Admission Essays: The Good, The Bad, and The Embarrassing

I love this topic, because personal statements are my favorite part of reviewing a student's application. Sure, it's fun to look at a transcript and piece together a "high school story" from the grades and activities listed (I always feel like Sherlock Holmes when I do that...the one from BBC, not the bromantic Holmes from the awful sequel with Jude Law), but I do prefer reading the personal statement for two reasons: 

The really good essays, and the really bad essays.

Read on for examples of each.

How To Get The Most Out Of Your College Search

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Smell that in the air? It smells like recruitment season (and also, incidentally, a lot like the turkey sandwich I just had for lunch).

Unless you work in the admission office of a college, you probably don't call this time of year recruitment season. In fact, you probably don't call it anything—except maybe, "the time T.V. gets good again," "football season," or, logically, "fall."

Still, you're probably noticing slight changes in your daily routine. Your school is likely being invaded by hordes of peppy admission counselors (like yours truly), your AVID and AP English teachers are probably making you write your seventeenth draft of your personal statements, and your parents are surely starting to get that wide-eyed, "college-is-going-to-cost-what??!?" look.

It's like Christmas, without the presents.

The whole process can be a little daunting. After all, how are you expected to wade through the thousands of colleges out there to pick just one? And, even if you do choose one, how do you know for sure that it's the right fit, especially considering (if you're like the majority of high school seniors) that you're  not even entirely sure what you want to study yet?

We're here to help.

So, you've made the big commitment to us. [Yay!] ...Now what?

image from www.themodernjewler.com

The college admissions process is frighteningly like dating. You, the applicant, scope out some hot prospects to see what they have to offer. There are a lot to choose from. Some may be a bit of a reach, some may be below your personal standards, but when you're playing the admission field it doesn't serve to be too exclusive, right? [Besides, they should already know you're not looking for anything serious yet. It's way too early for that...]

Eventually, when you get a better feel for what's out there, you start "talking" to some of the most attractive prospects. You'll visit a few of them on admission dates. Some will scare you off (stage seven clinger!). Some will sweep your off your feet ("how would you like a scholarship?"). Once you're smitten with a school or two, you ask them out (or, more accurately, ask yourself in). If you're lucky, the feeling is mutual. They'll formally accept your advances and ask if you want to take it to the next level. Then comes the big decision:

Are you ready for serious commitment?

It's Friiiday, Friiiiday, Friiiiday [This Just In: Saturday Comes Next]!

Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun (yeah!)--you know what fun is! Take some time this weekend to have some! Forget the important decisions, like whether to take the front seat or the back seat. Just kick back, relax, and "party" like a tone deaf 13 year-old.

Here's some good news to assuage your worries and ease your troubled mind into weekend mode: we haven't lost your application. If you haven't heard from us yet, it doesn't mean that something is wrong. We're still admitting for fall, we're still giving out financial aid, we're still accepting applications for housing. We have a record number of applications, and we're committed to making sure that each applicant gets the same careful consideration that we've always given in the past. It might take a little longer, but don't worry. You'll hear from us. We promise.

So, now you can breathe a big sigh of relief and start planning your weekend festivities. Read on after the jump for our top ten list of things to do in the Marymount (South Bay) area.

A Day in the Life of an Admission Counselor, or, What We Do, and Why It Takes So Long

Our phones ring a lot. Aside from the urgent calls from the Oval Office and one or two from my mother asking why I'm not coming over for meatloaf, the vast majority are students (or their parents) wondering why they haven't received a decision yet. "What," they ask (and ask, and ask), "Could possibly be taking so long?" 

T.J., one of our counselors, has kindly given you a candid glimpse into a day in his life in hopes of answering this oft-repeated question.