We never put much stock into the annual ranking of colleges and universities -- by U.S. News & World Report, or otherwise. The beauty contest slash marketing push, oft times leaving students and their parents baffled, bewildered and blindsided, really doesn't mean all that much.
Certainly, it sells magazines and makes for sensational headlines, but such jockeying for first place between the likes of Harvard and Princeton will have little, if any, bearing on where the majority of college-bound students will call home for, perhaps, the most significant four years of their lives.
Still, the public craves to know "who tops the list," and we are obliged to give you -- along with that proverbial grain of salt -- the inside track.
And so, without further ado, here are the 2012 college rankings. Take them for what they are worth. Then, find the college that is "best" for you -- which may, or may not, be on this exalted and highly overrated list. - - - For more onThe College Whisperer's thoughts on college rankings, check out Rank and File. [This post first appeared on our blog in 2010. Links have been updated for 2012 rankings.]
The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The
College Whisperer.
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Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com
The road to college begins at College Connection. 516-345-8766 Call us TODAY for a FREE telephone consultation, and get started down that road to college admission success!
Naviance. If you're a high school senior, or about to be one, Naviance has as surely become a part of your vernacular (good SAT word :-) as the Common App.
Heralded -- by those who market it -- as the next best thing to sliced bread, Naviance is said to offer a "road map to success," not only to college, but toward a lifelong career.
Of course, if someone offers you a road map, you darn well better know how to read it, where the closures and detours lie, and be privy to alternate routes, just in case!
Engaging both students and their parents, challenging (in more ways than ever intended) students, educators and administrators, and opening the lines of communication among all concerned, are but a few of this innovative tool's intended goals. "...a road map that clearly guides each step toward a student’s desired destination."
All right. We all saw those frightful Final Destination movies. Sometimes, that road map just doesn't get you where you want to go!
At its very best, Naviance is a most powerful tool, particularly in guiding students, parents and educators on the path to college. Utilized to its full potential, Navianceis a time-saver and a stress-reliever, gathering data, information, facts, figures, and everything from high school transcripts to those critical Guidance reports and letters of recommendation, and transmitting same to college admissions offices around the country.
High School Resume? Naviance. College Selection? Naviance. Scholarships to pay for college? Naviance.
At its very worst, Naviance can be interchangeable with nuisance, duplicating efforts of students and guidance counselors alike, requiring the entry of all kinds of data that, in the course of, say, applying to college, will be routinely entered elsewhere (i.e., on the Common App), and sending most, if not all of the assembled life history, absolutely nowhere. In other words, what was intended as a one-stop-shop time-saving, stress relieving program itself becomes a make-work, anxiety-inducing, yet-another-thing-to-do Frankenstein monster.
The reality of Naviance, at least for most school districts in the Northeast United States, is that the utility and usefulness as a college guidance tool (forget career path. After high school, you will never give Naviance a second thought) is marginal, at best. Yes, Guidance reports, transcripts and letters of recommendation may (emphasis on may) be compiled on and transmitted through Naviance, but the bulk of the work that must be done by college-bound seniors -- including college matching and the all-important scholarship searches -- has to be undertaken and completed elsewhere.
That said, swear by it or swear at it, much like the SAT and ACT, Naviance has become -- and is likely to gain a greater foothold and wider application -- a right of passage through the college application and admissions process.
If your high school doesn't use it, consider yourself fortunate, and don't think twice. There's plenty of other minutia to keep you occupied during the crazy, manic-filled days and sleepless, fitful nights known as the college application season. And every bit of information found on or through Naviance can be found, if but with the proper guidance and counseling, somewhere else.
If, however, Naviance is in the mix (meaning, your school district got sold a bill of goods), by all means, learn your way around, and use it, if not to the system's full capability, then certainly, to your own best advantage.
Get your High School Code and Log In to Naviance, to begin your journey. [Water bottles and Dramamine sold separately!] Get the lay of the land. Avail yourself -- without neglecting the myriad and sundry chores that accompany the college application and admissions process -- of the resources to be found there.
By all means, meet with your Guidance Counselor -- as well as with your independent college consultant, should you have one (who wouldn't? ;-) -- to discuss, among other intricacies, obstacles, roadblocks and nuances, the ins and outs of Naviance.
