PSAT

Registration for the PSAT begins tomorrow.  Here is more information about this important, upcoming test.

PSAT Test Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Location: WKHS Gym
Time: 7:15 (check-in) beginning promptly at 7:45am – 10:45am
Cost: $15 (checks payable to WKHS)

The PSAT is the practice test for the SAT. Juniors and interested underclassmen can register in the Counseling and Career Center by bringing in cash or a check made out to WKHS. This is an important practice test for the SAT and it is also the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship competition. Even if you took the test as a sophomore you should re-take the test as a Junior!

Each year I receive a lot of questions from students about if they should take the PSAT or not.  Juniors, the answer for you is very simple - YES!  You should definitely take the PSAT.  Registration costs $15 and you can sign up with check (made payable to WKHS) or cash in the counseling center with Mrs. Focht between tomorrow and Thursday, October 8th.

For the underclassmen, I have to be honest, the answer is not as simple.  As you have heard, the SAT is changing.  The PSAT will be based upon the new SAT.  So, if you would like to get an early glimpse of what the new SAT is going to be like then this is a great opportunity to do so.  It also allows you to practice for your junior year attempt of the PSAT when it would actually count for the National Merit Scholarship competition.  So I guess my answer would be there is no harm in taking it this year, but if you are feeling stressed with the number of tests you have to take and this is going to stress you out even more, then give yourself a break and don't take the test this year and wait and take it in the future.

All teachers know that 300+ students will be taking the PSAT and therefore missing class on October 14th which means that they may be adjusting what is covered that day, but remember that you will still be responsible for making up any missed work from your classes.

To get an idea of what to expect on the new PSAT there are free practice tests available on Khan Academy's website that you can use to familiarize yourself and feel confident about what to expect.

25 Common Mistakes in Choosing a College

How are you doing with searching for colleges and (for seniors) organizing and finalizing your list of where you are applying?  It can be a challenging process.  As you probably know, I follow a lot of other blogs and read a lot of articles connected to college search and I read this list of 25 common mistakes in choosing a college. I whole-heartedly agree with the list and think it is important for students to consider as they are looking at schools. The list of 25 mistakes came from this article which also provides great explanations for WHY these actions are mistakes.

1. Only look at colleges your best friend is looking at

2. Go to college where your girlfriend (or boyfriend) is going

3. Consider only colleges that mom or dad attended

4. Choose a college because it is the last place mom or dad want you to go

5. Choose a college based on the quality of their athletic teams

6. Go to the college with the best party scene

7. Look only at colleges within 50 miles of where you live

8. Don’t examine who you are and what you want from a college

9. Consider the cost of the college in deciding where to apply

10. Don’t visit a college or a similar type of college before applying

11. Choose a college without investigating campus safety

12. Let the choice just happen instead of taking charge of your future

13. Apply to colleges that you don’t really like because you think it will make your parents proud or impress your friends

14. Choose a college based on whether the student body is attractive

15. Believe that the harder a college is to get into, the better it must be

16. Assume that all colleges are the same

17. Rely on the rankings in news magazines

18. Apply only to prestigious colleges

19. Rely on someone else’s opinion

20. Be too shy to ask questions

21. Rely on a college’s advertising

22. Misjudge your ability to get admitted to a particular college

23. Ignore the resources you have available to help

24. Don’t adequately investigate your college choices

25. Decide that there is only one “right” college

School Reminders

I wanted to make sure that all of you were aware that the last date to drop a 1st semester course without having it appear on your transcript is this Wednesday, September 30th. That is also the last date to submit a request to have a 1st semester class graded on a pass/ fail scale instead of the traditional grading system. Please make sure that your requests for these options are turned into the counseling center before the school day ends on Wednesday!

Wednesday is also a homeroom day so we will be on slightly different bell schedule.  It is an 8-minute homeroom so check your planbook for the exact schedule, but you only lose 1 minute from each class.  Information about the upcoming PSAT will be distributed during homeroom, but as a heads up - you can begin registering for the PSAT starting on Wednesday in the Counseling Center.  (More info will be coming soon on my blog about the PSAT.)

Also, Picture Retakes will take place on Thursday, October 1st.  So, for those of you who did not like how your pictures turned out from schedule pick up day or anyone who didn't attend schedule pick up day and therefore have not had your picture taken yet, please make sure to stop by during your lunch period and have your picture taken.

