<p>I've been reading "Getting In." Some useful information, but I'm wonderful how much is essential, and how much is overkill.</p>
<p>I'm particularly curious about the author's "brag sheet" concept.</p>
<p>I understand the need to help the student stand out from the crowd, but I'm wondering whether pages of extras (even 1-2 pages)-- that more or less reinforce (shorter) lists on the application and supplement-- are constructive or merely annoying. </p>
<p>I know the author has tons more experience than I do about the application/admissions process -- but if I were an admissions counselor, I'd look for an applicant who revealed the depth of his/her experience and personality through essays and recs, and who was willing to come right out and say, short and sweet, "Yes! These are the things I really care about." IOW, I'd look for applicants who are confident enough to commit to a short list of ECs and honors that are most important to them, rather than beating me over the head with me a laundry list and explanation of four years of their life.</p>
<p>(On a related note: I'm not sure why the author of "Getting In" cautions against using the Common Application. It sounds like the preferred method for a lot of top colleges -- as long as the applicant also sends the required supplementary material.)</p>
<p>Sorry if this feels like a rant. It's not intended that way; I really am a very mild-mannered person :-). The book was filled with information I found very helpful. These particular points just rubbed me the wrong way.</p>
<p>Any thoughts/insight would be much appreciated.</p>
<p>I don't like 'em. DD applied to 8 schools (6 of which were selective) and got into all with only the common app or college app - no cover letter, no resume, no brag sheet - just fill in the lines. She did not have any state or national awards, but a clear focus, val, NMF, good board scores.</p>
<p>My sons awards/honors list goes beyond three pages that are earned since 9th grade. Should he only include awards on regional or state or national level (academic, scholarship essay etc.)? This will allow his Brag sheet to be little shorter? Should he include awards from school also and not worry about the length of Brag sheet. He is already including team awards as part of the ECs. Please tell us what to do.</p>
<p>If you can't fit it on one page, don't include it. If it is something that 75% of other applicants are likely to be able to say (i.e. awards at school), don't include it. If he is not totally responsbile for it (i.e. team awards), don't include it. If it doesn't make him stand out significantly from other candidates, don't include it.</p>
<p>If the brag sheet doesn't really make him stand out, then it simply becomes grounds for a quick rejection, so the adcom can just get on to a candidate who might be more interesting.</p>
<p>Another one whose kid used the common app for all schools and just sent in the supplemental materials, essays etc. Got accepted 7 for 7. I do beleive that on the common app, it does say you can add an additional sheet if needed.</p>
<p>At D's h.s. the g.c. asked for a copy of the brag sheet to help her write recommendations for the students. You must also remember at highly selective schools where they are going through 10 to 20 thousand applications, that they may not even read pass the pertinent stuff because each application in the beginning may only get a 10 to 15 minute reading.</p>
<p>I do remember Soozie stating that her daughter (D1) was looking for specific things in a school and had contacted professors in the departments that she was interested in. In addition she did have cover letters (I forgot as to whether or not she had brag sheets) In the end she got admitted in to pretty much every school she applied to also proving that yes, this concept works also (maybe she will weigh in for her self).</p>
<p>I think most colleges do highly appreciate the Common App, particularly after they have swapped over their computer/folder systems to match. The ones who don't let you know in subtle ways, by requiring more than 1 extra essay, etc. </p>
<p>My DD used "Rock Hard Apps" for a template for her resume, I think those may have the same author. I thought some of the points in the book were a bit of overkill as well. But, her school thinks it is important - they ask all students to do at least an informal brag sheet, even the 1/2 of seniors that only apply to state schools. DD formalized the handwritten brag sheet into a small resume.