Take a Naviance tutorial (most high schools offer Naviance instruction on their websites). Sign up for a Naviance webinar. Or simply watch a YouTube video.
When all else fails -- or you need a break from the insanity that surrounds you -- call upon Captain Naviance!
The road to success is before you. Whether or not it is paved is another question. Just don't get caught up in the endless roundabout (traffic circle?) that Naviance, and the entire college application process, could lead you into.
Relax behind that wheel. Stay vigilant. Watch for oncoming cars -- or ACT scores. And you will successfully navigate the road to college admissions, Naviance, and a host of AP exams, notwithstanding!
The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The
College Whisperer.
* * * Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com
The road to college begins at College Connection. 516-345-8766 Call us TODAY for a FREE telephone consultation, and get started down that road to college admission success!
Reach schools are those whose admissions criteria you don't quite nearly meet, if you meet at all. These are your "give it a shot" colleges.
Target schools are those where your academics, extracurriculars, test scores fit squarely within the range of accepted students. No guarantee, but you feel pretty confident that if you apply, you'll get in.
Lastly, Safety schools are just that, safe bets. Not necessarily colleges for flunkies and those who graduate 999 out of a class of 1000, but where your record and accomplishments clearly exceed the schools' admission criteria and acceptance statistics.
As a rule of thumb -- and a matter of family economics -- we suggest applying to three (3) colleges in each category, for a total of 9. [That much math, we can do! :-)] You will, in doing this, cover all the bases, and virtually assure yourself of acceptance to a college that you actually want to go to.
Which colleges are your Reach, Target and Safety schools? Obviously, they differ for each student. For some, Target may be MIT or Stanford, while Safety may be NYU. For others, Reach may be the College of the Ozarks. [Not that there's anything wrong with College of the Ozarks, so hold those nasty emails! ;-)]
How will you know which colleges you should apply to, and whether a particular school is Reach, Target or Safety? First and foremost, consider what you're looking for in a college. Urban or suburban. Large school or small. Northeast or Sun Belt. And so on. Consider the particular programs (if any) you are interested in studying. Factor in such things as distance from home, public or private, campus life, housing options, and, of course, costs. This should narrow down your "list" somewhat.
Speak, for sure, with your Guidance Counselor, college planning consultant, parents, friends already in college, and parents of friends already in college. Then, too, visit the websites of colleges that have piqued your interest. Take a virtual campus tour. And do call upon the college admissions offices with any questions you may have. They are always glad to help.
Once you've got your "list" under 100 -- we jest, but you catch our drift -- what next?
Well, for starters, begin to pare down that list by Reach, Target and Safety schools. How? Well, as in life, there are no absolutes. There are, however, a number of websites which can give you some idea of where you fit in a college's admission scheme.
Check out, for instance, www.CollegeData.com, where you can search for colleges and get a feel for whether you're a "match," parchment.com(formerly, What Are My Chances?), and MyUsearch.com. Educated guesstimates, of course, based on prior years' applicants, admissions and acceptances, but relatively good places to calculate where you stand in line. [Best of all, they are all FREE!]
And , for the iPhone, iPad and iWhateverIsNext generation, yes, there's a College Matching App for that! [Available for download, free of charge.]
You may also want to look at In Like Me, for application and admissions pointers, and, yes, don't forget about your old friends of SAT fame, College Board, where you will likewise find college search and match tools.
Still confused, overwhelmed or downright stumped? Understandable. There are nearly 4000 colleges to choose from in the U.S. Tweaking the list down to 9, give or take a university or two, is no easy task.
That's where College Connectioncomes in, helping you select colleges that are the perfect fit for you ("best" being a relative term, as in which school is "best" for you), and then, helping you, every step of the way, through the application and admissions process.
The task may appear daunting. The "where, when and how" insurmountable. While the college application process may seem tantamount to circumnavigating the globe without a compass, guess what? College Connection has that compass!
Stay calm. Stay cool. Stay in the know. Stop. Drop. Roll? Not this time. Now, it's Reach. Target. Safety!
The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The
College Whisperer.
* * * Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com
The road to college begins at College Connection. 516-345-8766 Call us TODAY for a FREE telephone consultation, and get started down that road to college admission success!