And, last but certainly not least, if you are applying to college with a November 1st deadline, you need to make sure that your teacher(s) and I have your recommendation information sheets no later than Thursday, October 1st so that we have 30 days to write and submit your recommendation letter before the deadline.

Colleges Evaluating GPA

When colleges evaluate applications for students there are a great deal of factors they take into consideration.  One of the aspects they look at is the student's grade point average (GPA).  I already talked about how GPA's are calculated at WKHS earlier this week, but did you know that many colleges unweight your GPA?  College admissions officers look at the school profile submitted with each application to make sure they have an idea of how your GPA stands up to other students from WKHS, but that only helps them gather an idea about you as a Kilbourne student.  It is hard for colleges to figure out how to compare the grade point averages for students from different high schools because each high school determines their own system for calculating GPA's.  For example, at WKHS we weight grades for AP and IB courses, but other schools might weight grades for honors classes as well and yet another school may not give extra weight to any classes.  Additionally, some schools calculate different GPA levels for grades with plusses/ minuses - so a B+, a B and a B- each have a different weight while others (like Kilbourne) do not computer plusses/ minuses as being different than a standard grade - a B in the example mentioned.  As a result, many colleges will look at the high school transcripts and re-calculate the grade point average based upon their own system so that they are comparing the GPA's on the same scale.  Please know that not every college will recalculate and unweight your GPA - it depends on their own policies and procedures.  If you have questions about if colleges will recalculate your GPA or not you can always ask the admissions office.

Infinite Campus

Can you believe we are about at the half-way point of the first quarter?  In many ways it feels like we just got started.  As you probably recall, we no longer send home interim reports because you have the opportunity to check your grades on an ongoing basis.  But, since we are about half way through, this is the time when you are able to get a good feel for how you are doing in each of your classes.  I strongly suggest that you take a look at your grades and make sure you are on track for the quarter.

I am sure you and your parents know how to access Infinite Campus which is the system that has your schedules, attendance, grades, and transcripts.  Your teachers are updating their grades at least once a week so that you can check and have an ongoing update for how you are doing in each class.  This continual information provides you with the chance to celebrate if you are doing well and to identify what you might need to change if you are not meeting your own expectations for the goals you had set for the year.

One challenge for me is that I cannot see the same things that you see when you look at Infinite Campus.  I have heard that the program is a bit more difficult to use on the computer, but that for people with smart phones, the free app from Infinite Campus is very easy to use and is a great tool.  If you are interested in downloading and using the free Infinite Campus app, you will need to know that the District Code is: YCWTRL

If you haven't figured out how to access Infinite Campus at all, please visit the Worthington Website at www.worthington.k12.oh.us and then you will click on the Login Icon that is located in the top Right portion of the page.  You can also look below the login boxes for a link to Frequently Asked Questions for more detailed information.

Welcome to WKHS!

Yesterday morning we hosted a breakfast for students who are new to the district to welcome them to the Worthington Kilbourne High School community.  We wanted to take the opportunity to check in on how the new students are adjusting to life at WKHS and hear more about where they moved here from as well as what they like or dislike.  It was a great way to start the day!

WKHS has about 60 students who are new to the district.  Many of them are from within Ohio, but we also have new students from as far away as Venezuela - not to mention our foreign exchange students who come from several different countries across the world.  Each of these students brings knowledge of their past communities that will strengthen and enrich our school.

It was wonderful to talk to the students and hear about their old schools.  I was jealous of one who said their day started at 9:15 and ended at 4:00 - since I'm not a morning person that sounded pretty amazing to me.  A few students talked about the fact that their old schools were mostly outdoors - and didn't have indoor hallways, etc. (granted those schools were in Florida and California!)  A few of the new staff members also joined us for the breakfast and the crazy part was that both of them were WKHS graduates.

I am thankful to come to work at WKHS every day and as I talked with these newest Kilbourne Wolves, I was excited that they are a part of our school because they have so much to contribute and I was overwhelmed with pride - not only in the way that these students have overcome the challenges involved with adjusting to a new school, but also with pride for how the students and staff have welcomed the new students.

On the bulletin board in the library there is a map with pins representing where some of our new students have moved here from and I will be printing pictures of our new students to put with the maps.  Be sure to check it out and if you haven't had a chance to meet any of the new students - try to take a moment and find one of them in your classes, lunch, sports, or clubs and welcome them to WKHS.

