“There’s a 104 days of summer vacation and school comes along just to end it. So the annual problem for our generation is finding a good way to spend it. Like maybe…”

Phineas and Ferb

Summer vacation is a perfect opportunity to explore and develop your interests. With your months off school, you finally have the opportunity to do the things you wanted to do during the school year but just didn’t have the time. I used my summers well, and now I’m into my top colleges.

Interested in science after sophomore year, I spent my summer learning about stem cell research in a lab in the Texas Medical Center. I enjoyed it so much that the summer before my senior year, I went to Pittsburgh to partake in a cancer research internship. I learned so much about myself and the field of science during those two summers—I was able to see the difference between classroom science and real life science. In a classroom, all your experiments are set up to work—they’ve been done before. In the lab, however, you don’t know what your results are going to look like before you try an experiment. Through my summers I discovered the satisfaction of being able to turn a mystery into a known.

To plan your summer, I suggest you make a list of your interest and priorities. Are you interested in career exploration? Sports camps? Community Service? Animals? Learning a new language? Tutoring younger kids? Once you have that list, do some research online to find opportunities available in your area. You could also ask one of your teachers if they have any suggestions for opportunities. You could volunteer at the zoo, the hospital, or even your favorite museum! You could even do multiple things if time permits.

One thing that I learned early: a lot of these summer opportunities require applications and even teacher recommendations. Start these early! There are a vast number of applications that are due in February and March and some even work on a first come first serve basis—this is no time to procrastinate! These applications will determine how you spend 1-3 months of your life.

Using your summer months wisely could enhance or complement your school curriculum, as my science research complemented my biology and chemistry classes. Summer activities are a great way to learn more about yourself and your interests. What if you also did research in a lab one summer and hated it with a passion? Did you waste your time? Not at all — at least can you rule that career option out. But what if you campaigned for a candidate in a local election and realized you loved politics? All I can say is that the risk might be worth the reward.

Advice to juniors:

Juniors! Start the college admissions process early! Ignore the friends who call you lame and say that you don’t need to start early, because you do.

Once the Common Application comes out (or any online application), definitely take the time to fill in the basic information stuff. When you are close to the end of your application, the smallest jobs will stress you out, so there’s no reason to add that to your list.

Next: Make a list, with all the kinds of schools you can see yourself at. If that list ends up bringing together liberal arts schools with polytechnic institutes and large, state schools, so be it! As your interests change, the list will become smaller. Eventually, it will reflect where you really see yourself, and it’s totally fine to have that level of diversity in type of schools you are looking for.

Don’t be afraid to set standards for yourself. If you want to be in an environment that is at least 40% students of color, then go for it! Find the things that mean the most to you in a college experience. Out of the hundreds of schools to choose from, some of them will fill your needs.

Most importantly—work on essays, and start them early! Your essays really do hold so much potential. It’s your only chance to create something completely individual to yourself, and your slacking off freshman year can’t ruin it (the way we all claim our GPA was lowered). I know if your school requires five four essays, it might cause you to have a mini freak out, but keep this in mind: the more essays they ask for, the more opportunities you have to talk about yourself. The five essays I had to write for my first choice took me a long way. In fact, I got into my first choice! And since then, my admissions officer has sent me letters quoting parts of my essays. So trust me, when you search yourself and find the motivation and effort to write your essays, they will notice, as long as you write the story that  “only you can write,” something a wise woman once told me.

And here’s one more thing. In the midst of your college application process, find something you love doing—whether it’s singing, dancing, or sleeping, and do it. Make sure that your first semester is more than just stress. Try and make it enjoyable for the times when you aren’t working on college apps. It’ll keep you alive.

Good luck guys!

Makshya

Firs generation college goer

Admitted Early Action to Stanford University, Class of 2015

I know it’s bittersweet to get deferred from your Early Decision or Action college! But you didn’t get rejected. They just want to look at you in the regular admission pool. Your chances of ultimately getting accepting are somewhat less than regular admissions, but you still have a chance. Here are some tips to help you make it through the holidays and through the beginning of the new year.

Tips to Handle Being Deferred

1. Find other colleges where you will be just as happy as your Early Decision or Action college. You can and will find happiness other colleges. Many, many students do and never look back.

