College Application Essays - Avoid the Stress

Now that the school year is rapidly drawing to an end, it’s time for me to start posting the Top Five Mistakes Students Make on Their College Application Essays.

First, let’s talk about the variables college admission officers look at in deciding who is accepted. As I’ve explained in the past, the SAT and GPA are merely the “qualifying elements” to apply to a specific college. No one is applying to Yale with a 2.1 GPA. On the other hand, EVERYONE with a 4.0 is applying.

The essay is the ONLY tool to separate your teen from everyone else. It’s the ONLY chance to paint your teen as an individual….a unique three-dimensional person.

Read between the lines: Through the essays, the admission officer wants to see some of these qualities.

Does the candidate have the ability to adapt to change, persist through difficulty, interpret social cues, lead AND follow (participate as part of…) be creative and handle disappointment?

Is the candidate confident, realistically self-aware of flaws and limitations, understanding and accepting of diversity, able to put off immediate gratification, have a strong support person and able to have real world experience of acquired academic knowledge?

Your head will explode if you try to integrate all of these elements into the essays. Just be aware these elements exist and see if you can address a couple….subtly….without hitting them over the head or forcing the subject. The Bottom Line: They want to know how your teen will FIT into their community.

Out of your hands… After the essays and transcripts….there are variables beyond our control. Colleges are looking at diversity of race, religion, ethnicity, gender and even geography. They also take into account exceptional talent, recruited athlete status, likelihood of enrolling, fund-raising potential and legacies.

Maximize your chances with the best possible essays. More to Come…

I will be presenting a FREE workshop on the Top Five Mistakes Students Make on their College Application Essays at each of the following libraries. (Pre-registration is strongly advised. Please call the library if you wish to attend) I am also available to speak at PTA meetings, JCC, etc....

July 22 - Bernardsville Library

Sept 12 - West Windsor North HS (PTA)

Sept 25 - Montvale Library

Oct 7 - Maplewood Library

Oct 8 - Academy for Allied Health Sciences (PTA)

Oct 9 –   My 55th BD….I’ll be under the bed, curled in the fetal position, crying.

Oct 11 - Leonia Library

Randy Levin is the ONLY college application essay expert asked to speak at the National College Fair- Nassau Coliseum – Oct 6th 2013. The vast majority of Randy’s clients are accepted to the Ivy League or other prestigious colleges. He has a MA in English and a MFA in Creative Writing. He is a published writer and was a high school English teacher in high achieving north shore Long Island school districts for close to ten years.  For FREE information, go to his website: WriteToCollege.com