Make the most of your summer
February 5th, 2019The recent warm-up after a bitter cold spell has me thinking that now is the perfect time for students to think about summer plans!
The long break from school provides a perfect opportunity to explore your interests more thoroughly. Nothing matters more than a student’s growth during the high school years and by making great choices with curriculum, extracurricular activities and summer engagement, you can become a stronger and more compelling individual. A great bonus: you’ll also become a stronger and more compelling college applicant.
I want to share an article from The Princeton Review titled, 14 Summer Activities to Boost Your College Application. Now, while I can’t promise that each of the items listed will “boost” your college application, I do know that having fun while also working on self-growth is a win-win.
Article referenced below from The Princeton Review
Did you know summer activities can push your college application to the “yes” pile?
Colleges want to see that you are committed to extracurriculars throughout the school year, but they also love it when you are making the effort to expand and stretch yourself over summer vacation. What you do with your time can help you stand out from other applicants who have similar test scores and GPAs.
What Should High Schoolers Do Over the Summer?
Your summer vacation is the perfect time for college prep and to explore potential careers. All summers in high school are important, especially the summers after sophomore and junior year. Check out these summer activity ideas that are fun, creative, and will make admissions officers take notice.
Read more at Princeton Review >>Tagged: Applications, High school, Opportunity, Sports, Summer, Travel, volunteer
Ring in the new year with kindness and communication
January 9th, 2019January presents an opportunity for a fresh start and with the new year we often try to make changes that will create a better future. College applicants are already considering how their new year will be different; graduating from high school, possibly moving away from home, and starting a new school will all come in 2019. What if I told you that being mindful of communication and kindness could help smooth these transitions?
In the article linked below, Forbes contributor Brennan Barnard has come up with ways to improve the college application process for everyone by adding communication and kindness. It seems so simple, and as he explains how it can help each aspect of the admissions process you will appreciate why it is so important. I hope this year brings you health, kindness and communication along with a great transition into this next phase of life.
Article referenced below published on January 1, 2019 by Forbes, written by Brennan Barnard
My family had a New Year’s tradition that was different than most, one that often led to tears and retribution between me and my brothers. At breakfast on January 1st every year, we gathered around pancakes, and instead of crafting our own New Year’s resolutions, the group would decide what each family member should commit to change or improve in the coming year. Having a spotlight on our shortcomings was no picnic, as you can imagine, but in retrospect, it was a valuable exercise.
College admission is an imperfect system. With each new year, it grows more complicated, and produces more anxiety and finger-pointing, for everyone involved. It’s easy enough to assign blame, but rarely are we willing to address our role. So, in the spirit of the Barnard family tradition, I want to suggest two simple New Year’s resolutions to all the constituents involved in college admission: communication and kindness. Imagine the ways that our culture could start to heal if we all stopped blaming each other, and instead of defaulting to extremes, embraced the ways we can contribute to a healthier global community. Whether you are a student, a parent, or a high school or college educator, this coming year I beg you to continually ask yourself, “what am I doing to be a better communicator and to be more kind?”
Read more at Forbes >>Tagged: Applications, College, Personal characteristics
Completing applications over winter break? How to manage the stress
December 24th, 2018Happy holidays and best wishes for 2019 to all! As the month of December winds down, many students have already received admission decisions this month. Congratulations to those who have been accepted Early Action or Early Decision! I love hearing students’ news, no matter the outcome, so please continue to keep me in the loop as you receive admission decisions.
Winter break is here and while we hope you’re able to focus on family time and a little R&R, this hiatus is also perfect for students still wrapping up final applications for colleges and boarding schools. Try to stay positive throughout this sometimes stressful process and remember to enjoy the time you have with friends and family. The Wall Street Journal provides a wonderful article to help us remember to keep calm as deadlines are approaching. (N.B. – although focused on college, portions of this article are also useful for students applying to boarding schools.)
Parents, many of you have fully equipped students who are ready to make these important decisions and with this in mind, you might find this stressful time a little more enjoyable.
Article referenced below published on December 11, 2018 by The Wall Street Journal, written by Sue Shellenbarger
It’s a monthslong ordeal that could change the course of a high school senior’s life, leading to a choice that could cost tens of thousands of dollars or more. No wonder the college-application season can torpedo the holidays for teens and their parents.
Many students labor to meet early-winter deadlines for college applications, often under the anxious eyes of their parents. The resulting stress can damage family relationships if parents fail to set good boundaries and keep their own anxieties in check.
Tagged: Applications, College
How to handle Uncle Bob and Aunt Bertha during the holidays
November 27th, 2018Navigating through holiday social events while keeping track of application deadlines, topped with interrogations by family members about your future plans, can be a bit overwhelming. It’s a little bit like filling your plate with turkey, stuffing, vegetables and cranberry sauce and then trying to make room for the sweet potato casserole!
With Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror, now is a great time to reflect on conversations had with family and friends. And with the winter holidays quickly approaching it is important to find balance while remaining productive, enjoying some time off while continuing to check things off your “to-do” list.
The article we share below has many great tips and tricks to help guide you through the rest of the holiday season. December is a month when many students will hear the outcome of Early Decision and Early Action applications and for seniors, waiting can often be the hardest part of this process. Keeping busy and having a plan can help you through this time.
Article referenced below published on November 14, 2018 by Counselors’ Corner, written by Patrick O’Connor.
Tagged: Admission decision, Applications, College