Earthquakes. Hurricanes. Locust. [Would you believe a noisy Cicada, falling from a nearby tree? Oh, we hate when that happens!]
All enough to unsettle even those with nerves of steel. And yet, even these natural disasters (not to mention those man-made ones that come our way, seemingly on a daily basis), hardly compare to the terror struck in the hearts of bold men, brave women and unflappable 18 year olds by the onset and ensuing deluge known as the college application and admission process.
Fears heightened by information -- and misinformation -- overload. Storm clouds gathering about the mounting paperwork, the impending SATs and ACTs, the wavering GPA, and the surge of the Common App, FAFSA and CSS Profile. Uncertainty over both procedure and outcome add to the confusion, as parents and students alike attempt to map out an escape route along the treacherous, detour-filled road to college.
Think you need a plan to help you successfully navigate the road to college?
Remember Noah? He had a plan! Everyone else? Well, we all know how that story ended.
Some call it the perfect storm. The confluence of conflicting deadlines, endless online searches, constant pressure, and that ever-present feeling in the pit of your stomach that says, "I wish this nightmare was over!"
We like to call it the perfect calm, where students are empowered and parents are given peace of mind!
Having a plan, the foresight, the intuition, the guidance so essential not only in heading out in the right direction, but in actually getting where you want to go. That's powerful. That's Nirvana. That's College Connection, the first and last words in college admissions success!
College applications, and making your way to those Ivy-covered gates,
can be a grueling, heart-wrenching experience. It doesn't have to be.
So, check out that college planning calendar. Note, with more than passing interest, that we are now entering that season fraught with danger and anxiety -- better known as the crunch time of college applications. Batten down the hatches, take a deep breath, make the best of plans, and then call your College Connection counselor.
College admission is more competitive than ever. You need to be as well!
We are College Connection, and we're here to help get you safely through the storm!
The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The
College Whisperer.
* * * Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com
The road to college begins at College Connection. 516-345-8766 Call us TODAY for a FREE telephone consultation, and get started down that road to college admission success!
Do I really need a college planning counselor for my child? Aren't the
resources available through her high school guidance counselor, the colleges,
and the Internet, sufficient? It all seems so expensive.
The College Whisperer responds:
Back in the day, when the earth was young, and college applications were
written by hand and mailed to one or two schools along with a check for $15, a
visit to your guidance counselor, along with a thumb-through of the college
Viewbook (assuming the school had one) or bulletin, was not only sufficient,
that was all there was.
Today, with high school guidance counselors spread so thin, the Internet
spewing forth information (much of it incorrect) faster than a BP well can
spill oil into the Gulf of Mexico, the application process complex and
confusing, and the competition for college admission, even at state schools, so
very fierce, students (and parents) need all the help they can muster.
Consider, too (as if you haven't), that the cost of a college education --
approaching, and, in many instances, exceeding $100,000 for four years (and I'm
being conservative here) -- requires more than an Internet search, or the
gamble on a lottery ticket, to seek out and find the money to pay that tuition
bill.
College is not only four very critical, as well as special years in a
teenager's life, where deciding which colleges to apply to should entail more
than "my friend goes there" or "everybody is applying to that
school." It is also, as if I'm telling you something you don't already
know, a major life investment. A private university, over the course of four
years, can gobble up as much as $250,000 after tuition, room and board, books,
transportation, and incidentals are accounted for. [If you don't believe me,
feel free to do the math yourself.] Even a four year stint at a state school is
likely to run in the neighborhood of $80,000 or more.
Surely, you want to invest wisely and prudently, in both the best interest of
your child and her future, and in the best interest of your bank account.
Financial planning, an integral part of the college planning process, is
crucial.
Just what is it that a college planning counselor -- at least a good college
planning counselor -- can and should do for you? Among other things (aside from
the hand-holding and nerve-soothing), he will set an agenda, so critical to
college admission success, giving you a clear and concise road map, showing you
the where, the when and the how.
He will help your child decide, based upon a thorough assessment and evaluation
of a multitude of factors (many beyond GPA and SAT/ACT scores), which colleges
would be a perfect fit, and what strategies would likely provide that better
shot at actually getting into the college of choice.
