BURDICK, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, University of Rochester
“Think about what your email address may or may not say about you.”
—ALISON ALMASIAN, Director of Admissions, St. Lawrence University
Next on the Student’s Personal Information worksheet, list your user names and passwords once you register for standardized tests including SAT, ACT, and /or TOEFL or IELTS. College Board administers the SAT and SAT Subject Test, ACT administers the ACT exam, ETS administers TOEFL and IELTS administers the IELTS exam. To learn more about these tests refer to Chapter 3.
Most students apply to university by using the Common Application and/or individual school applications. The Common App is a single, uniform application accepted by approximately 800 colleges and universities. The Common App allows you to create one application which you can submit to multiple participating schools, either online or by mail. Create an account for the Common App and record your username and password on the same worksheet. In addition, you will create accounts for each school to which you apply. Jot down these usernames and passwords on the worksheet as well.
“One way to stay organized is to keep a list of the schools you applied to next to your computer with each school’s username and password. The username and password always vary based on school, and it is best to be able to easily access this information. Students often become frustrated when they forget this information, and that only delays this process.”
—REBECCA GOTTESMAN, Assistant Principal, Locust Valley High School, Locust Valley, New York
Students applying for financial aid and merit scholarships may be required to complete the financial aid form called the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE, a financial aid form required by many schools. Record the user name, password, and PIN you create for this account on the worksheet.
You’ll need to gather information from your family members about their education history to complete your applications. Store all of the information and facts about your parents and your siblings on the Family Education Information worksheet.
Details about your education thus far should be noted on the Secondary School Information worksheet. You’ll need to know your school’s international SAT and ACT codes, found on the testing websites, in order to register for your standardized tests. Use this worksheet to write down your secondary school contact information, as it will be required when you complete the Common App. This same information is also needed for colleges and universities that only accept their own applications. Spare yourself repeated searches by looking all this up once and recording it in the designated space.
CHAPTER 2
A SNAPSHOT OF YOUR SECONDARY SCHOOL YEARS: WHO ARE YOU?
Admissions reps work very hard to put together each year’s incoming class. The goal of the admissions office is to build a qualified, well-rounded first year class. Your goal is to find a university that meets your needs and matches your profile. Keep in mind that the terms “college” and “university” are used interchangeably in the USA in everyday speech. An institution of higher learning is most often referred to as a college. Colleges and universities generally look at applicants from several angles to determine whether they’re a good fit. Your academic performance and test scores are the starting point for admissions, but there’s so much more that will be considered. American universities evaluate students holistically. In addition to your grades, admissions reps are also interested in your extracurricular activities including athletics, community service, clubs, competitions, work, and summer experiences. Think about the person you would like admissions officers to get to know. Reveal your identity through extracurricular interests and involvement, your essays, the words of your recommenders and your social media presence.
“Both colleges and students have a duty to communicate who they are as effectively as possible to ensure the best possible matches.”
—ALISON ALMASIAN, Director of Admissions, St. Lawrence University
ACADEMICS
Your academic record is the foundation of your application. Universities view the grades you’ve achieved as the best predictor of your future academic success. The level of difficulty of the classes you’ve taken and your grades are the primary yardstick by which you will be evaluated. You can find a university’s core academic requirements listed on its website. Beyond meeting the requirements, admissions reps want to see what academic interests you’ve pursued. Highly competitive schools are looking for students who have taken the most rigorous courses offered at their secondary school. Consult your counselor to plan the curriculum most suited to you. But, remember the college process in the USA is not only about academics.
EXTRACURRICULARS
Each student brings his or her own identity to the campus. You can show admissions representatives who you are through your extracurricular activities, including athletics, community service, work experience, and summer activities. Universities look at the breadth and depth to which you have explored your interests. Your choices reflect your values and your personality. Your extracurricular involvement not only tells colleges and universities what you’ve done throughout secondary school, but also conveys how you may contribute to their community as a prospective member. Everyone has different interests and one interest is not necessarily better than another. What’s important is why and how you chose to become involved, and what it means to you. Don’t paint a picture of who you think Admissions is looking for. Demonstrate, with authenticity, the real you. You’ll have the opportunity to share your personal profile with Admissions on your applications, either in the Activities section of the Common App, in an individual school application, or if requested, in an uploaded CV. Whether you’ve just started secondary school or are an upper-level student, explore school clubs and organizations, volunteer opportunities and hobbies in order to identify extracurriculars you would enjoy pursuing. Once you’ve found what interests you, get involved. What counts is the extent of your commitment, not the length of your activities list. Your engagement outside the classroom speaks to who you are and may be what differentiates you from your peers. Balancing schoolwork and commitments outside the classroom also demonstrates your time management skills.
“Students should consider highlighting the things into which they have poured the most time and effort, finding the things that have meant the most to them and the things in which they have made the greatest impact. Students need to understand that college admissions officers are trying to get a sense of the individual by evaluating how that individual has spent his or her time.”
—PAUL W. HORGAN, Director of College Counseling, Cape Henry Collegiate School, Virginia Beach, Virginia
“Representing all that you do beyond academics with authenticity is very important.”
—DARRYL W. JONES, Senior Associate Director of Admissions, Gettysburg College
This chapter provides seven Who Are You? worksheets to help you easily fill in the activities sections of your applications. Worksheets are provided
