowwhatitlooks likewhena skunk iseatingbees from a hiveat night.While
valuable, these lessons are not what I cherish most from my experience with Andrew. By
learningaboutAndrew's struggleswithLymediseaseand hispassionsforbeekeeping,Ilearned
57
that reaching out to a stranger can be unexpectedly rewarding. Recently, I delivered pie
pumpkinstoAndrew,justtohaveaconversationwithafriend.
CommonAppEssay5
Now here I am in the Marquesas, surrounded by droning flies and the scent of washed up
sewage. Clumps of dirt inch deeper under my fingernails, while charcoal trickles down my
perspirationslick arms. On my first day, the walls of the pit seemed terrifyingly close to
collapsing inward,butnow, just a weeklater,theyfeellikeamuddyembrace.Sixweeks intomy
firstever archaeological dig, this hole on Hanamiai Valleys rocky beach in the most remote
archipelago in French Polynesia, has become my home, and the cramp in my upper arm has
cometofeellikeanoldfriend.
Perhaps even more exciting than unearthing archaic pearlshell fish hooks and urchin spine
abradersburied soundlyintheearthwasdiscoveringtheliving,breathing historyallaroundme.
I was awed by the community and kindred spirit that permeated the village, the rigorous
handshakes Marquesans never failed to give one another and the greetings each morning of
Kaoha! Hia Moe? (Hello! Still sleepy?) as warm as the deep tan sand. Our neighbors let
themselves freely into our home, exhorting us to do thesame,and childrenchased each other
through the back entry and out the front, revealing that doors have no true purpose in a
Marquesan home. The barrier between exteriorand interior,betweenpersonaland communal,
between you and me, had none of the rigidity I feltbackhome. Ifell in lovewith this blurred
conceptionofidentityandpersonalspace.
When I was asked to curate our Treasures of Hanamiai exhibit at the Tahuata Museum, I
wanted to capture that opennessanddimtheboundariesbetweenspectatorandspectacle.Ihad
spent two years working at the Metropolitan Museum but did not want the stiff, Western
formalityof Do Not Touchtopervadethisexhibit.Ibothliterallyandfigurativelyremovedthe
glass encasement and replaced it with a Touchezmoi! sign. I filled the space with paepae
rocks that could provide both tactile stimulationand cultural significance to curious visitors. I
wanted the collective consciousness and shared experience that pervades Marquesan cultureto
seepintotheoftenconstrictedspaceofamuseum.
WhenIfinallyarrivedhome,I triedtobringtheMarquesanspiritwithme.IthoughtofhowI,as
Senior Class President, could instill a rapport among my peers and fosterthe same closeknit
supportive community I saw in the Vaitahu valley. I wondered whether a friendly hello could
have the same cathartic power in New York as it did in that tiny Marquesan hamlet of two
hundredinhabitants, coincidentally aroundthe sizeof my seniorclass.How couldIprovidean
emphasis onthe present when thenaturaltendencyfor seniors istolook towardsthenebulous
future?
Admittedly, my goal of bringing awave ofcommunitythroughanocean of selfabsorption isa
great challenge. Just as one illustration, at the start of the year, I attempted to establish a
committeetocreate aseniorstatement tobiweeklyinformseniorsofwhattheirpeerswereup
58
to.Myideawas vetoed because other thanmeno student waswillingtocommithis orhertime

tothis community project. Ratherthan allow myself to getflustered,areactionthatwouldhave
beennaturalonlyayearago,IthinkofwhatIlearnedintheMarquesas.
We onMarquesan time, the localsliked to say toremindustoappreciatethecurrentmoment