(Sorry for the duplicate e-mail - I had been working on this post still when it sent out and I wasn't quite ready for it to go.  :-)  I know it happens, but I didn't want to fill your inbox inappropriately.)

Ready for some reading?

I read a LOT of blogs and follow many sources related to college/ career/ personal/ social/ and academic news.  Below are a few of the articles I have saved with the intention of sharing with you.  I had grand intentions that I would use the articles in posts particular to each topic, but the list just keeps growing longer and so I decided I needed to go ahead and share them so that you could benefit from the articles that might help you rather than making you continue waiting until I could come up with a blog post about each individual topic.  So, happy reading!  :-)

10 best sites to look for scholarships

Know what to do before, during and after the scholarship search

Create a To-Do List for your College Search

3 tips to stop high school senioritis before it starts

Why public school may not be the cheapest college option

4 steps to choosing a college major

4 ways community college life differs from the 4 year college experience

Why I used to carry my college rejection letters in my backpack

3 back to school resolutions for high school students

11 student-athletes on what they learned from playing college sports

More athletic recruiting tips

Key Steps to the athletic recruiting process

How to contact college coaches

College scholarships for athletes

College Admissions: Can you play your sport in college?

Advice to Class of 2016 from the Class of 2015

5 key questions to ask on a college visit

High school students are stressed out about college admissions; the reality of burning out before college

How colleges judge your high school courseload

10 ways to ruin your college admissions chances

How to talk to college recruiters

6 things you should never do as the parent of a college applicant

Discussing finances with your college bound student

9 ways to find the best college for you

The pressure to get into college

6 steps to a killer college application

Building relationships with teachers for recommendation letters

Effective ways to stop negative thoughts from getting you down

20 secrets genuinely happy people never told you

14 ways to effectively calm yourself

Infographic: what makes a strong college essay

Countdown to college: Get going on that college essay

Get it doneover the summer: 9 tips for tackling the college essay

Common Application Prompt #1

5 common app essay tips that will actually help you

8 ways to help the selfie generation write better college essays

A favorite college essay tip

Common application prompt #2

6 tips for writing compelling college application essays

10 college application tips: how to write for tired eyes

College essay clichés

7 fatal errors to avoid in your personal statement

Grade Point Averages

Do you know how grade point averages are computed?  Your transcript consists of every high school class you have ever taken and the grade you earned in that class. 

The "easy" explanation for how your GPA is calculated is that every class you take at WKHS taught by a Kilbourne teacher with traditional grading is computed into your GPA.  Some students begin taking high school courses while still in middle school.  Those grades will appear on your transcript, but they are not calculated into your GPA.  This is done to assist you because many times middle school students haven't recognized the impact that their grades have on their high school GPA and the long-term impact on their future college applications.  Additionally, any classes that you pass that were taken as pass/ fail appear on your transcript but will not be calculated in your GPA.

All regular and honors classes are unweighted which means that they are all based on a 4.0 scale.  AP and IB courses as well as this year's CC+ classes are weighted on a scale of 1.25.  Below is a chart that shows how GPA is calculated.

Letter Grades	Percentage	GPA Scale	AP/ IB/ Weighted Calculation	AP/ IB Weighted GPA
A	90 – 100%	4.0	4.0 x 1.25	5.00
B	80 – 89%	3.0	3.0 x 1.25	3.75
C	70 – 79%	2.0	2.0 x 1.25	2.50
D	60 – 69%	1.0	1.0 x 1.25	1.25
F	0 – 59%
S	Satisfactory
P	Passing

All classes are granted credit based upon the semester.  This means that when you pass the 1st semester you have earned that credit and it is computed into your grade point average.  Each semester class is worth 1/2 a credit excluding physical education courses which are worth 1/4 a credit.  So, if you earn a B in the first semester of English 1 and a C in the first semester of Physical Science, then your GPA for these two semesters of classes would equal a 2.5.  Plusses and Minuses in your grades are still calculated based upon the base grade as we don't have different GPA weights for a B+ vs a B or B-.