2. Other applications: Work on these applications throughout the holidays.

• Look at your college list and make sure you have a range of colleges on your list. You aimed high for Early Decision, now you need to diversify your college list.
• Go to Naviance, if your school has it, and update your lcollege list.
• Update your original application, including your activities and test scores.
• Revisit your essays and strengthen them. Perhaps a new story or essay idea will come to you.
• Think about your letters of recommendation, can you add a senior year teacher?
• Prepare for alumni interviews for each of these colleges.
• Submit each application as soon as you can.
• Plan to visit some of your top colleges this winter if you haven’t visited them already.

3. Deferred College: Now think deeply. If you know that you are in the range of admissions, then develop a four month self-marketing plan. If you know that you were not in the range, then let it go and work on your other colleges.

4. Campaign for Deferred College: Think back to your application and tell yourself that you did the very best you could. At the same time, think of additional information you can provide to express why you should be admitted. Plan to send one piece of new, significant information to the college each month starting now. Remember regular admissions students get to send in November and December information along with first semester grades. Now, you will too!!!!

• Test scores: If you took additional tests in November and December and like your scores, send them to the deferred college. Make sure to let the admissions office know you sent in the new scores.
• Email: Write a short email to the admissions officer of the college for your region and express your strong desire to still attend the college. Do not restate all that you said earlier in your application. But really express passionately your commitment to the campus. Commit to going there if you get in regular decision.
• Visit: Visit the institution one more time and revisit the admissions office to remind them of your interest. Contact anyone in the admissions office whom you met in person or via email. T
• Additional teacher recommendation: Ask a senior year teacher, who has not already written you a letter to this school, to write you a letter of recommendation. This letter should really emphasize your academic talents and why you will thrive at that college.
• Counselor contact: Get an updated letter of recommendation from your guidance counselor or even have your counselor contact the school personally.
• Alumni or campus interviewer: Contact your alumni or campus interviewer–if you think you had a good interview…Thank the interviewer again and then ask for any advice about moving from deferral to admissions.
• Letter: Write a formal letter in February or early March updating the admissions office with your academic and extracurricular activity performance. This letter will include your first semester performance, exemplary academic projects, and major leadership accomplishments.
• Updated resume: Consider updating the non-academic portion of your application. Though not required, an updated resume can always help. Just make sure anything you add does contribute in a new way to your application. Do not be redundant.
• Outsider letters: If you can think of one major person (non-teacher) who knows you extremely well and can witness to your leadership and initiative, ask that person to write a letter. Do not ask people who do not have major contacts with school to contact school. Do not have anyone other than people who know you personally write letters. A perfect person is someone for whom you did a major project this year…volunteer leader, youth group…only someone who can attest to new work this year and who knows you really, really well.

5. Please do not spend your time dwelling on the deferred school as there are so many other colleges where you will thrive. Understand that you will find happiness wherever you attend college!!!

Martin gives his advice about going to college fairs. He talked with college representatives, made contacts, and even found the college he attends this way. Go to college fairs and tell your story. Start a conversation!!! They want you!!!

Martin is a sophomore at Villanova college. He has a Presential Scholarship!!!

Adrianna gives great advice about how to start your UC essays.

Hannah Fong
USC Class of 2012
Hometown: Los Angeles
High School: Westridge

When I was a senior in high school applying to colleges, I avoided liberal arts colleges altogether. I swept them aside because I just didn’t know enough about them. But after a year at a large university I started looking for a smaller scale. I then transferred to Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota close to Minneapolis. I loved it and I have to credit this school for largely making me the person and student that I am today. So, to those to whom the term might be unclear, what the heck are these “liberal arts colleges” anyways?

1) They are solely undergraduate institutions.

Liberal arts colleges (LAC’s) in general are made up of only undergraduate students. This means that the only job of professors is to teach and work with undergrads instead of also conducting research with grad students. However, research opportunities are still attainable through professors or other external institutions.

2) They only offer liberal arts and science degrees.

Liberal arts and sciences are the traditional courses – anything from English, history, science, math, computer science etc. They are not pre-professional, (business, communications, architecture, public policy) which means formal training for a specific career. However, a liberal arts degree by no means limits one’s chances in finding a career. A well-rounded education in economics, anthropology, science, and English teaches a student to think critically, speak well, and understand how society works. These are the fundamental skills that would make a person capable of a multitude of careers.

