Full disclosure: I’m not a college coach nor have I worked in admissions, though I’d maybe like to someday. My sample size for this topic is only what I’ve experienced with two recent college admits, one 2 years ago and one now. The first one was eventually accepted at every school he applied (seven) and the second was accepted ED1 at the only school he applied. I have also followed the acceptance threads of many schools on CC and seen some of the dismayed posts in the parents forum. The reason I decided to write this is because of a discussion I had yesterday at an admitted students reception for the University of Chicago with a parent from an outside US education system who is stumped about the process inside the US at some of the more selective academic institutions. While we were talking primarily about the Collage at the University of Chicago and the University of Pennsylvania, I believe that my idea will work well at any undergraduate institution that looks for a “holistic” application.
His question and his tone implied dissatisfaction with the holistic application process and implied that the international process is so much better. My immediate thought to his assessment of how much better the international process was “then why do US universities dominate world rankings for undergraduate institutions,” but that is a topic for another thread. My response to him was holistic process means they are looking for more than just academic performance. I then told him what I think would greatly help any student applying to a university that uses that process. I don’t know if this is true, maybe some experts can validate it.
First and foremost, be passionate about something that is worthwhile to society. This doesn’t mean you know what profession you want to do when you grow up, many things can lead to that passion. Don’t buy the baloney that you are too young to know what you want to do with your life. Spend your time looking for wrongs that you want to fix. Maybe not how to fix it, but look for that mortal wrong.
Sign up for and take the most rigorous classes that will help you with your passion. Don’t take AP Psychology just to get AP credit if you want to lead the first manned space flight to Mars. Don’t take AP Physics Electronics and Magnetism if you want to help eliminate racial injustice. I know that not every class will fit your passion, but the point is don’t take classes to only decorate your resume.
After you take those classes, study them like you want to learn the subject. If that class helps you with your passion, you should want to learn everything you can. If you study to learn, rather than study to get a grade, you will do very well in the class. You will also learn enough to do well on the placement tests. Too often students study to get a grade, and because of that they put things in short term memory. If you study it to learn it, it will be with you forever.
Sign up for ECs that fit in with your passion. To many people sign up for ECs to decorate your resume. Pick ones that either directly or indirectly support your passion. Directly could be volunteering at a local charity, volunteering to work on a election campaign, or doing research at a local institution of higher learning. Indirectly, could be anything that teaches you to be a leader (Boy/Girl Scouts, captain of athletic teams, etc.) You could also accomplish both direct and indirect benefits in the same EC, like being a leader of a volunteer effort, leading the debate club, etc. This doesn’t mean you can’t have hobbies and do other things, but at least some of your ECs should show your passion.
When you ask for recommendations, just don’t go up to your favorite teacher and say “Hey, I need a recommendation, would you mind doing one for me?” Pick teachers that know you and how you have tried to learn instead of get a grade. Your teachers will know that by the questions you ask and the work you submit. Write them a nice note asking them if they would do you the honor of writing a recommendation for you. In that recommendation, ask them to highlight how you are living your passion and maybe help them understand how you’ve demonstrated that passion. Also, inform them what you think the institution will be looking for in an application. After they submit your recommendation, thank them and keep them informed of the process. Teachers like to know they helped and if you get accepted somewhere where they helped they will know that their process works. Additionally, you may need them for scholarship applications and thanking them appropriately will encourage them to spend their time helping you again in the future.
If you have a few questions in the application process, reach out to the admissions officer that covers your region. Ask them the question instead of putting it up on CC. Do this by picking up the phone and talking to them or in person on a college visit. If you do this, they begin to get to know you. Perhaps a question about how could you further your passion at the university if you get excepted both academically and in clubs and organizations might also help with the holistic picture of you.
Finally, in your essays, make sure you draw that picture for the admissions officer. Tie up all the strings in how your passion drove your life up to this point in your life. You don’t have to put that in every essay, but at least one of them should complete the picture.
I hope this helps you when you work with your kids on applying to universities. If you are an expert I’d like to hear your thoughts and corrections to the process I listed above. Hopefully, it will reduce the number of “college applications are totally a crap shoot, and life is not fair” posts. I hope you can learn from my experience like I did from son #1 to son #2. Son #1 was a great kid who put together a nice application, but it didn’t really paint a holistic picture of how he wants to make the world a better place. Son #2 did. Son #1 one was disappointed when he was deferred and wait-listed at his first choice. And disappointed again when he was deferred at choice #2, but accepted a couple weeks later. He was beginning to doubt himself as a student. A doubt that followed him into undergrad and is just now beginning to dissipate. Son #2 applied the above plan and was accepted to his first choice early in the process. Both had very similar stats and strong ECs.