Is that "reach" school really within reach? Is there a way to manage
my profile on that admission officer's matrix so as to improve my chances of
admission? Does my personal essay help me stand out above the crowd? Am I doing
everything I possibly can to enhance my application, or have I done too much?
What kind of questions will I be asked during my admission interview? Will I
even have an admission interview? Do I really want to spend sub-zero winters
eating cheese on the barren plains of Wisconsin?
[Please, no letters or e-mails from irate alumni of the University of Wisconsin...]
And, of course, there's the penultimate question on every parent's mind. How in
blazes am I going to pay for all of this? [Cheese sold separately.]
High school guidance counselors, like travel agents helping you to prepare for
a tour around the world, are an excellent resource. Use them (but please, don't
abuse them). The Internet, too, is an invaluable tool and an essential source
of information, provided that you know how to use it effectively, where to look
(and where not to), and how not to fall prey to the wealth of misinformation
that is only a mouse click away.
It is easy, as you navigate the road to college, to not only get lost, but to
become overwhelmed by the voluminous amount of information -- much of it just
plain awful -- that is out there. Once lost, good luck getting back on the
right track.
With respect to the expense of retaining a college planning professional, do
not think merely of cost alone, but rather, of the value of this now necessary
service in an increasingly tedious, complex and stressful process. Think, too,
of the peace of mind, knowing that you are being guided in the right direction
to the right schools, and not being waylaid off the beaten path.
You seek the advice of a financial adviser when it comes to investing your
money. You retain the services of a real estate pro before to buy a house
(another major life investment). You spend countless thousands feeding and
clothing your child, packing her off to summer camp or on teen tours, nurturing
her through 18 years of life. Are you going to stop now, when the finish line
(short of the wedding) is in sight?
Surely not. You are going to do everything within your power to help your child
achieve her goals, gain acceptance to a college where she will thrive and be
happy, and enable you to pay for it all, without jeopardizing your retirement
or robbing the federal reserve. [The latter is not recommended, forbidden by
law, and may subject you to fine, imprisonment, or both.]
Look. To answer your question simply and succinctly, of course you could do the
whole college application gig yourself, with a little help from your Uncle
Phil, who once sat across from a college admission counselor at a diner in New Hampshire, and is a
self-professed expert in finding online sweepstakes that could win him
millions. Then again, do you really want to go that route?
Save yourself the ulcer, the agita, the sleepless nights and bleary-eyed days.
A knowledgeable college planning counselor will empower your child, the
soon-to-be college student (can you believe it?) and de-stress the parent (that
would be you). Those benefits, in and of themselves, are, to quote the VISA
commercials, priceless.
Applying to college in this day and age is the educational equivalent of
setting out to climb Mount Everest. Could you
go it alone? I'm not about to stop you. Ask my advice, however (and you did),
and I will tell you: When preparing to climb Mount Everest,
and on every treacherous step of your ascent, take along that trusted Sherpa
guide!
The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The
College Whisperer.
* * * Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com
The road to college begins at College Connection. 516-345-8766 Call us TODAY for a FREE telephone consultation, and get started down that road to college admission success!
So, what will four years -- or more -- on campus (or off) really cost you?
Until now, the cost of a college education -- from tuition, room and board to textbooks and those "incidentals," like transportation and toothpaste -- has been, pretty much, a guesstimate, at best.
Sure, there's an app for this and an app for that. College websites, too, often offer insights, as well as rough figures rounded up (or down) for one-size-fits-all. But what will be the hit to your wallet, bank account, or 529 at the actual school you or your child hopes to attend? Where are the tuition breaks? How much in financial aid -- by way of scholarships, grants, Work-Study and/or loans -- could you expect to receive?
Put down your calculators, spreadsheets, and applications to the local poor house, if but for a moment. Take a long, deep breath. Then, go online to cnnmoney.com/collegecosts and run the numbers.
The college cost calculator will give you a real-life picture -- given your household income -- of what you will pay for that college education.
Mind you, this is still an estimate, but a much more reliable one than, say, that abacus you've been relying on.
Note: The CNN Money College Costs Calculator is still a work in progress. [Coming soon, as the site suggests, will be Money's Real Cost Calculator, as advertised. Revisit this website in the days ahead to get a more accurate picture of what college will really cost you!]
