Applying to Competitive American Colleges

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Applying to Competitive American Colleges
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Applying to Competitive American Colleges
Comic has been modified from its original form.
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Why Consider the US?

• The academic experience
• Do your research!
• My prodigal roommate
• Specialty programs
• Research opportunities
• Professional schools
• Global aspect
• Study abroad, international connections
• Alumni network

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Choosing a College

• Research potential choices
• Online
• College websites
• College rankings
• OK as starting point

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Choosing a College (continued)

• Cost
• Cover price 40,000 US
• Financial aid
• Harvard 70 of 2/3
• Income thresholds Changing standards
• Can get paid to go to college!
• Distance from home?
• Independence
• Location?

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Choosing a College
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Choosing a College (continued)

• Student population?
• Domestic/International
• Student organizations
• Available programs/academic resources?
• Popular majors
• Student/faculty ratio
• Competitiveness?
• Competitive admissions, competitive students?

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Applying to College Holistic applications

• No one factor determines acceptance

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Applying to College Holistic applications
Interview
Essays
Application
Recommendations
Preparation
Volunteering
Extracurriculars
Test scores
Grades/Class rank
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Preparation High school grades

• Importance
• Super important!
• Suggested courses
• Toughest science available
• Rigour
• vs. class rank
• Other considerations
• The essential semesters
• Trends in grades

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Preparation Standardized tests

• Importance
• Which to take?
• SAT, ACT, TOEFL
• When?
• The SAT
• SAT I vs. SAT IIs
• A good score?

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Preparation Extracurriculars Volunteering

• What should I do?
• Diversify finding your niche
• How should I do it?
• Intensify getting good at it
• How many?

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Preparation X The Special Factor

• What it is
• Impossible to quantify
• Examples
• Awards
• Contests
• Publications
• Talents (musical, athletic, )
• Personal uniqueness
• The Google test

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Application Recommendations

• What they are
• Who to contact?
• Teachers (required)
• Guidance counselor/principal (required)
• Supervisors/coaches
• Anyone who knows you well
• How to ask
• Have a conversation
• Resume
• Recommendation etiquette
• Fill out forms required
• Stamped, addressed envelope
• At least 2 weeks before deadline

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Application The Essay

• What the essay is
• Most time-consuming part of application
• OK to recycle essays, but beware
• Varying requirements
• Length
• Topic choice
• Essay content
• Your mission be special
• Sweeping generalizations vs. personal voice
• Take calculated risks

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Application The Interview

• What the interview is
• Who interviewers are
• Preparing for the interview
• Dress
• What to bring
• Resume, essays
• X factor
• Common questions
• Why this college?
• Career aspirations
• The follow-up

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Applying to College (continued)

• How many applications?
• American counsellors 6
• Canadian students
• 4 or 5 is fine
• The Common Application
• Same application for 300 colleges
• Saves time, since all schools use the same form
  BUT
• Schools require supplementary applications
• Usually includes additional essays
• so doesnt actually save that much time

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www.commonapp.org
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Applying to College Starting early

• Applications are complex
• Regular admission deadline Early January
• Early action/Early decision
• What is it?
• Early deadline Early November
• Advantages
• Less stress later
• Template for other applications
• Higher acceptance rates (up to 3x!!)
• Single choice

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After the Application

• College responses
• Early action/Early decision mid-December
• Regular admissions early April

• Rejections
• Everyone gets them
• Deferrals
• Contact admissions office
• Update application
• Wait lists
• Acceptances
• Reply deadline May 1

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Resources
www.commonapp.org Common Application
website Apply online, or print out paper
forms www.collegeboard.com Sign up for SAT Data
on colleges and admissions advice www.princetonrev
iew.com Very good resource for SAT
preparation, college and career
exploration www.usnews.com Publishes university
rankings, updated every year
To those of you who received honors, awards and
distinctions, I say well done. And to the C
students, I say you too may one day be president
of the United States. - George W. Bush

• GOOD LUCK!
• Questions