It is important to know that some students have taken classes at other schools and are transferring their credit to WKHS.  Those classes will also appear on your transcript with the grades, but those grades are not computed into your GPA.  This is because your Kilbourne GPA will just reflect your Kilbourne classes - any classes you took somewhere else will have the GPA that you earned at that school.  So, for example, if you transferred to WKHS from a surrounding district, your classes and grades will be transferred over to Kilbourne, but they won't be included in your GPA.  This means that students will not have a grade point average until after a semester at WKHS.  The reason that this is important is that some students have transferred from schools that have different grading scales and it doesn't allow equitable comparisons.  When students are applying to college you will submit both of your transcripts so that they have the complete picture of your grade point average.

You can see a copy of your transcript on Infinite Campus and it also shows your grade point average.  If you have any questions about your GPA, stop by and see me.

Recommendation Letters

It is recommendation letter season.  As a reminder, the fact that some colleges will require counselor recommendation letters is a great reason why it is important for students of every grade level (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior) to drop by my office throughout the year to allow me to get to know you better. I sincerely want to know you well enough so that I can effectively talk about some of the incredible things that you all are involved in and are accomplishing during your high school careers.

For the seniors, have you looked at your college applications to see if they require recommendation letters from me or from your teachers? Some schools will require it and many will not. OSU, for example, does NOT require any recommendation letters. (Can you blame them? Imagine trying to read over 46,000 recommendation letters on top of the applications and essays that they receive.) Miami University and the University of Cincinnati, on the other hand, will require a recommendation letter from someone at WKHS who knows you best. If you are having problems determining if the colleges you are considering require recommendation letters – just stop down to see me and I can try to help you look it up.

If you do need recommendation letters, give some thought ahead of time to who you would like to ask to write a letter on your behalf. Look at the requirements specified by the school – are they open to coaches or advisors writing letters or do they want them to come from academic teachers? If the college requires that the letters come from teachers can it be from any subject area or are they only open to the core subjects of English, math, science, and social studies? Are you looking at a career in a specific area that a teacher at WKHS can write about your strengths in that field? For example, if you are considering majoring in Spanish perhaps a recommendation letter from one of your Spanish teachers would be appropriate. What teachers know you best? Who can speak to your work ethic and classroom contributions? If multiple teacher recommendation letters are required, it is often ideal to show your strengths across multiple subjects, so if you have a few teachers to pick from and 2 are math and 1 is science perhaps it would be beneficial to ask 1 math and 1 science teacher rather than the 2 math teachers simply to show that diversity. Remember, in recommendation letters from teachers, the colleges are asking for information about you as a student and your potential for handling the academic rigors of college.

Once you have figured out the teacher or teachers that you want to ask for a recommendation letter (if needed) it is then time to ASK them if they are willing to write a letter for you. It is really important to be reasonable in the amount of time that you are allowing them to have to write your letter. (Think 30 days or more!) They are very busy with their classroom work and grading homework and papers and, of course, life in general. Plus many teachers are often bombarded by students requesting recommendations. If a teacher is unable to write a recommendation letter for you – either because they don’t feel that they know you well enough to write a strong letter or because they have too much on their plate, don’t take it personally, simply ask another teacher. You will be thankful that you didn’t force them to write the letter because it wouldn’t be as solid of a recommendation letter if they were rushed or only had vague highlights to discuss.

In the Counseling and Career Center we have forms that you can use to ask your teachers to write a recommendation letter on your behalf. It is also helpful to provide a resume or the type of information which is frequently seen on a resume to your teachers. If the college that requires recommendation letters does not have an online application system (such as the Common App), it is also really important to specify the number of letters that you need, for which schools, and to provide envelopes as well as the forms required by the schools for the teachers to complete. (If you are applying with the Common Application and need teacher recommendations those will be done online and so after they agree to write a letter on your behalf, submit their e-mail address and they will receive the request electronically.)

Once your teacher has completed his/ her recommendation letter they will submit it online or mail it in directly with the envelope you gave to them.  Colleges do not want you to be given the recommendation letters directly and if your teacher is providing you with their letter then they should have signed the envelope across the seal.  Remember though, you are the one ultimately responsible for making sure that the recommendation letter is submitted so if you are noticing that a rec letter has not been submitted, please follow up with your teacher prior to your deadline.