Check back with this blog regularly for updates on not only the cost of college, but the course of the college admissions process.
Oh, the lengths college-bound students -- and their angst-ridden parents -- will go to for that perfect college essay experience.
Sojourns to China. Second-seating surgeons in the operating theater. Cult-like 3-day application boot camps in Cambridge at $15,000 plus, not including room and board.
If it seems rather extreme to you to mingle with the Ming Dynasty in Beijing or to rediscover the Renaissance in Italy, all in the name of satisfying the Common App'scharge to describe “a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken
or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you,” imagine how the resulting "personal statement" must mess with the pysche of that poor college admissions officer, whose summer travels took her no further than the campus dining hall for some middling Asian cuisine.
Whatever happened to the student who drew upon his or her own life experiences, as commonplace as they may appear on the surface, cultivating the ordinary into an extraordinary, compelling, motivating essay? Finding perspective, nuance, pathos, and even a touch of humor but a stone's throw from home, and a mere synapse away for one's own heart and soul.
Perhaps the most poignant thought in the entire Times' article came from Susan Warner, an independent college counselor. “Parents always ask, ‘What should my child do this summer to assist in
the college application?’ ” Ms. Warner said. “I tell them it’s as
significant to scoop ice cream as it is to build houses in a foreign
country.”
Indeed.
And believe me, those essays on "how I spent two weeks in Costa Rica with Habitat for Humanity" are most frequently less endearing, embracing and, dare I say, genuine, than the "Cold hands, frozen yogurt -- A day in my life at Ralph's ices."
The feedback to the Times' story, letters on How to Make That College Essay Special, demonstrates that the well thought out, artfully composed essay comes more from within the context of the student's real life -- as mundane as that life may seem at the moment -- than from a manufactured, and often contrived and artificial experience.
Here's a brief sampling, excerpted from the Letters to the Editor::
My own summer jobs at stores and restaurants gave me insights and
understandings that I would not trade for all the summer programs in
Nanjing or Italy.
MIRIAM SICHERMAN
Brooklyn, New York
Instead of a trip to India or China, a few weeks as a volunteer
addressing the struggles of 12th-grade students who cannot read, or
listening to the stories of a fraction of the many homeless children in
public schools, might bring the shock of recognition that drives all
good writing.
MICHAEL J. CONLON
Endwell, New York
Colleges are looking for intellectual curiosity and creativity; students
can show this simply by taking classes voraciously, exploring their
communities — yes, even through lifeguarding and scooping ice cream —
and writing a smart, thoughtful essay that connects their ideas with the
themes in their lives.
In essays, as in life, you can’t buy introspection, depth or open-mindedness just by taking a trip to China.
NICOLE ORINGER
Scotch Plains, New Jersey
Sifting through stacks of stories about learning Mandarin in a
month/navigating the Amazon/splicing genes, college admissions officers
must long for the occasional comic sketch from a sharp observer who had a
dull summer in an office stuffing envelopes.
MARGARET McGIRR
Greenwich, Connecticut
Write on!
If you think that the best tales aren't woven from the ordinary, harken back to the iconic days of Seinfeld, a show that made its mark in episodic comedy based upon absolutely nothing.
Missed that slow boat to China this summer? No worries. Dollars to donuts, you've still got a fantastic college essay or two in the great travelogue of your mind! And remember, it's not just what you say, but how you say it! The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely
those of The College Whisperer.
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Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a clear, concise, well-drafted high school resume -- which may actually be less than a thousand words -- could well set the stage for getting your picture on that coveted college ID.
Your
high school resume is, quite literally, a snapshot of your achievements
and activities, and the astute applicant will make it part and parcel
of his or her college application. [HINT: Attach your resume to the Common Application. Your college planning counselor will show you where it goes.]
Aside
from grades and standardized test scores, over which you do not have
complete control (admonitions from both parents and teachers aside),
there are two areas where you, as college applicant, can showcase your
talents, abilities, and accomplishments. The personal essays (more on
those in future posts) and your high school resume.
Remember, to
the college admissions officer, you -- and the thousands of applicants
just like you -- are little more than a matrix on the computer monitor.