asit wasratherthan beupsetwithwhatitwasnot.I wanttocarrythatMarquesanattitude with
me wherever I go, banish any ne touchez pas sign that negative energy can bring, and do
whatever I can to build and keep connections with those around me despite time flowing as
continuouslyastheMarquesanocean.
Chapter20:StrictPromptEssays
UniversityofMichiganSupplementEssay1
Everyonebelongstomanydifferentcommunitiesand/orgroupsdefinedby(amongother
things)sharedgeography,religion,ethnicity,income,cuisine,interest,race,ideology,or
intellectualheritage.Chooseoneofthecommunitiestowhichyoubelong,anddescribethat
communityandyourplacewithinit.
VotaPorColeScanlonParaPresidentewasstretchedacrossthecafeteriawall.Campaigning
forclasspresident,Imadesuretoaddressapopulationthatmakesupover80%ofmyurban
school.Ihadtolearntoassimilate.
IhavenotalwaysbeenapartoftheLatinoculture.LivinginEngland,Iwassubjecttofew
Latinoinfluences.InMiami,whereCincodeMayoismorecelebratedthantheFourthofJuly,I
hadtoadapt.IwastheEnglishgringounfamiliarwithmycommunitysdominantculture.
WhetherrequiringatranslatorformyPeruviansoccercoach'shalftimespeechornot
understandingconversationinmyschoolshallways,Ibecameeagertojointhecultureofmy
peers.
DuringmyculturequestIwasnotgradedonmyabilitytogreetmyfriendsmotherinSpanish
ortestedonmymasteryoftheonecheekkiss.IwouldnotpasstheAPSpanishtest,butdoes
thatreallymatter?IcanskillfullyorderacafconlechefromthelocalCubanrestaurantand
canshoutPasalalinea!duringmysoccergame.Insteadofatextbook,thepeopleofLittle
Havanahelpedmelearn.Thereisalotofknowledgeoutsideoftheclassroom,andonewayto
learnitistoexperienceit.EachtimeIbecomeanxiousaboutgradesortestscores,Iremind
myselfthatsomeofthemostprofoundlessonscomewithoutasparklingsticker,aredpen,ora
patontheback.
59
UniversityofChicagoSupplementEssay1:Where'sWaldo?
These testimonies were acquired from a C.I.A. black base operating in the lower Polochic
Valley,Guatamala.
TranslationsprovidedbyLukeHeine.
Jose Joquin (Gang Member, 19901998): He was terrible. His eyes were cold moons, hard,
lacking soul. When I left, he knew his eyes knew. They werent eyes of man but of demon!I
remember the things he did he was a demon (sobbing). You must understand.Igrewupin
Bogotapoor,realpooryaknow.Itwasawayout.Thisdayin January,Ineededtodoit.Iknew
hewas in town. I sawthe hats.Themenalwayswearthem.Hesaystheyoffersafety,buttheyre
really just maize sacks.Iwas young,a different man then. ThefieldsburnedintheSouth.Ihad
todo it.There wasno future! TheyweregoingtoMexico.Had I knownwhatIdonow,Iwould
have never but I didnt, O.K.! Look, I dont know what hes doing now. ButIm notsure if
youdwanttoeither.
Pueblo Muri (Street Vendor, 2001) Fools! The man you seek is invisible. He goes by many
names, seeing much. His skin is pale andas long as his clothes arebandedwith the sap ofthe
Bignonia Chica, youll find rocks talking (local expression) before you find him. The bands
protecthim.Youwillneverunderstand(spits).
Alex Quinn(Financier,19891991):Excuseme, butIinvestfornumerousclients.Ishouldnotbe
punished for doing a successful job. Shorting stocks is not a felony, although, perhaps that
escapes yourreason. Not shortingMarubeni(aKoreancompanyinvesting heavily inColumbian
fields)would befinancialfolly. Plus, it wasmy clientsrequest.Yes, Ive heardthecontroversy,
but I didnt know of his involvement with burning. Sir, I assure you, I had no personal
connection with the mantrust me. I found him quite repulsive in reality. I invited him to a
shareholder meetinga gesture I do for all clients. Dont overthink that. Anyways, blacktie
event mind you, themanshowedup wearing jeans.Apositive bore atdinner, hesaid nothing:
quite flat, didnt even take off his hat. He simply wore this selfassured smilelike he knew
something. He alwayshadthatlook,likeheknewsomething...Anyways,thatswhereI lastsaw
him.Themanevenmademepickupthecheckprobablysmiledaboutthataswell.
Testimonies3335
***
Pancho Walnado, [codename WALDO], is suspected of running Juarezs notorious narcotics
gangChicos Rayasor Striped Boys. His location issuspected to be within the city, although
his exact location is unknown. WALDO suffers metabolic myopia, a genetic disease, which
limits his homeostasisand muscle control.Asa result,hehasbeen seen using acane toassist
withwalking andfrequently wears asweater andhat tomaintainbodyheat.WALDOfollows
Mayan superstitions, includingstripinghis uppergarmentswithBignoniaChica dyeobtained
from trees native to the Yucatan. WALDO has been uncontained since the early 80s and is
suspectedofcropburning,stockfixing,anddrugtrafficking.Heremainsatlarge.
60
UniversityofChicagoSupplementEssay2
Howdoesonecompareapplesandoranges?
Waitso we werent meanttoeatthefruit?Maybenext timeyoushouldgiveusobjectsthatare
notjuicy, delicious and necessary forour survival! To literallycontrastorangesandapples,we
must use our most primitive biological needs first. Before we quantify, qualify, and surgically
dissect thesphericalfoods onthe lab table,wemust firstaskanimportantquestion:Isanyone
hungry?
Surely once the intermittent growling of stomachs has ceased, we may dive into realms of
inquiry such as What chemical interaction gives oranges their acidity? and Would Newton
have also proposed the Laws of Gravity if it was an orange, rather than an apple, that had
accelerated downward at9.81m/s2and struck him onthe head?I mayspendhourswondering
about such questions, only until, however, a lack of food overpowers such thoughts. After all,
apples and oranges are food andcouldbeinitially compared basedon their nutritional values.
Vitamin C? Fiber? All important, of course. Whether scurvystricken sailors on a long ocean
voyage or my threeyearold self pleading for acookie instead of fruitfor my afternoonsnack,
apples and oranges serve a purpose. The nutrients provided by each are literally the fuel for
thought processes that allow intellectual inquiry. To better understand the essay question, I
decided to philosophize. I took refuge from the tropical Florida sun under the shade of an
orangetreeandwonderedwhatmakeseachunique.
Holdinganorange IhadcarefullypluckedfromthetreeandaGrannySmithAppleIhadbought
at a local produce market, I realized a shallow contrast. They weigh about the same, but the
apple is smooth and waxy while the orange is pimpled and coarse. What I was doing
immediately felt unnatural. Food is not meant to be analyzed like colored shapes in
kindergarten. The act of eating is so personal, cultural, and meaningful that treating food so
objectivelyisscandalous.
So, I consumed, not one, but both fruits, and the satisfied bliss transcended into wondering:
Why doesthe appleget all thelove?AdamandEveweresinfullyfondofthe fruit,andfolklore
speech claimsthatit keepsawaythosepesky doctors.Appleshoard thespotlight, andisntthat
allpeoplecareaboutnowadays? Maybe people obsessoverapplesratherthan oranges because
of their character profile. Apples are rigid, plain yet comfortable, stern, andconservative.The
tropical, colorful, energetic, profile of the orangemightbe too wildfor many. Or maybe the
alphabet dictates peoples preference. We learn the word apple before orange so this
hierarchyof fruitis implantedinourmindsatanearlyage.Onthattopic,is theorangereallyso
insignificantthatitcanthaveamoreoriginalname?Icouldeven tracethementioningofapples
to Thomas Edison and Abraham Lincoln who both lived amongst apple trees during crisp
winters rather thangulpinghot,humidair intropicalregions.Wasittheapplethat providedthe
inspirationforinnovationandcourage?Wastheabsenceoftheorangesomehowprescriptive?
I think it is less about their physical characteristics and cultural implicationsand more about
their symbolic value. My musings had borne fruit. I realized, in fact, that the substance
61
accompaniedwith the twofruitsis evident in myownlife.Oranges,withtheirtropical,bursting