If a counselor recommendation letter is required it is beneficial to come and see me as soon as you realize it so that we can talk about what you need and by when. You will need to provide me with a completed Counselor Recommendation Supplement form that you complete and a Parent Brag Sheet written by your parents. I write the letters on a first come first serve basis (as determined by when I receive your completed forms). It is the only way I know how to be fair. I try to put a lot of time and effort into the letters – each year it takes me an average of 5 hours per letter which adds up quickly.  So please, watch your deadlines and try to help me write the best letter possible by allowing me to have the time with it. You might wonder why it takes me so long to write a recommendation letter and it is because each letter should (hopefully) capture the essence of you – and each of you are very different. When writing recommendation letters generalized praise is wasted space so I need stories and examples to help give people a true image of you and to make it more than just what they can read about you in your application. I can’t say that I reach that goal every time, but I promise that I try my best.

If there is any doubt of what I am doing in my free time, please know that I will be writing and editing and rewriting and editing again on your recommendation letters.  (Just like I hope you are doing on your essays.)

Make a Difference

In high school it is important to find a place where you fit and where you can make a difference.

Being involved in sports, clubs, volunteer outreach, or other areas of interest help connect students to the school and community.  You have special gifts that only you can share and you can make a positive difference!  WKHS is very fortunate to have a wide range of opportunities available within the school setting for you to get involved.  There are 29 interscholastic sports, over 40 clubs, the school newspaper, video news team, yearbook and a wide variety of performance groups (choirs, bands, orchestra, and plays).  For underclassmen, it makes your transition to high school easier because you get to know older students and you find a place where you can belong.  For upperclassmen, being involved gives you the opportunity to demonstrate leadership and to grow in your areas of interest.

You involvement doesn't have to be in the school building - there are many opportunities that you can help serve our community as well.  When I was in high school my mom encouraged my sister and me to volunteer at a local hospital. We’d go every week and put in the hours and it was a fine experience – something I was glad to do – and to be able to list on my applications, but there wasn’t anything particularly unique or memorable about the experience. For example, my main memory from my days of volunteering was the job of refilling the water jugs in patient rooms… and how my sister would skip the rooms of anyone moaning… who’d have thought she’d end up becoming a nurse?! (I am going to be in *SO* much trouble for telling this story!) But that was it – no great epiphany or story beyond the fact that I had volunteered.

As you begin filling out college and scholarship applications there are many times that questions come up about what community service or leadership experiences you have had. And, even if not asked directly, if you had memorable experiences they can often be used to support your essay responses.

No need to panic! Your volunteer work doesn’t have to be a huge project or consist of thousands of hours of time – what is important is to get involved!  Community service opportunities are as different as each individual who decides they want to help make a difference in the world around them. The sky is the limit and I encourage you to find something that inspires you.

Some volunteer ideas that could help get you started could include – community beautification projects (cleaning up the school, parks or areas of the city), helping elderly neighbors, visiting nursing homes to perform music or talk with residents, homeless outreach, packing groceries for a food bank, assisting at the humane society or other animal shelters, helping with student council projects, wrapping and handing out gifts to those less fortunate, organizing and attending holiday parties for kids or the poor that would usually have nothing to celebrate, serving in a project for those who are disabled or ill (such as Make a Wish, Adventures for Wish Kids, or the Special Olympics), fundraising or recruitment events, becoming the champion for a cause and helping with awareness (Diabetes, Cancer, Organ Donation), and the list literally goes on and on. Also, don’t forget that there are several co-curricular groups at WKHS that focus on community service such as Interact Club, Wolves for Cubs, Project More, Reach Buddies and Student Council and you are encouraged to look into those opportunities as well.

Submitting College Applications

I am happy to say that I have been seeing more and more students working their way through the beginning stages of the college application process. I think that many students have found that they are worried that it will be much bigger and more difficult than it really is. Without a doubt*, the most challenging part of the college application process is writing your college essay. (*OK, so I said this is the most challenging part, but really I should say this is the most challenging part for right NOW. Picking your list of schools was the most challenging part before you started applying and soon waiting will be the most challenging part and then, of course, making the decision about where to attend will be the big challenge. :-) I know it can be overwhelming, but you will get through this and I am here to help you in any way that I can!)

When applying, you will be doing this online. Most schools will require you to create a username and password. I cannot stress enough how important it is that you save all of these usernames and passwords! You will more than likely need them again when you want to check your admissions status. (Even thought you think you won't forget them, I strongly recommend you to save it in your phone or somewhere at home where no one will throw it out or your dog won't eat it.)

A few reminders about your online application...
1.) Punctuation and spelling matter! Pay attention to the details - this is your introduction to the college and you want to make a positive impression.