Your four years of high school life, from the classroom, to the playing
field, to the community, are condensed and reduced into a single screen
shot.
More and more, college admission officers are looking at
the big picture -- the whole person, so to speak -- to distinguish one
applicant from the other.
That which you can control -- and, as
an applicant, that on which you must focus your efforts (beyond the SAT,
ACT and AP exams) -- requires a particular acumen as, to put it
succinctly, this is your one chance (barring an admissions interview) to
stand out from the crowd.
In terms of your high school resume,
to paraphrase, "build it and they will read." Form and format matter,
almost as much as content and substance.
Just as a professional
resume is more likely to help one land a job than is that hodge podge of
words upon the page, the high school curricula vitae must appeal as
much to the eye as, once gleaned, to the mind.
Brevity counts.
Keep it to a single page, unless you've found a cure for the common cold
and need to elucidate. Keep it neat. Nothing tells an admission officer
that you're not college material (at least not for her college) like
sloppy. Spelling counts. [You do have spell check, don't you?] Proof
your work, then have someone else (Mom, Dad, your college planning
counselor) give it the once over.
Include academic honors and
awards, employment history, clubs, sports and extracurricular
activities, community service, and, of course, anything that would
naturally set you head and shoulders above the rest.
"I have an 'activity sheet,' isn't that sufficient?"
Everyone, and his or her classmates, has an activity sheet. Dime a dozen, as the saying goes. If you want to stand out and above that madding crowd, make your mark with a professional looking (and reading) resume!
Should you
enlist the help of others in creating and refining a high school resume?
Absolutely. This is your voice. You want it to sing, not cackle. In
this highly selective college market, the competitive edge is a
necessity, not a luxury. The best of the best have a coach!
At College Connection,
we will help you build and present a resume that shines a spotlight on
the significant endeavors and achievements of your high school years.
Of
course, prudent planning also means getting an early start (think
Freshman year of high school or shortly out of the womb, whichever comes first ;-) in plotting out your future. The electives you take. The
community service you undertake. The clubs and activities you engage in.
For your high school resume to become you, you must become your high school resume.
Once you are starting your senior year, it's "woulda, shoulda, coulda"
for the things you should have, could have, and, had you given it some
thought, would have done.
Ahh. The places you will go.
Provided, of course, your high school resume eloquently, proficiently
and vividly highlights the places you have been!
The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely
those of The College Whisperer.
* * * Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com
D.L. of Woodmere, NY writes:The Common App has revised the word count on the personal statement (college essay) to "250 to 500 words." Does this set a limit? The College Whisperer responds:
Funny you should ask!
Yes,the Common App, Writing section, as modified for 2011-12, now instructs applicants to "Please write an essay of 250 – 500 words on a topic of your choice or on one of the options listed below, and attach it to your application before submission."
This would appear, on its face, to set limits on the word count -- to wit, a 250 word minimum and a 500 word maximum.
Indeed, a simple, straightforward reading -- and a basic understanding of the English language -- could connote no other meaning. At least 250. At most 500.
But nooooooooooooooo...
The new language has generated much discourse in the blogosphere, and on such professional websites as Linkedin, where college planning counselors like The College Whisperer are not only mincing words but inferring meaning.
Although the instructive language clearly, and, in our opinion (and that
of English majors with whom we have broached the subject), unambiguously
sets upper and lower limits on the personal statement word count,
reasonable (and sometimes, unreasonable) minds beg to differ.
While the folks at Common App -- now destined to repeat English 101 --
have yet to officially offer comment (let alone apology or revision),
those of us with way too much time on our hands have taken the
discussion of "word limit" or "mere guideline" to a new level.