flavor, symbolize the fastpaced, vivid, energetic life that I have experienced in Miami since I
movedhere fromEngland. Itsnotbetterorworsethanmy priorhome,justdifferent.Iembrace
changes, though, and one must create a balance between apples and oranges, between
continental and tropical climates,betweenneededseriousness andcolorfulfun.I livedapple
in England and then orangeinMiami. Imready fora return fromthesquishyorange to the
crunchyapple.Illinoisdoesharvestapplesright?
Chapter21:ShortResponse
HarvardShortResponse1
Pleasebriefly elaborateon oneof your extracurricularactivitiesorworkexperiencesthatwas
particularlymeaningfultoyou.(About150words)
As a Miami Pro Soccer Camp counselor, I did many undesirable jobs such as carrying water
coolers and washing neon pinnies. The most rewarding aspect of the camp, however, was
coaching a small team of fiveyearolds. Eduardo, my most easily distracted player, was
enthusiastic about animals butnotsoccer. To gethim interested, I adapted my coaching at the
expense ofalittleselfhumiliation.Icreateda drillinwhichthekidstriedtohitmewithasoccer
ball.If theydid,Iwouldimitateananimaloftheirchoice.That year,TheFunnyMonkeys,orthe
team whose coach agreedtoweara tutu iftheywonthechampionship,becamethesoccercamp
champions.Afterthegame,Eduardogave me adinosaurkeychain,mytrophy,whichstillswings
frommybackpack.
YaleShortResponses1
What in particular about Yale has influenced your decision to apply? (Please answerin100
wordsorless.)
Ihave always found selecting my curriculum stressful.Ifeelgrief for thealluringclassesIhave

