Parents with college-bound students, the income you report on your 2015 tax return will affect your financial aid for the next two years. If you’ll need financial aid to attend college, Mark Kantrowitz shares some good tips to keep in mind so you don’t look back later and realize you could—and should—have done something differently before December 31, 2015.
When you put candidates at ease
When we interview candidates for a position at Collegewise, we don’t want the exchange to feel like an interrogation. Our interviews have structure and are focused on specific outcomes, but our hope is to have a relaxed conversation with this person. The more comfortable a candidate is, the more likely they are to share candid thoughts rather than polished, rehearsed answers that they pulled from an article on LinkedIn. And everything from our communication to our demeanor to our questions is designed to put a candidate at ease. It makes the interviews more valuable for both parties.
College interviewers, please remember that not only will your interviewees likely not have much experience in this capacity, but many of them will also be carrying with them years of stress about—and hope for—gaining admission to your school. Do what you can to put them appropriately at ease before and during the interview. Even a short email exchange ahead of time can make all the difference.
“This won’t be a test to see if you can give me good answers—we’ll just have a conversation so I can get to know you a little better. And I hope you’ll bring some questions about XYZ University—I graduated a decade ago but my enthusiasm is still going strong!”
It won’t just help the applicant. It will also help you do a better job as an interviewer.
Self-motivated
“I only work hard when I like the teacher.”
That’s one of the worst things you can say about your work ethic. You’re telling your parents, counselor, or college that you need someone else to summon your motivation for you. That’s like applying for a job and saying, “I only work hard if I have a great boss.” Why wouldn’t the company pick someone else who’s proven they can produce great work whatever the circumstances are?
Learning from a great teacher is a gift. Even the best students often find that certain teachers inspire them to learn and accomplish more than they thought possible. There’s nothing wrong with celebrating those circumstances, and any college would be glad to see that you make the most of it when a great teacher is put in front of you.
But don’t get in the habit of waiting for someone or circumstances to hand motivation to you. It’s called self-motivation for a reason.
Once you get there
“What you do in college will be more important than where you do it.”
It’s one of my recurring themes on this blog, one that, when embraced, not only helps families enjoy a more successful, less stressful application process, but also encourages students to make the most of their time once they arrive on campus. No matter where you go, you can’t just sit back and wait for college to change you. It will be up to you to extract the maximum value from your experience and create a remarkable college career, as I described in this past post.
Chase, a former Collegewise student who’s currently a sophomore at Northeastern University, is a perfect example. Last week, he emailed his former Collegewise counselor, Breanne, with an update. I’m sharing that email here with Chase’s permission.
Hi Breanne!
I hope all is well. It’s the last day of classes at Northeastern so I’m getting all sentimental and I thought I would check in with you!
Some updates:
-I joined Husky Ambassadors (tour guide group) last semester and I am now giving the occasional campus tour
-I survived the snow
-I worked as an orientation leader this summer and had the best time of my life
-I somewhat understand hockey
-I have switched my concentration to marketing and added a minor in journalism this semester
-I took an introductory journalism class this semester and really enjoyed it
-I am currently working as an RA in the community service hall and I am enjoying it
-I am taking an improv class in Boston and it is a lot of fun
-I participated in a 24 hour scavenger hunt called the Husky Hunt and my team came in 13th out of 150ish
-I have dabbled in Ultimate Frisbee but just don’t have time to join the team
-I just accepted my first co-op! So starting in January I will be working full time at Brightcove (video platform company) in a marketing operations position. I am excited to learn and also excited to make money.
Thank you again for all your help in getting me here. I am having an amazing experience!
Thank you,
Chase
Chase isn’t just passively observing his college years. He is all in, having fun, seeking and securing opportunities, discovering his talents and interests, making the most of the opportunities available both on and off campus. He isn’t someone who will graduate with an empty resume and then complain that the market is rough for new college grads. He’ll have knowledge, experience, mentors, references, and opportunities, most of which would not have been available to him if he hadn’t 1) chosen Northeastern, and 2) made the most of his time there.
I hope readers, especially students and their parents, will learn from Chase’s example. Students have four years to extract as much value as possible from their chosen college. No matter what name appears on the sweatshirt, you’re more likely to blaze a productive path like Chase has if you choose the right school for you and make it your mission to make the most of it once you get there.