The words university and college are often interchangeable today. But think of a liberal arts college as the College of Arts and Sciences in a larger university. If the humanities, arts, social or natural sciences is what you want (the best choices in my opinion), the LAC is a great place for you!

3) They are small.

The average LAC student body is 1200-3000 students – in comparison with 16,000 undergrads for large universities. Why did this small size work for me? See 4-10 below.

4) Classes are small.

You won’t find lectures of 200 students (understandably, since that would be 10% of the whole school in a single class). I believe the greatest virtue of liberal arts colleges is that the small student body allows them to maintain small class sizes (around 10-25 students) even for introductory and science courses. In the larger school I attended, a typical class had two components 1) a slide-based lecture held by the professor and 2) discussion section held only once a week with the T.A. That’s a little unfortunate because I believe that discussion is the most important part of the class. It is where you learn to convert nebulous ideas into concrete.

The best class I had was composed of only 5 students. We met once a week with the professor from 7 to 10 pm. I never expected to love that class so much. It was discussion-based – in fact the professor rarely lectured for more than 30 minutes. The style was informal but enriching, challenging but exciting, intimate but comfortable. As we delved into the material, we also laughed, joked, and learned about each other. I was never interested in American Studies before, but as I wrote my final paper, I realized how much this one class changed the way I saw everything.

5) Professors want to develop close relationships with the students.

Because classes are small, it is most likely that your professors will know you by face. They will know your personality, your ideas, and your goals. They will want to strengthen your weaknesses, understand if you need an extension on a paper or test, and encourage you to come to their office just to chat. And it won’t be scary.

6) They encourage a cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary college experience.

So many students I encountered seemed to have no boundaries as to what they were interested in. It was not at all unusual to find a physics major minoring in international relations or a geology and English double major. I have learned to think of the sciences and humanities less as dichotomous disciplines, and more as philosophies that see the world from different perspectives and necessitate the use of creative thinking.

7) They offer a great sense of community.

Chances are you will always know more than a couple other students in all of your classes. From school-wide inside jokes, quirky traditions, to campus events that everyone attends, the community always feels supportive and inclusive. When I speak of community, I don’t just imply professors and students, but also the administration, cafeteria staff, athletic department, etc. The administration was always caring and friendly when dealing with any personal matters and would be willing to make exceptions for individual cases. Additionally, many also liked to keep up to date with the accomplishments of students.

You can always find unique courses.

Another class has an interesting story. A course called “Rivers, Humans, and Environmental Justice” was triple-listed among philosophy, creating writing, and environmental studies. It was probably the most unique and unconventional class I will ever have. Not only was the class interrelated in such an unusual way, it was also taught by two professors – one poetry, one philosophy – who would take turns leading discussion. On top of that, we started the class with a two-day camping and canoeing trip along the Minnesota River to gain inspiration for several assignments.

9) They have Division III sports.
If you aren’t a superstar athlete, more chances for you to become involved in varsity athletics instead of being the spectator. Nevertheless, it is never hard to find school pride at games. And for the student to whom athletics is not a concern: school spirit is also derived from great friendships, a supportive and tight-knit community, and the sense of being part of something small but with a distinct personality.

10) Students love their college experience.

For some reason, I have rarely encountered another student at a liberal arts college who wasn’t fanatic about their school. Everything from the caring community, interesting classes, and intellectual atmosphere makes it a little hard to be unhappy. Students often said that the worst thing about Macalester was that it only lasts four years.

In short, the LAC philosophy is that an education is not just about preparing for a future career, but rather to garner the critical thinking skills that will make someone smart and capable for a multitude of careers.

Some links to help you get to know LAC’s:

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/liberal-arts-rankings. Use this list to learn about some great LAC’s

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/07/intellectual-colleges_n_707087.html. Interesting…mostly LAC’s and universities with an LAC feel.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/25/bestkept-secrets-10-colle_n_693686.html#s128810 Another list full of LAC’s

http://www.collegenews.org/x14.xml The Annapolis group is comprised of 130 liberal arts colleges. Their mission is to draw public attention to the value of a liberal arts education. Read what they have to say!

http://www.liberalartscollegereview.com/article_what.php For further clarity.

If you have any questions, you can email me at hf08077@gmail.com