The brag sheet is important. Does it need to be 5 pages long, single spaced? No. Should you strain at gnats to list every possible thing? No. Should you do a separate resume listing and categorizing all the things you have done. Yes. And it should be reviewed by an adult, because a lot of the ones you see posted here, don't have the sense of perspective that having an adult reviewing it would have. DD's was about 1 and 1/2 pages with generous spacing, and looked as if it had been done by a 16 year old. Just the act of pulling it together is valuable, it truly helps you be sure everything is there, and forces the kid to think about what is the most important, what should go in the Common App boxes - she, DH and I brainstormed her activities (we didn't think far enough ahead to keep a folder, which is a great idea, I'm doing it for my son, who is much less organized), then she did a rough draft, and then we all gave input about how to group her ECs, what order to put them in, which ones to put in the Common App boxes, etc. The final product still looked as if it had been done by a 16 year old (which is appropriate, it HAD been), but it demonstrated everything she had done, without being overly wordy. There were a couple of things I thought she needed to explain in a very short paragraph, but she didn't think so, and in the end it seemed to work.</p>
<p>After all that work, it seemed abvious to go ahead and send the resume with the application, but if she had just filled out the app, she would not have listed ECs in the same "boxes", after being forced to actually think about it, there were only a couple of things on the resume that didn't have a home on the Common App! She had a great many church related activities, that took up time and were leadership opportunities for her - some of those outside, community based things don't fit as well on the Common App and need a little more explanation, so they don't seem to be "filler" when they actually are substantial.</p>
<p>"(On a related note: I'm not sure why the author of "Getting In" cautions against using the Common Application. It sounds like the preferred method for a lot of top colleges -- as long as the applicant also sends the required supplementary material.)"</p>
<p>In some schools, it is now the <em>only</em> way to apply. The author may be somewhat uncomfortable with the fact that you can send photocopies to any school you choose, making you lose the "personal touch" on your application, but hey, if you're gonna fill out almost exactly the same thing on every app anyway, why not?</p>
<p>It is good to have a resume (one page if possible) to give the GC and teacher's for recommendations. Also, many of the local scholarship applications my D applied for asked for a list of activities and awards. It is also good to have this as a reference to use when filling out applications. The Common App specifically refers to including an additional resume - I don't see how it hurts. Many students are NOT the valedictorian or NMF, and do not have spectacular scores. If they have been very active in school or outside activities and/or have been recognized with awards, I don't see how it harms their application to include it unless it specifically asks not to.</p>
<p>FWIW - we did not do a brag sheet. Our GC asked us for the equivalent - a set of points to guide him. I just sent him an email:). For the applications we stuck to the room they gave us. OTOH, my D is the type with two deep ACs and only a couple of other lighter weight. So the space was OK. The only problem was for school honors awards, which they give out three in each class. Each class,meaning English 1, English 2, Math 1, Math 2, etc. So my D had 3 awards for almost every semester and it got a bit crowded. Also the awards usually have some text with them. Somehow we crammed it in. It was kind of funny actually.</p>
<p>She had a good acceptance outcome WL 2 highly selective, accepted 3 highly selective. But her GPA and scores were pretty good. Again, FWIW. For us the key thing was figuring out we needed to send a CD of her dancing (duh!).</p>
<p>My son did a resume, and then used that to cut and paste to the appropriate on-line application fields. The resume was also given to his GC and recommending teachers. He had multiple regional/state/national sci oly medals (plus some other stuff) but virtually no school awards - so the question of whether or not put school awards on the list never came up for us. I think that including them if there is room is a good idea. </p>
<p>cangel's mention of the church awards as not having a 'home' on the common app is a very good reason, IMO, to include a resume. My son's EC's and awards were pretty well defined - adcoms all know about SO and Drama and so on - no mysteries.</p>
<p>Just word of caution - try to get the resume's completed (except for fall additions) over the summer. Sometimes it takes some digging to find the exact name of the award. And - if you are the parent of a younger student - tag those medals as they come in!</p>
<p>A brag sheet, if done well, can emphasize passions to colleges, not trivialize them; if you write a paragraph describing your activity, and how you were involved in it, I think it can suggest the extent of your involvement. You can do the same with major awards, too. Thus, it's a good way to emphasize the things you might not be able to touch in an essay</p>