On aLinkedin post, our college counseling colleague, Lisa Kay, opines:
I haven't heard from my contact (at Common App), but did hear from a colleague:
Jon Reider, Director of College Counseling at San Francisco University
High School, provided this helpful response, noting that the Common App
word-count is a guideline, not a limit. He said:
Quote: When the new wording of the Common Application was published this
spring, I wrote to Scott Anderson at the Common App, and he assured me
that there is NO word limit on the main essay on the Common App, despite
the wording of “250-500 words.” I am sure a great deal of thought went
into that wording, but it is unfortunately ambiguous and gives rise to
the erroneous assumption that there is in fact a word limit of 500
words. That is just a recommendation from colleges to keep the essays
brief (always good advice), but the software does not have the capacity
to limit it even if they wanted to. There is still a limit of 1000
characters, roughly 150 words, on the short essay about extracurricular
activity or work experience. If a reader is used to reading concise
essays, they may look at a longer one with some annoyance, unless, of
course, it is stunningly brilliant. These are few and far between in
those long winter months. This is not the mood that a typical applicant
hopes to inspire in their readers. I have never read an essay of 800
words that couldn’t be cut, and improved in the process.
So, what the geniuses at the Common App MEANT to say was, "250-500 words suggested." Hmmm.
Of course, they could have used the word "suggested," or simply said "keep it brief," "in the neighborhood of 500 words," or, "Hey guys. If you go long on the essay, you'll lose brownie points with the college admissions officer, who has to read hundreds of these &^%$#! personal statements every day!"
So much for brevity being the soul of wit..
Okay.Common Appers said "limit" but meant "guideline." As they say on the street and in the classroom, be guided accordingly.
Keep it short. Keep it pertinent. Keep it personal. Give them who you are, what you do, how you will add to both class and campus, all in about 500 words -- or a single 12 point type page -- more or less.
The personal statement/college essay is one of the few places left for students to strut their stuff and shine. Don't skimp, glowing dimly like a 3 watt bulb. On the other hand, don't burn out their retinas -- and wear thin one's patience at the end of a long, hard day -- by writing the next volume of War and Peace, droning on, yada, yada, yada, blah, blah, blah. [See. Have we started to lose you yet?]
Enough said!
P.S. The word count on the above is 750. Already The College Whisperer has said too much... - - - The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely
those of The College Whisperer.
* * * Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com The road to college begins at College Connection.516-345-8766.
The Common App Online, the application most utilized by colleges and universities across the nation, will re-launch for the 2011-12 admissions season on August 1, 2011.
How prepared are you to select the colleges to which you will apply, complete that picture perfect application, supplements and all, ace your personal statement and supplemental essays, and put your best foot forward in this increasingly complex and competitive era of college admissions?
First step, preview the 2011-12 version of the Common App. Note the highlighted changes and revisions. Check out the various sections and begin to compile the information you will need to "fill in the blanks." Gather test scores, transcripts, activity sheets, and other records so you will have them at hand when needed. Compile names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses for guidance counselors and teacher evaluators. And, of course, review -- and begin to give serious thought to -- the personal statement/essay options.
Seem daunting? Oh, this is only the beginning!
On the one hand, it can be nightmarish. So much to do. So little time. Where do I begin? Where will this all end?
On the other hand (which, by the way, is the hand we'd like you to use here :-), when you are organized, focused, and know exactly what you're looking for and where to find it, what to do and how to do it, the entire college application and admissions process (not to mention -- though we will -- the search for scholarships and financial aid) will not only be a breeze, it can be downright fun!
Which, of course, brings you to the next and, in our opinion, most critical step. Consult with your college coach, that independent college planning counselor who not only knows the ropes, but can show you the best way to climb them. [Ahem. Not to toot our own horn, but... have you looked into College Connection?]
From selecting and narrowing down that list of colleges that are "best" for you, to developing essays that truly convey who you are and what you can bring to the college campus, creating a matrix that is, yes, much more than your high school resume (which, by the way, is a must addition to your application these days), a college planning counselor -- or should we say, the right college planning counselor-- can make the college application and admissions process an enjoyable experience with a favorable outcome rather than a stressful, tedious, "cant wait until it's over" chore with disappointing results.
More than this, having the expert guidance and support of a professional college planning counselor along that long and winding road to college, could well be the difference between the thrill of acceptance and the agony of, well, you know.
Okay. So you've got your work cut out for you. The Common App awaits, as does, with proper planning and execution, acceptance to the college of your choice.
Ready. [Glance at that college planning calendar.] Set. [Read over that "To Do" list.] GO! The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely
those of The College Whisperer.
* * * Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com The road to college begins at College Connection.516-345-8766.
Answering your questions about college planning, the application process, and college life while unlocking the secrets to college admission success
