Weekly Wisdom

Synopsis:
Synopsis: Application no-no’s, factors in admission articles, rushing sat scores, Vanderbilt University.

Introduction:

Last week we broke a new record and had nearly 300 readers! Please help us continue to grow by forwarding this newsletter to your friends who might be interested! This week we will cover some application no-no’s, take a look at Vanderbilt, answer a question about rushing SAT scores, and look at a couple of interesting articles about factors in admissions.

Weekly Wisdom

It’s getting close to crunch time. In the coming weeks, we will elect a new president and crown a World Series Champion, and most of our seniors will be putting the finishing touches on college essays and UC and early applications. With that in mind, we present you with our guide to the top things NOT do on your application:

1) Send SAT scores to BYU instead of BU.
2) Spell your own name wrong.
3) Send your beautifully written “Why Penn?” essay to Northwestern.
3) Two words: Nude photo.
Seriously, though, there are some last minute mistakes that everyone should be aware of when he/she is submitting his/her application.
For those of you who are going to send your applications in the mail, make sure to send them registered mail with proof of mailing, but do not send them in a form that requires a signature on the receiving end. Most admissions offices do not appreciate this. We have even heard stories of some admissions offices sending the application back.

If you are applying on-line or through the common app, do not forget to complete all of the final instructions, including the signature pages, which, even though the application is online, often are required and must be sent to the school via snail mail.
It is often easy to toss off the responsibility of counselor forms and high school transcripts to your counselors and high school offices. Though they are ultimately the ones sending these documents, it is often a good idea to check up on them and insure that they have sent the documents properly. Many a horror story has been heard about transcript “people” at high schools forgetting to send fifty transcripts, or counselors losing one or two of their letters. When you’re done with the process, get some See’s candies as a gift for them, stop by, and say “I just wanted to get you a gift, by the way, those documents got sent out, right?”
Finally, sending test scores. Make sure your test scores are sent in, as most colleges need to confirm your reported score (the one you put into those little boxes on the application itself) is the same as your real one and that you are not lying.
We have had many students get calls late in February from schools that want to accept them, we assume, but have to confirm their test scores. Make sure you are sending the scores to the right school, as well.

Upcoming Deadlines

November 5th - last day to register for December 11th ACT

November 6th - SAT I & SAT II

November 10th - last day for late registration for Dec 4th SAT & SAT II

Articles in the News

Our first article is a chapter from the National Association of College Counseling’s website, which details the factors in the admissions process. It is a long article, but we would encourage you to pay particular attention to some of the graphs, which detail not only what colleges consider to be the important factors, but also the trends in the relative importance of those factors in the admissions process. Some of the results are surprising.

The NACAC website is a real trove of information for those willing to brave it, by the way.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

The second article is just a quick example of how, despite all of our best intentions, we can never escape the old joke about the kid who goes to Harvard and then, the next year, construction begins on the new library with his family name on it. Only, in this case, it’s Duke.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Ask The Experts

asktheexperts@thepreptalk.com

"Do I rush my SAT scores or do I send them regular? How do I do it?"

A: This is a place where no one seems to have a straight answer, so we won’t start. It seems that rushing might be a way for the College Board to get some more money out of you.

On the other hand, for early decision applications, it’s not a bad idea. Early action and decision applicants are considered in smaller groups, and the offices rush to get those decisions made. Regular applicants usually filter into the admissions offices in Late December, January, and it takes WEEKS to sort through all of the papers and different parts of the applications. So, most schools will accept your SAT scores when they come, as long as they are not coming sometime in late March. If you take the test late, though, and if it makes you feel better, go ahead and rush the scores. Hope that helps.

Application & Essay Tips

Essays can be done to death, and, oftentimes, after draft #17, it is taking two steps forward, three steps back. Always remember what you originally set out to write. Did you want to talk about your love for jazz? Did you want to talk about what happened that fateful night? Remember, the readers aren’t going to analyze it with a fine-toothed comb the way you and yours will. They are going to look for great writing and an ability to communicate. So don’t overanalyze. Make sure you are happy with it, and let the chips fall where they may.

Featured College

Vanderbilt University

One of the many gems of the South. Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, Tennessee, or “Vandy”, is a tough school. Students at Vanderbilt study a lot and take a fair number of required courses.

It has a very solid academic reputation, (even more so in the South) and prides itself on small classes and an overall balance of academic and social life. As at most schools, parties on Thursday-Saturday are the norm, though Vanderbilt has Nashville, which most people recognize as a fun place. The dorms are a highlight, apparently, with built-in cable TV (a first in our experience) and Ethernet standard.

A new residential college starting in 2006 will promote community even more. Fraternities and sororities are also very big on campus.

If a Southern campus with a good balance of social and academic life, almost exclusively small classes, and an emphasis on the city of music, Nashville, are important to you, Vanderbilt might be worth considering.

Vocab of The Week

Superfluous (adj): exceeding what is sufficient or necessary

They used to be known as “the Olsen twins”, but now Mary-Kate and Ashley find their last name to be superfluous.

Annul (v): to make ineffective or inoperative

Britney Spears has a lawyer whose full-time job is to file restraining orders and annul her marriages.

Teleological (adj): exhibiting or relating to design or purpose especially in nature

Utilitarianism is a teleological philosophy because it derives its rules based on their results, instead of on a moral absolute – or so said Hillary Duff in her latest interview..

Extemporaneous (adj): composed, performed, or uttered on the spur of the moment

George W. Bush was not a great extemporaneous speaker, as evidenced by the debates, but his supporters argue that he thankfully lacks John Kerry’s superfluity of speech.