Congrats, Chase. And go Huskies!
When you write like you talk
My brother placed an order recently from Every Man Jack, a local company (to him) founded by a fellow triathlete. His order was delayed a few days, but before he even thought to ask about it, he received this unprompted email:
Hey Scott,
First and foremost, thank you for your online order to Every Man Jack and many apologies about the delay in your shipment. We’re working hard on getting through a large holiday spike, and as a result, are running behind in shipping. I would expect your tracking to show movement within the next 48. I’ll also make sure the guys know to toss in a couple of free lip balms for your troubles.
Don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions or need anything at all. I really do appreciate your business and I hope you enjoy your Every Man Jack products and free lip balms upon their arrival.
Happy holidays, thank you for your business, and as always, Cheers from Every Man Jack.
Pete Cronin
E Marketing Guy | Presidio Brands
What impressed Scott was that 1) He never had to ask for an update, 2) it came from a real human being who wrote like one.
Imagine if Pete had written the standard, “Due to an unexpected increase in holiday orders, we are experiencing shipping delays. We apologize for any inconvenience.” It would have had no positive effect and might have even annoyed the customer. But the message Scott received actually made him more likely to do business with this company in the future.
Why share this on a college admissions blog?
First, I know that many of my readers are independent counselors who are running small businesses. This note is an example of why small is good, why you should never exaggerate the size of your business, why the best business writing is that which is not business writing.
But everyone—students, parents, counselors, high schools, and colleges—is in the communication business, especially over email. Yes, there may be times when more formal writing is appropriate. But if you’re not drafting a legal brief or writing a grant proposal, your written communication will almost always be more effective if you write like you talk (the same goes for when you’re writing a college essay).
When it has your name on it
Shea Glover is making a name for herself, even if you’ve never heard of her.
I often come back to this theme of online footprints. It’s fascinating to me that kids applying to college have never lived in a world where you couldn’t find—and more importantly, share—just about anything online. Once you put it out there on the Internet, the world—not an agent or a publisher or a distribution company—gets to decide whether or not it spreads, and how long it stays relevant. It may never completely disappear, as Google never forgets. That’s an awesome power to have at your fingertips, one that could propel you to Internet stardom or even hurt you for years to come if you aren’t protective of your online legacy.
Shea recently did what she called a “social experiment” at her high school, one that she recorded and then uploaded to YouTube. It’s since been watched nearly 7 million times, boosted by social media and even a healthy amount of press. You can see what all the fuss is about here.
I don’t know Shea. I don’t have any idea what kind of person she is or what her goals for the future are. But I know that if you Google her name, the video is the first thing that pops up. That’s probably not going to change for a very long time. And given the positive response, Shea will likely get to take credit for her creativity for years, even if she never has another project resonate like this.
It takes real guts to put something you made out into the world. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t have to be widely well-received or even understood. It just has to be something that makes you proud to have your name on it.
Play it from your heart
There’s a great scene in the movie Jerry Maguire in which sports agent Maguire, frustrated with his chronically-complaining NFL client, Rod Tidwell, finally explains what’s preventing Tidwell from getting the richer contract he desires so badly.
“Right now, you are a paycheck player. You play with your head, not your heart…when you get on the field, it’s all about what you didn’t get, who’s to blame, who underthrew the pass, who’s got the contract you don’t, who’s not giving you your love—you know what? That is not what inspires people…Shut up! Play the game. Play it from your heart.”
Tidwell has all the skills. But he cares a lot more about what’s in it for him than he does about being great. Great players don’t dispense their greatness like a transaction that takes place only once they’ve gotten what they want. They play for the love of the game and trust that the rewards will follow. And they inspire people because of it.
A lot of high school students approach college prep like Tidwell was approaching football. They’re paycheck students, so driven by what they want—an admission to their dream college—that they’ll only extend themselves if they feel promised the effort will pay off. They’ll raise their hand or participate or do an outside project only if it will boost their grade. They’ll do community service hours only if they’re promised that colleges will appreciate it. They’ll join activities or visit colleges or take a summer class only if they can be reasonably certain an appropriate admissions advantage is attached. And when things don’t turn out as they had hoped, they blame other people (“The teacher didn’t like me!”).