to leave out. To make amends, I took summer courses andexplored topicsindependently. At
Yale,I can shop formy classes, unbounded bycontrived commitment.There, I wouldalsobe
sparked into intellectual thought in the Bass library and on the Yale soccer field. In each
intellectuallyinfusedenvironment, Iwouldbe inspired bythe Yalieswho are fueled byinquiry,
ignited byanintensedesire to learn, and,likeme,carefullychoosewhattoimmersethemselves
innext.
Pleaserespondin150characters(roughly25words)orfewertoeachofthequestionsbelow:
Youhavebeengrantedafreeweekendnextmonth.Howwillyouspendit?
I would drive to the Florida Keystoscubadive inthelimpid water andtoprovoke myselfinto
thoughtreadinganissueTheEconomistonthebeach.
Whatissomethingaboutwhichyouhavechangedyourmindinthelastthreeyears?
62
MySOS Clubs BodypaintSquadmessilypaintedCAVALIERS!!!!ontheirstomachs.

Inowknowthatyoucanthavetoomanycharacters.
Whatisthebestpieceofadviceyouhavereceivedwhileinhighschool?
Dont worry about the grades. Understand what youlearn,pursue your passionswith energy,
andthegradeswillcome.
Mr.XX
Whatdoyouwishyouwerebetteratbeingordoing?
Ironically, I am the Sweethearts Dance Team Captain anda rather awkwarddancer. Iwantto
leadwithgroovydancemovesaswellaswithmydemeanor.
Whatisalearningexperience,inoroutoftheclassroom,thathashadasignificantimpacton
you?
Since learning about National Public Radios podcasts, I listen to Marketplace Money or All
ThingsConsideredwhileridingmybiketoandfromschool.
BrownShortResponse1
Itwas my friendArnolds birthday. I had picked himup,and wehad spentthe day atthemall,
playingvideogames,drinkingvanillamilkshakesandwatchingthelatestDisneymovie,Brave.
Arnold had just turned 23 years old.As a boywith autism, . As Ipulledintothetrailerthat
hecalledhomethathesharedwith histhreebrothersandparents,Isteppedoutofthecartosay
hellotohis family.Hismothergavemeahugandthenturned.Familydayofbirthphotos!she
exclaimed, in athick Spanishaccent. I grinnedand held outmyhands forthe camera,readyto
take apictureof their entirefamilytogetheronArnoldsbirthday,butshewavedmyhandaway.
You in photo. Ibashfully stoodnexttoArnoldandsmiledforthepicture.She raninsidetoget
herother sons andher husband, andsoonwewere takingposedshots ontheirfrontporch.She
putthe timeron selfsnap and ranto joinus in thepicture.Thehugelankyboywithautismput
his hand on my shoulder as he grinned blissfully into the camera. It flashed once and Ifelta
waveof lovefor thisfamily. I had barely known themafewmonthsago.Thenextweekend,as I
knocked on the door to pick upArnoldfor adayat the park,I noticed somethingnew in their
livingroom.AframedphotooftheLopezfamily,andinthemiddlewasme,grinningwidely.
BrownShortResponse2
Tell us where you have livedand for how longsinceyou werebornwhether you've always
livedinthesameplace,orperhapsinavarietyofplaces.
Born in theboilinghumidityofMiami to twoAmericanparents, I spentthe firstthreeyearsof
my life speaking Spanish before English, thanks to myCubannanny whowould look after me
whilemy parentswereworking.Bythe timeI hadturned three, Iwas onaplanetotheEnglish
countryside. Igrew upinthe idyllictownofDorking,Surrey,just45minutesoutsideofLondon.
It was small town, and even though London was a short trainride away, everyone kneweach
others name onthe street. We were alwaysthe American family, theoneswhomadepancakes
and lighted fireworkson thefourth of July. After living in Englandfor 8 years, my mother,my
63
siblingsand Ipackedup andmovedbacktoMiami.LivinginAmericasinceaged11,herewe are