<p>Model UN was the largest club at our school, with about 10-15% of the student population participating. There I expressed my passion for everything the UN represents: the recognition of international problems, intense debate, and ultimately, compromise. With my co-treasurer, I worked to implement fundraising ideas and develop a budget for our school's conference; I also helped collect fees and distribute receipts.</p>
<p>And so on, and so on . . .</p>
<p>I recommend you consider the template in Michelle Hernandez's "Acing the College Application"</p>
<p>I remember reading the "brag sheet" a few years ago and really thought it was over the top. I started hating the "kid" as he seemed so full of himself. Daughter used a format --more like the common app. activity sheet/ academic honors-- but was able to go into more detail. As we didn't want to cram everything in, it became a 2 page attachment to application. But it was formatted nicely and easy to read. Re: Common Applic.-there seems to be more and more schools using just that Appl. I believe Harvard may be using the Common Application as some kids mentioned on another thread, that they already received the Common Application with the Harvard Mailing. So the old adage about not using the Common Application may be outdated.</p>
<p>This is an excellent discussion. My daughter does not have many typical "school extracurriculars", but she does have many outside interests and activities that don't fit neatly into the standard application. Even her community service work could benefit from a bit of explaining. So, she will be doing some sort of attachment/brag sheet/resume. Her school asks kids to do this for their recommendations in any case.</p>
<p>Research Scholar awards to do internship in a Top 5 college with a paid internship position</p>
<p>Recognition by the US congress for Volunteer work</p>
<p>Top mathematics award for the top scorer in the New England Region</p>
<p>Various first place awards in essay competitions which are published in magazines, newspaper and one cited on the national TV and dollar value $8000.</p>
<p>I don't know what a "brag sheet" is and am not familiar with the book you mentioned.</p>
<p>But, it became apparent during campus visits and interviews, that my D was not conveying much about who she really was until she brought along a resume. It made a big difference and was worthwhile.</p>
<p>Also, a resume is needed at many auditions and for some scholarship applications. </p>
<p>From what I've heard, any award at the state level or higher carries a lot of weight at selective schools, so be sure they are mentioned.</p>
<p>I don't see any harm if you have a copy of the resume included in the package the HS sends out.</p>
<p>As for the Common App - remember you don't have to send the same App to more than 1 school. You can edit the essays, etc. and tailor your responses for each school and submit them 1 at a time from the Common App web site.</p>
<p>redstar: If by "brag sheet", you mean resume, I think that for a student who has many activities and awards, it is important to do it, and no, it absolutely does not have to be 1 page. My son, who got into Harvard EA, had many activities in which he was significantly involved with over 4 years and had many forms of recognition and leadership in each. For example, in debate, he won several national circuit and regional tournaments and was "First Speaker" in others and held several leadership positions over 4 years. We mentioned all of these, as well as awards and distinctions in research, music, tennis, and mathletes. All were listed with the ec's themselves. Then, he had a separate page for Academic awards, which he listed in decreasing order of importance (starting with national awards, then regional, and so on). He did also list high school awards at the end, tho left off things like "high honor roll", "student of the week", etc. The point is, some kids, like yours, really get a lot of important recognition, and these absolutely should be included in a resume. The awards you list should definitely fall into this category. By the way, see the current cc thread for Harvard entitled "What are my chances" by H-Bomb .Does anybody really think this student could/should limit his accomplishments to one page?:</p>
<p>Five weeks ago we did not have IVY league on my son's list because we thought we could not afford it. Somehow this board is educating me and I have bought few books. To be honest we are still in learning stage about college admissions. That is why I ask so many stupid question, please pardon my ignorance.</p>
<p>There's no "correct" answer to the brag sheet/resume/supplement question because there's no way of knowing whether students who submitted brag sheets and were accepted would have been accepted without those sheets, or whether students who were rejected might have been accepted had brag sheets been included. FWIW, D included a several page supplement to her common app and would do the exact same thing if she had to do it over again.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot, I did not know that one could add all the research publications also. Well looks like the list needs to be modified. Thanks a lot for the thread link.</p>
<p>Honestly this kid seems amazing. I wonder what will be the chances for my kid too?</p>