These students execute based on a perceived transaction—I do this, therefore, I get this—not because of genuine curiosity and passion. That’s why they don’t have a favorite class, teacher, or activity. They’re working with their heads, not their hearts.
Can the paycheck students succeed in college? Sure. But measuring your every move against how you will be rewarded makes you a lot less interesting to talk to and learn from. It makes you less desirable to colleges. And it’s not what inspires people.
Nobody can criticize a hard-working student who focuses on your goals. But whether you’re trying out for a team, running for an office, applying for a job, or trying to get into college, remember that you’re more likely to be rewarded when you put your energy into what you can give—energy, enthusiasm, curiosity, caring, etc.—rather than obsess about what you hope to get. You’ll inspire people when you play it from your heart.
Admissions decisions tell you (almost) nothing
One way to effectively persuade some people is to invoke similar arguments from different voices. That’s why I find myself sharing so many of Patrick O’Connor’s articles here.
Don’t treat a college admissions denial like a tragedy. Your life is not defined by a college admissions decision. What you do in college will be more important than where you go. I’ve said it all before here over and over again.
But I hope that adding O’Connor’s articulate, compelling, and experienced voice might make those who agree more resolute, and maybe push a few people on the fence to what we think is the healthier and more productive side. If your interest is piqued, please check out his newest post, What Your College Application Decisions Won’t Tell You. Here’s my favorite snippet:
“A yes from a college doesn’t make you somebody; the work you put into earn that yes did that. A no from a college doesn’t make you nobody; that happens when you decide their denial is a character indictment, instead of an opportunity to build a great life at another school. Either way, your worth isn’t waiting in an e-mail that’s going to drop on 12/13/14 at 15:16 o’clock. Your worth is within you, and it isn’t waiting for much of anything, other than your recognition of its existence.”
Are you a helicopter parent?
Parents, former Stanford Dean, Julie Lythcott-Haims, shares some simple questions in this article to test if you’ve moved from supportive to helicoptering. She also doesn’t shy away from pointing out just how high the stakes are.
“Parents need to see that even children who succeed in doing the impossible – getting into Stanford, or Harvard, or other elite schools – bear the scars of the admissions arms race. ‘They’re breathless,’ Lythcott-Haims said. ‘They’re brittle, they’re old before their time.’”
Be potentially perfect
Any selection process doesn’t just evaluate who you are today—it’s actually trying to predict who you’ll be tomorrow. Will this student make an impact at our college? Can this programmer do great work at our company? Is this person someone I want a long-term relationship with? Each of those decisions is based largely on potential. And potential is often found in the intangibles.
Just because you get straight A’s in high school doesn’t guarantee a college that you’ll do the same once you join their campus. The student council president might never win another election. The starting third-baseman might never play again after high school. Teenage musicians, philanthropists, photographers—who you are in high school is not a promise of who you’ll be tomorrow. And it shouldn’t be—you’re only seventeen.
But the student who loves to learn isn’t likely to turn that off after high school. The student who’s passionate about something in high school is more likely to bring that trait with them even if they redirect it to something different. And a nice kid who gets along well with peers and teachers probably won’t morph into a jerk after he moves into a dorm. Few applicants offered admission are perfect, but those who demonstrate these traits have a lot of potential to be perfect at the right college.
I notice this during our hiring process at Collegewise, too. There’s rarely such a thing as a perfect applicant, someone who presents the impeccable combination of pedigree, experience, and personality to appear as if they were made just for us. It’s a lot more common to find someone who’s proven that they have potential. They’ve got passion, drive, and curiosity. They’ve demonstrated those traits over and over again, even at jobs that they didn’t necessarily love. We don’t know for sure if they’ll be perfect here. But those intangibles are strong signals that they’re potentially perfect. And that’s a good reason to give someone a shot.
Colleges don’t expect perfection. They’re more interested in potential, a sign that you’re bound for great things. Yes, colleges want you to demonstrate that trait with your classes, grades, activities, etc. And a track record of hard work and success is your strongest starting point. But remember that intangibles, the things that can’t always be measured on a transcript or a resume, can be great signs of what you could be capable of at the right school. Potentially perfect tomorrow is more important than perfect today.
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