Application essays
Why?
Colleges that ask for essays are giving you a chance to introduce yourself, to put some personality next to all the numbers. Take advantage of this!
The biggest mistake you can make is letting someone else write your essays. Colleges are not looking for perfect essays; they want personal essays. They want to get to know you -- not me or your parents or someone your parents paid to help you. You can do this.
Start early. Good writing takes time. You want to be able to write, rewrite, and then let your essays sit a bit before revising again.
Many schools have supplemental essays and/or extensive additional questions. These should be as carefully written as your main essay. Make a chart of the required topics and maximum word lengths; with any luck, you will be able to modify a few essays to fit the requirements of many schools.
Help
I'm happy to work individually with you on your application essays.
See me in-person to arrange a time. Do not wait until the last minute; you will need time to revise/edit after, and most students end up meeting with me at least twice, sometimes more, before they have a satisfactory set of essays. This takes time.
To make our meeting(s) productive, please:
1. Copy the question you're answering word for word at the top of the page.
2. Note the required word count and your word count at the top.
3. Use online editors like Grammarly, the free online version of Microsoft Word, and any other help you can get to rid your essay of basic errors BEFORE you meet with me.
4. Bring two copies, one for me to scribble on, and one for you to make notes on.
5. Double-space!
6. Tell me what you want from me. I can do a simple line edit, or suggest major revisions.
And...
Which colleges should you apply to?
The Counseling Office invites a huge number of college representatives to campus to meet you. This is an excellent way to learn about schools and get your questions answered.
Naviance is an AMAZING tool. The scattergram analyses will give you a realistic idea of your chances. The data is based on NHHS GPA and test scores. It shows both the average cutoff for admissions and where your scores and GPA put you in relation to other applicants from NHHS. The more applicants, the clearer the picture. Schools with only a small number of NHHS applicants can produce misleading scattergrams -- but it's still an excellent place to start.
SAT and ACT
The College Board -- home of the SAT -- works with Khan Academy to provide FREE test prep. You can import your PSAT and/or SAT scores into Khan and they will give you targeted, persoanlized practice and review.
Taking the ACT instead? Talk to your NHHS counselor about getting access to E-Prep, an online test prep service the school provides to all students. It works for the SAT, too.
Don't know which test to take? With the recent revision to the SAT, they are now more similar than different, but one big difference is the essay. Read about both to decide which plays to your strengths. Both testing services provide models and writing tips.
Assorted college news...
... Because reading about college is easier than finishing your application.
Practical advice:
From The New York Times: Advice College Admissions Officers Give Their Own Kids
From The Atlantic: How Getting Into College Became Such a Long, Frenzied, Competitive Process
From Fivethirtyeight: Shut Up About Harvard: A focus on elite schools ignores the issues most college students face.
From McSweeney's: An Honest College Rejection Letter
The importance of the humanities:
From The Wall Street Journal: Hunting for Soft Skills, Companies Scoop Up English Majors
From Quartz: A leading Silicon Valley engineer explains why every tech worker needs a humanities education
Profiles of various schools:
From The New York Times: In Hillsdale College, a ‘Shining City on a Hill’ for Conservatives
From Quartz: The most forward-thinking, future-proof college in America teaches every student the exact same stuff
From The New York Times: Some Colleges Have More Students From the Top 1 Percent Than the Bottom 60. Find Yours.
From National Public Radio: Wax Tablets, Chicken Rustling And The Medieval Roots Of The Modern University
Or you could take a gap year... (but you still have to apply for college your senior year)
From The New York Times: Independence Days: My Perfect Imperfect Gap Year
From The New York Times: Gap Year May Have Benefits Long After College
From National Public Radio: How To Have A Successful Gap Year — Tips For Malia Obama And Other High School Grads
From Quartz: OUTTA HERE: A gap year gave me more life skills than 13 years of schooling
And once you're in...
From Quartz: College is worth it if you have these six experiences
From Quartz: A Stanford dean on adult skills every 18-year-old should have
And, yes, more from Quartz: The simple habit that can make or break your college experience
From The Washington Post: Why students who do well in high school bomb in college
Or maybe skip it altogether?
From The New York Times: A New Kind of Tech Job Emphasizes Skills, Not a College Degree