2.) Use your parents "real" names - they are more than just "mom" or "dad."

3.) Double check that you have the correct social security number. Many schools use that to connect all of your application pieces together.

4.) If it has a spot for an essay response - that is really an essay - do not just write in a quick sentence and move on. Take the time to draft, edit, revise, edit, revise, step away from, edit, and revise some more before you copy and paste the final essay into the application and submit it.

5.) Tell the Truth! Do not make up something or claim that you won an award, completed community service, or had some other issue during high school if it is not true. Honesty matters in how the college will perceive you and it is also simply an issue of integrity.

(And, for the record, all 5 of these problems are actual problems I have found when reviewing student applications at WKHS! I couldn't make them up...)

There are blue Transcript Release cards in Mrs. McDaniel's office that you must complete for each school in order to authorize us to release your transcript to the college.  Your parent already signed this card as long as they attended Senior College Night.  If your parents didn't attend Sr. College Night then you will need to take the card home with you and have your parent sign it and bring it back in. There is a $1.00 fee for each transcript that cannot be submitted by Common App or a different free system like Send.edu or a particular college system that allows us to upload transcripts to their site for free.

It is ESSENTIAL to watch your deadlines carefully! You need to provide plenty of time for the application to be processed. The best “rule of thumb” for your getting your transcript sent from the counseling center is 3 days before the due date. Most college due dates are for all materials (and not just the application) to be received in their office before that date. Don’t forget that many colleges also have earlier due dates than those publicized to be considered for scholarships so you need to read carefully! If your application requires a recommendation letter from me, you definitely need to provide me with the 30 days of time because I write all recommendation letters on a first come first written basis and I do not want to have your application submitted after the due date because it wasn’t given to me with a reasonable amount of time.

As always, please remember that I am here to help you and will help guide you through the process as we go. Feel free to ask questions and drop in to see me as you work on your applications.

Office Workers

Did you know that we have office workers help out in the counseling/ administrative offices? Our office workers each year have been amazing!  They helped run passes, update the bulletin board, put together packets or whatever else was needed.  Some days were busier than others and so there were days when they didn't have to do much of anything to help us other than be available.  We do have an application process to be selected as an office worker, but if you are interested, we'd love to have you!  And selfishly, I'd love to have more of "my" students helping as office workers because it is a nice treat to see you each day.  Students with a period of academic prep or options in their schedule would be eligible to apply.  (You would no longer have prep or options if you chose to work in the office.)  You will accumulate community service hours as an office worker.  Applications are available in the front of the counseling center.  No more than 2 students will be selected for each period of the day.  Please apply soon if you are interested so that we don't miss out on the opportunity to have you involved!

College Essays

I need to warn you this is a VERY long post, but I hope that it will be helpful to seniors as they work on their college essays!

Writing a college essay can be a frustrating, challenging process, but this is your opportunity to put your best foot forward and show the colleges what makes you special.  And for all of you who are thinking, I'm just a normal kid from Worthington - there isn't anything special about me to write about I whole-heartedly disagree!  You are unique and special - there is not another student within Kilbourne's walls that is exactly like you and there won't be another person just like you in all of their other college applications so you have to help the admissions committee realize what makes you YOU.

When colleges review your application they can read things like your grade point average and test scores, but they still want to know more about YOU – the person behind those grades, scores, and activities.  This is your chance to communicate to the colleges who you are and how your mind works.  It is important to remember that your essay will be one of hundreds or more-likely thousands that the admissions committee members will read.  (Can you imagine reading all of those?!?)  Try to interest them in what you have to say and be sure that it is written well so that it will stand out.  Think of this as your opportunity to personally introduce yourself to the admissions and scholarship officers reading your application. Be open, honest and real. 

I mentioned this at senior college night and I genuinely believe it is true – think of your essay as a blind date.  You are trying to make a positive impression on someone you don’t really know by showcasing who you are and all of the great things about you.  You want them to walk away knowing that you are special and thinking, "Wow, I really want to meet this kid."  The best news of all though is that you don’t have to suffer from the nerves of making a silly mistake on this “blind date” – you can perfect your essay so that you can make sure you are putting forth a positive message with a good tone that also shows your ability to think and write clearly and logically.

