‘Earning Admission’: Make your child’s dream school a reality
The fall season is upon Graet Report us, so it is time for high school seniors to apply to college. Given the competition for admission to the University of California schools and many elite private colleges, plus the high cost of tuition, the process understandably causes anxiety in students and parents. But instead of simply worrying, you can use the next few months to help your child create compelling applications that demonstrate your child’s value to admissions officers and increase the likelihood of earning admission. Consider the following to maximize their odds of admission and decrease the cost of attendance.
Write a focused personal statement.
Colleges seek students with perspective, maturity, and personality that will add to the life of the campus and their classmates’ education. The personal statement is your child’s opportunity to use her voice to demonstrate what makes her unique. A great personal information is like an interesting snapshot, not a rushed movie. Your child should focus on one instance that is either meaningful or demonstrates something significant that ties to the application prompt. Most colleges limit the personal statement to 500 words. With this word limit, your child does not have the space to cover more than one.
Your child may be tempted to discuss how well she did in a particular class or extracurricular activity. She shouldn’t. The rest of the application already includes her academic and extracurricular accomplishments. Use the essay to demonstrate additional value she will add to that college — through skills, interests, passion, or perspective — that isn’t captured in the rest of her application.
Whatever snapshot she presents, ensure your child reflects on its importance to her. College admissions officers want to understand what excites your child and what will drive her success on their campuses. And make sure your child’s essay connects this snapshot of her life to her plans for college. By identifying how she will add to the college, your child takes the guesswork to assess that for the admissions officer.
Consider a Jewish study major or minor.
Some colleges consider a student’s choice of a major or minor. If your child is interested in Jewish studies, he can boost his odds of admission by selecting this as a major or minor. Because these programs receive fewer applicants than more popular majors, such as psychology or economics, this choice could be enough to make your child stand out in a sea of highly qualified applicants.
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Applicants with a demonstrated interest in Judaism through community service or involvement with a Jewish youth group or their synagogue are good candidates to consider this option. Many selective colleges offer such programs, providing an excellent opportunity to learn about our faith, history, and culture.
Demonstrate leadership
Admissions officers seek the next generation of student leaders among the applicant pool. By demonstrating leadership through a club, community service, sport, or student government, your child proves that she can propel the college forward. Even if your child has not done so before her senior year, it is not too late for a student to demonstrate leadership. Please encourage your child to either start her own club or community service project or assume a leadership position in an existing one. Starting a club or community service project also demonstrates entrepreneurship, which is coveted by undergraduate business programs.
Decrease the cost of college.
The only thing more daunting than getting into college is figuring out how to pay for it. Colleges award financial aid through merit scholarships and need-based financial aid; applicants may be eligible to receive both. When deciding which schools to apply to, your family should keep an open mind, regardless of tuition cost. If your child is at the top of the applicant pool based on his grades and SAT scores, he may qualify for a large merit scholarship that could make an expensive college an attractive option.