May Newsletter 24

Let the Games Begin!

May 20, 2024

Going for Gold

There's always a little bit of extra excitement when we enter the summer of an Olympic year - an extra charge in the air, a frisson of anticipation.Of course, if you're someone like me who spends the summer helping soon-to-be high school seniors prepare their college applications for August, there's always a charge in the air this time of year. Will the essays be good? (Will they be done on time?) Will students feel confident in the activities they list on their resume? Will the schools have a place for them in the class they're building?But I'm also feeling confident as we enter this next phase. My students and parents are amazing (shout out to all of you!) and I'm fresh off another fantastic conference for educational consulting professionals where I learned a lot about the state of higher education and got to see some new campuses I'd never been to before.In other words, I'm as prepared as I can be for my own personal Olympiad. Bring it on!

ATTEND THE ExEL SHOWS COLLEGE COMBINEFeaturing clinics by top professionals and a college fair, as well as a test prep camp and college advising services (courtesy of The Equestrian College Advisor), this event aims to connect riders to college riding opportunities and education. (Scholarships available for those in financial need.)

What's the secret to a standout activities list?

Here are 10 tips from top admission directors:

  1. Students who have done scientific research should be able to dumb down the descriptions for the lay reader in the activity description.

  2. Schools can see if the student has demonstrated true passion or if the activity has been performative (e.g. designed to impress them).

  3. It’s okay to estimate hours for an upcoming summer role (but describe this as an estimate in the description of the activity).

  4. The hours per week/weeks per year is the at-a-glance for how a student is distributing their time.

  5. Colleges can recognize if a part-time job is the only opportunity a student has outside of the classroom (and if students can emphasize this in some way, that could drive the point home).

  6. If reading for fun goes on the list (specifically), use the description and/or additional information session to dig into the details (why, etc.).

  7. Provide appropriate context for outside-of-school activities (especially something niche) to help admission officers understand where a student stands within that particular activity. (Riders, looking at you!)

  8. Leadership CHARACTERISTICS are always more valuable than leadership titles on the activities list.

  9. Look at a college's mission statement when considering how to phrase things/approach things with particular colleges.

  10. Activities lists don’t make or break admission decisions - they demonstrate WHO the student is to the institution.