<p>I have only one thing to say to you guys: if you’re applying to a liberal arts school, then you need to have a good essay. Don’t write a formulaic essay about how you’re a poor guy from a third world country. Go for something different, one that they will read and actually understand you. I wrote my college essay on sitting on the roof of my house at night and what I saw from there. It was more of a creative piece than an actual essay. Got accepted at more places than you can count. And the admissions officers that I’ve met, they all say that the essay is very very important. Your grades, SAT scores and TOEFL scores don’t say anything about what kind of person you are. A solid personal essay will impress more than good grades will. Especially if you’re applying to an artsy college, grades don’t matter much. The essays and the extracurriculars are whats important.</p>
<p>@ (th)ink which college do you attend currently?</p>
<p>Grambling, the funda is this that during the time of Nov, I ll also be sitting for exams. so Im planning to finish all applications by end of august or september for two colleges (since im siiting for SAT in oct, applying to which one would depend partly on my SAT scores that would be out by last week of Oct.)
Since ill have my applications ready by last week of Oct, how much time do u assume it’ll take to reach the college?</p>
<p>@gurung, Lets just say I go to a small liberal arts college that you won’t find on the US News ranking because they refuse to participate. Telling you which college would probably give away my identity. Sorry to be such an ******* about it.</p>
<p>PS - Its around New York city, not upstate.</p>
<p>there is nothing to be **********about it. i do understand there are better colleges that suit you, ranking doesn’t matter. It’s you and the college that matters. By the way do you have a solution to the quandary i posted to grambling?</p>
<p>Well, the kids from RBS all give their exams in Oct/Nov and they apply fine with their projected grades. You should go ahead and do that. It doesn’t matter. Just sometimes the colleges will ask for your final grades when they come out. Give your SAT 2s and I’m sure you can do a little multitasking. You just need to ask your school to include a little note that explains why you don’t have your grades yet. Or you could explain it yourself in a note. Colleges will accept it.</p>
<p>@gurung:
‘Since ill have my applications ready by last week of Oct, how much time do u assume it’ll take to reach the college?’
don’t worry about the app reaching the collg. the deadlines are postmarked. but if you are worried then apply online (which i wouldn’t recommend cause our GC usually screws things up and you cant ammend that in an online app) or you can use fedex or dhl and the app will reach the college in around 3 days.
@(th)ink:
that NY college rules!! it’s a really special college and IMO is worth even more than the so-called top ranked colleges. too bad I got rejected from it. i have been waitlisted at a quite similar college in Vermont (i think you know which one, seems it was one of the colleges you got accepted to). can you give me any advice on what i should send them now (i have already send them an essay outlining my interest)</p>
<p>gramblingscholar,</p>
<p>“which i wouldn’t recommend cause our GC usually screws things up and you cant ammend that in an online app” ???</p>
<p>Doesn’t Postmark deadline mean that the application has to be sent from here by then?</p>
<p>(th)ink,</p>
<p>I really am looking forward to apply to one of such colleges which you claim you are attending? If you didnot follow the rankings, how on earth could you find such a college,(Peterson’s or sth else???)</p>
<p>postmark deadline menas that the app has to be sent from here by then. usually colleges have ed deadline (postmarked) of nov. 15. so i think you should be fine.
and GC= Guidance Counsellor. what i was trying to say is that our guidance counsellor has made mistakes in some of things she had to fill up (like the school reports, the international student supplemen) in many of my friends apps. and if you do the online app then you can’t see what the GC has filled up.</p>
<p>@gramblingscholar,
I really don’t know how to help you with the waitlist. I wish I could but all I can say is keep them updated. If you’re doing anything right now, whatever it might be, if you’re taking picture, send them a portfolio, if you’re writing articles for magazines, send them cutouts, if you’re in a band, send them a tape of your music. Anything to let them know that you’re still doing things and you’re still learning. If you’re not doing anything, then sit back and relax, whatever happens will happen. Good luck.
PS - How’d you know who I am?</p>
<p>@gurung,
I don’t think the rankings are as accurate as they claim to be. And there are lots of places to discover colleges. Forums (like this one), blogs, and the internet. Just depends on what your interest is. Liberal arts colleges like mine are usually renown for certain areas, like mine for its theater, fine arts and writing programs. Ask around.</p>
<p>@think:
i don’t know who you are. i just looked at your old posts and found out to which colleges you got accepted. 
and thanks for the advice.</p>
<p>Grambling,</p>
<p>When do u think is the best time to nag our GC for the reccomendation, so that she can write more peacefully… By the way we need to provide her with our CV also hai?</p>
<p>(th)ink,</p>
<p>About the essay thing, I was thinking of writing it on my first ever bunk from my school hostel back in India when I myself was the school vice captain there during my boards exams. It is something which I carry along very well in my heart and I learnt a whole lot of things from it. And, there is always a possibilty of spicing it up.</p>
<p>I chose this topic it so that it deviates from the same monotonous theme of talking about your specific ECA (which is pre-mentioned about a dozen a times in ur GC recko n CV n others) or about culture of Nepal or how impoverished you are…
But on the flipside, I am also feeling a bit insecure whether they’ll take it negatively when i am speaking about my bunk…</p>
<p>^Yes there is a risk that the colleges might take the thing a bit negatively but if you feel so strongly about it then go for it.But make sure that you don’t end up saying that you enjoyed the whole thing and would like to do that again.</p>
<p>Also I feel that you need not worry too much about how cliched a topic is.If you can use a boring topic and put a new twist in it and present it in a different light then even better.
Just my $0.02.</p>
<p>P.S. I’m assuming you’re from Malpi right?</p>
<p>@gurung:
As soon as possible!! - but no i’m not telling you to go to her now! just remember to leave ATLEAST 1 month of time/ and keep on nagging her every few days. some guys missed the jan1 and jan 15 deadlines this year because of not getting recos on time.
and yes we need to provide her with the CV.</p>
<p>@gurung,
Write about your bunking days. Be creative with your words, your style and structure. Don’t try to force big words into the essay, I’ve seen far too many essays that are bogged down by overzealous students thinking they’ll seem smarter if they use SAT words in their essays. Keep it simple but eloquent. You should be fine. If you need help with edits or anything, send me a PM.</p>
<p>^haha not even close.I’m actually a +2 student who is just annoyed for having to re-take the Mathematics test.</p>
<p>I too had a similar question. I don’t have any kind of volunteer type activities and I was just wondering how badly could that affect the whole application.However I do have other kind of ECA’s like participation in various different sports and spelling,quiz blah blah kind of activites along with being a co-editor for school magazine and being a school captain and prefect.</p>
<p>@gurung:Usually they trust you enough to believe what you’ve written but sometimes the university could check up with your school.And then again there have been instances when the interviewer has played the role of a verifier.</p>
<p>Admissions people will usually trust whatever you say on your CV, unless you give them reason not to. But more importantly, they need to see just how much you’ve applied yourself in these things. You could recommendations from the people that you worked with, if you’ve worked with them for a substantial amount of time and feel like they know you. Also, it wouldn’t hurt to send over things that you’re proud of. I sent over most of my published articles, a few short stories, and recommendations from my employers. Its better to make a good concise portfolio. If you’re in a band or take pictures, send over a CD of your music or a portfolio of images. That usually helps.</p>
<p>Whatever you do, it needs to be reflected in your work. You can’t just say you volunteered for an ngo for two weeks and then expect it to get you into college. How did that shape your interests, your personality and your thinking? This needs to come through in your personal essay and your recommendations.</p>
<p>But most Universities even refrain you from sending these materials unless you are applying for their arts programs or you are exceptionally talented??</p>