Tagged: Opportunity

Kindness: one key to success for college admission

May 14th, 2019

Earlier this month, I toured several boarding schools on the east coast. The visits were great and I was particularly struck by the last school visited, where students displayed an uncommon degree of kindness and compassion. This was manifested in part by their warm descriptions of not only teachers, but staff members performing important but less prestigious work on campus. Students’ smiles were huge as they described these individuals’ roles in their lives and I left wondering why that isn’t the norm.

The admissions scandals are bringing up important conversations among parents, teachers and students. How can we improve the system so that we are considering the best fit for each individual instead of ignoring core values just to get into the most selective schools?

My trip sparked ideas about character development and made me think about the second “Turning the Tide” report released earlier this spring. Turning the Tide stems from the Making Caring Common campaign based at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, focusing on character building in schools, at home, and during the admissions process. It is a great read for people of all ages and I hope it provokes thought about which values are really important to become a good citizen, which in turn will lead you on the right path through the college admissions process … and through life.

Article linked below from Making Caring Common Project, published in March 2019

Our new report calls on parents and high schools to put young people’s character and well-being at the center of a healthier, more sane college admissions process.

Three years in the making, Turning the Tide II: How Parents and High Schools Can Cultivate Ethical Character and Reduce Distress in The College Admissions Process, offers guidelines for high schools and parents in promoting ethical character. It also describes how Tsome high schools and colleges are working to promote greater ethical engagement among high school students, level the playing field for economically disadvantaged students, and reduce excessive achievement pressure. The report also includes a pioneering statement from admissions deans seeking to advance Turning the Tide’s goals.

Tagged: Applications, College, Community service, Opportunity, Personal characteristics, volunteer

Make the most of your summer

February 5th, 2019

The 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.

5 ways to get the most out of your school experience

August 7th, 2018

The days are slowly getting shorter, reminding us that the new school year is right around the corner. Each new year brings on feelings of happiness, excitement … and maybe a little nervousness. We hope our students will begin their first day with a fresh attitude and motivation to achieve all of their goals and make this year the best year yet!

What kind of student do you want to be? How will you engage with your classmates and instructors? Today’s article from a student newspaper website will help high school and new college students alike think about how to begin the year motivated to make the most of school experiences. We appreciated its heartfelt message and the mention of goal-setting. Becoming a committed part of one’s school or college community can indeed heighten motivation for academic success, and there are many different ways to be fully engaged.

Article referenced below from Uhspress

Published on July 22, 2018 by Haley Smith

“These are the best days of your life” anyone above the age of having rent and electric bills will tell you while reminiscing on the high school memories. Between crazy math tests and waking up at 6am it’s hard to see that for a lot of us. From the first day of freshman year on all that’s on our mind is graduation, here’s some simple ways to make the in between a little easier and a lot more memorable.

A new year, a new you

January 8th, 2018

The new year is a time to start over for many people, which makes January the perfect opportunity to make productive changes in your life. Gym memberships are at an all time high right now and many people use the new year to adjust eating habits and kick their workouts into high gear. Aside from that aspect of getting fit, I am here to offer you some resolutions that will whip this academic year into shape!

The article we link you to today is written for college students, but applies to high school and boarding school students as well. Writer Kelci Lynn Lucier’s ideas are inspiring and achievable, which makes this piece especially useful to all. Here is to making 2018 your best academic year yet!

Published December 17, 2017

Written by: Kelci Lynn Lucier (for Thoughtco.com)

While New Year’s Eve often brings a party, the new year itself often brings great hopes for change and growth. If you’re a college student, the new year presents the perfect time to set some resolutions that can help make your academic year more positive, productive, and enjoyable.

Good New Year’s resolutions, of course, are not just those that address the things in your life you’d like to change or improve upon; they also are realistic enough that you’re more likely than not to stick with them.