Extracurriculars
The more extracurriculars, the better. True or false?
What is false! it isn’t about the quantity of your EC activities, it’s about the quality and commitment you show within them.
You should aim to draft of one of your college essays by the end of the summer before your senior year. True or false?
What is True—summer is a great time to complete a draft of one of your essays. The common app comes out in early Aug. and the question prompts don’t change very much from year to year.
You don’t need to visit your top schools. You can learn everything about them online. True or false?
What is true. If possible, visit as many schools as you can but especially the ones you think are your top choices so you can a get a feel for the experience of being there and ask questions to a variety of people. Especially after you get in, you should go visit. Possibly again
What is true. Be sure to apply for FAFSA for the period for which you need it. Even if you miss the deadline, there's a possibility of still getting aid though not as much.
If you’ve been doing a particular EC activity for many years, you must continue doing it until you graduate. True or false?
What is false! because you can show commitment and leadership without staying with an activity that may be wearing you out or distracting you from other priorities.
You should aim to ask your teachers for recommendation letters in the spring of your junior year.
True—your teachers will get a lot of requests and you need to give them plenty of time to consider your request and complete it. Provide them with a list of your achievements or aspects of your background they may not know.
You don’t need to open the emails you receive from prospective schools.
What is False—many schools track open rates on the emails they send to prospective students to gage their level of interest
You can look for scholarships anytime between now and when you begin college.
True. But the earlier you start looking, the better opportunities you can find.
If you can, you should avoid working a part-time or summer job because it will distract you from your college readiness plans. True or false?
What is False—because a job shows responsibility, discipline, and initiative.
You should get all your testing done by Fall of your senior year.
What is True—if you plan to submit your test scores, you want to have them ready to include in all your applications (early, rolling, regular, etc)
Apply to as many schools as you want—it’s easy with the common app.
What is False—Only choose the schools you would be genuinely happy to attend—this applies even to your safety schools.
I should not apply to a school that my family can't afford.
False. While you should keep affordability in mind and be prepared to go where you can afford. You may receive a merit or need-based package that brings the cost of a school within reach.
My college essay should be perfect.
What is False. False—of course you should aim to write concisely and well and proofread for mistakes but what’s most important is that it should sound like you wrote it! Someone once shared with me that when they see as semicolon or em dash in a college essay, they know it’s likely the student wasn’t the one who put them in there
The most important thing is test scores. Without a certain test score, I stand no chance of getting into the school of my choice.
False. Test scores matter but what's just as important or even more important are your grades and the rigor of your coursework. Colleges are looking for the whole package in their evaluation of students.