the British ones. The ones who had the accents and said the strange words like lorry and
tube.IlovebeingabletoconnecttotwoculturesandIknowIhaveahomeinbothplaces.
BrownShortResponse3
Whatareasofstudyareyoudrawnto?
AlbertCamusoncesaid,Cultureisthecryofmeninfaceoftheirdestiny.
This is why I want to study anthropology.Iwantto study thereasons that we, ashumans, act,
thinkanddowhatwedo.
64
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collegeadmissionsandfinancialaidtostudents,especiallytothosethatwouldbenefitmost
fromthisinformation.TheFOPsGuideisgood,reallygooditsbeenread,reviewed,and
evaluatedbydozensofstudents,advisors,highschoolcounselors,collegecounselors,and
admissionsofficers.Wethinkwevemadethisthemostcomprehensivecollegeguidebutwantto
keepmakingitbetter,especiallyastheprocessofapplyingtocollegeandfinancialaidchanges.
Ifyouhavecritiques,edits,comments,oranyotherfeedbackpleasesubmitithere.
ADDITIONALTOOLS
Wealsowanttoprovideanevolvinglistofotherfreeresourcesthatcanhelpyoualongyour
journeytogettingintoandaffordingthebestschoolforyou.
KhanAcademy:CollegeAdmissions
bigfuturebytheCollegeBoard
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While thismay soundbold, weve alreadydoneit. This guide isanupdated,expandediteration

2. Gettoknowyour teachers.Teachersare goodsourcesofadvice,strongrolemodels,and

3. Meetwith your guidance counselor.Scheduleameetingwithyourguidancecounselorto

2. Consider writersfor yourlettersof recommendation.Duringjuniorsummer,youshould

3. Create a student resume.Thisgivesyouthechancetobragaboutyourself.Thisisnotthe

5. Make a scholarship list. An important part of affording college is applying to

4. Finalize letters of recommendation. Teachers are busy, especially during college

6. Interview for early admissions (ifapplicable). Someschools offer interviewson campus

Location. Do youwant to beclosetoyour family or far away? Doyoupreferarural,urban,or

Size.Do you wanta closeknitcollegeexperiencewhereeveryoneknows,orknowsof, everyone

Public/Private.Doyou have apreferencefor public or privateschool? Public schoolstend to

Social life. Do you want to attend a schoolwith prominent Greeklife? Do youwantaschool

Food. Doyou requirespecific dietaryorreligiousneeds?Doesthequalityoftheschoolsdining

Extracurriculars. Are there certain clubs or extracurricular activities that youwanttojoin?

We willdiscussmatchingpersonalpreferenceswith what colleges have to offerandtheprocess

Therequirementsfor standardized tests depend ontheschool. ManyschoolsrequireanSATor

Whenyou do practiceproblemsortake practicetests,thefocusshouldbeontryingtoimprove.

As thetimeline stated,students shouldstartfinalizingtheircollegelistbythebeginningoftheir

1. TheCollege Board CollegeSearch Acollegesearchengineinwhichyoucanapplyfilters

4. College Confidential Awebsitethatoffersanonymousforumsforstudentstoaskmany

5. Just Ask! A workbookbytheAmericanFederationofTeacherstoevaluatecollegesand

Throughout the collegeapplication process,it iscriticalthatyoustayorganizedto stay ontopof

Planner. In addition to having a higherlevel spreadsheet or table, you should use a

Theletter ofrecommendationisanotherchanceforcollegesto learnmoreaboutyouasaperson

1. Consider teachers who teach higherlevel courses. Letters of recommendations should

See the ACT/SAT/SATSubjectssectionsinChapter3for moredetails.Thesetestsprovideaway

While there aremanyways to writeasuccessfulcollegeessay,eachessayshouldengagewithall

This essayis part ofthe Common Applicationand isstrictlylimitedto650words.TheCommon

1. TheCommon Appessayisthetopbrickofthepyramidthatis yourapplication.Itshould

3. TheCommon Appessay isa place tobeyou.Ifaschooldeniesyouforwhoyouare,then

4. Your Common Appwill be sent to every schoolyou applytothroughthe Common App,

Manyschoolsthatyou applytowill require schoolspecificsupplementalessays. Thinkofthese

1. Avoid significant overlapbetweenyour Common Appessayand yoursupplements.You

3. Supplemental essay questionsvary. Somecolleges ask slightly strange questionstogive

Remember: eachcomponent ofthe applicationshouldaddanadditionaldimension orsnapshot

2. Get words on paper.Afteryou have anideaof what to write about, createanoutline to

5. Show donttell. Youshouldconveyyourcharacteristics throughexperiences orreflection

8. Stay humble. Avoid drawing easy conclusionsand forcing satisfying conclusions.You

Theprinciplesinthis chapter aimtoprovide useful information to help studentsimprove their

Theintent of thecollege interview isfortheschooltomeetyou.Bygettinginterviewed,youget

Schoolshave different approaches to theinterview. Whilemanyrelyonlocalalumnitoconduct

Arrive ontimeoralittleearly.Showingup afewminutesearlywouldnothurt,but

Again,the interviewshouldbeviewedasitis:a chataboutyouandabouta collegeoruniversity

Afterthe interview,theinterviewersfill out aform about the experienceconsidering howyoud

recommendation. Ive alreadyordered Catch22and lookforwardtoreadingit overthenext

Ourconversation confirmedwhyImsoexcitedaboutgoingtotheUniversityofChicago.I will

Since our lastconversation, asfarasscholarshipsgo,Iwas fortunate enoughtoearn

Avoiding the information expressed through my midterm transcript(Ithinkyou will

Itshould be abusyspring,but Imsureyouknowhowthatgoes.Thanksforyour time.

Iam writingthislettertoexpressmygenuine interest in attendingOhioWesleyanUniversity

Ohio Wesleyan ismytopchoice school. OhioWesleyansmathematicsprogramisidealforme

Ihope to act onmysincere desire to be a part of,andcontributeto,OhioWesleyan'sdynamic

Once youhave submittedyour application, youll eventuallyhearfrom the colleges.Acceptance

If youre accepted to multipleschools, andtheschool youwantto attenddidntgiveyoutheaid

Makesureyou haveanideaof what eachschool willcostyou.Knowthatfinancialaidpackages

Manystudents liketoreferbacktothatoriginallistof values youcreated beforeyouappliedto

Formany,however, the correct choicecantbe foundonaspreadsheetorlist. Itisoften,atits

Oneof the bestways to tease outwhat feelsright isattending theadmittedstudentsday(s)at

over thesummeraftersenior year.Accept thisas an inevitability.Everyinstitutionhas itspros

College isexpensivebut thereare ways to make itaffordable.Asthe cost to attendcollegehas

4. Student Loans.Asyoumighthaveheard,studentdebt(acquiredthrough studentloans)ison

5. Scholarships. Usually private,outside aid to studya specificsubject, makesuretoapply for