As mentioned at senior night, when you have to write an essay you need to keep a few important points in mind:

1. Answer the question! 

When they give you a prompt or question – be sure that your essay is answering what they are asking!  These are smart people – they know when you are just taking a different essay and trying to make it fit for their question.  Put in the time to write an essay that answers the question they are asking.  Also, be sure that you respond to all parts of the prompt. 

2. Show me – Don’t tell me. 

Great, so you told me that you are organized and honest… good qualities for their future college students, but are you demonstrating that to them with your essay?  Show them what you mean with vivid examples – that will usually be specific, concrete stories to illustrate your point.

3. Did I learn something about you? 

The whole point of these essays is so that the college admissions officers will learn something new about you.  (And trust me, they are learning something about you – even if that lesson is you didn’t appear to care enough about getting into school to pay attention to details like spelling.)  So, step back and look at your essay again – did they learn something about you that they wouldn’t have known prior to reading your essay?

Let me assure you – they really do read the essays!  Don’t think you can just throw something down on paper and have it be “good enough.”  These are formal essays for an application to a college that will be the launching ground for the rest of your life.  I know that it sounds intimidating, but relax and start writing – and editing – and then do some more writing and editing… 

One of the biggest challenges as you write your essay is controlling the tone.  You want to come across as confident but not boastful, self-assured but not aggressive, accomplished but not perfect. Try to avoid claiming that everything you've ever done has been unbelievably great.  Don't be afraid to admit that you are human. Colleges want real, interesting people.  Because it's so hard to control the tone of an essay about yourself, you will want to ask several people – teachers, friends, your parents, and even me – to read and respond to your essay. Get a variety of reactions, and then decide how you want to revise the essay.  Remember, when getting help with essay revisions it is important to go into it with the thought that you want to get revisions so it can be the best possible essay (instead of going in hoping the editors will just say – good enough.)  And yes, that also means you can’t procrastinate and put it off writing your essay until the last possible second.

PICKING THE TOPIC

The first step to selecting your topic is to think about what you want the college to learn about you that will not be apparent in the rest of your application.  If you are given multiple questions to select from, it is often helpful to work backwards and focus first on what you want to convey and then identify stories and examples that can illustrate your point.  Next look at the various questions you can pick from and think about which of your anecdotal stories fits with the questions.

Remember, it is worth putting time, energy and effort into picking a good and meaningful topic that is powerful for you because the passion you have for your topic will naturally convey itself in your writing.  Additionally, many topics that come to mind immediately for you will also come to mind right away for hundreds of other students applying to college.  You want to explore a new angle and show how you are different from everyone else.  Try to think about what excites and interests you when picking your essay topic.  Be careful though, this is not “true confessions” time.

If you are still struggling to come up with topics for your essay or how to go into depth on an essay topic idea, try to write your "5 and 5's".

First, write out the 5 characteristics that make you who you are.  Be sure to select different characteristics (so not caring, kind and nice - those would all be 1 characteristic not 3).  Then, after you have listed those characteristics, bullet point examples of stories/ times when you have demonstrated them.  It is possible that some of your stories of when you show a characteristic may cross over into several of the characteristics.  (So, for example, if I had listed caring and adventurous as 2 of my characteristics, I could say that the time I carried a friend on my back while I climbed a mountain would be under both characteristics.)  *No, I didn't really do this, it is just an example.  ;-)

After you have done that, your next 5 to list would be times when you have changed.  These don't have to be BIG changes.  Think about specific moments in time when you went into something and then were different after it.  This might be a new perspective, mood, value, outlook, or priority.

You can also brainstorm on the following questions:

What do you want me to learn about you in the essay?

How have your personality traits helped you in various situations?

What did you do?

Where did you do this?

What were your responsibilities?

What was your best memory or experience there?

What inspired you to get involved or how did you get involved?

What did you learn from the experience?

How have your experiences changed or impacted you?

Why was this experience meaningful?

How have your experiences shaped your character?

What is significant to you about being involved in these activities or receiving the honors or awards?

How have your activities or experiences impacted you personally?

What is your personal motto in life?  How did you come to this?

What is the value of this experience to you?

If you are still completely stuck, go to your family members and friends and ask them to help you identify traits, stories and examples of “That is so YOU” moments.  (Those stories that are so perfectly you that it is hard to imagine them fitting or applying to anyone else.)

COMPOSING THE ESSAY
As you consider your purpose, you should focus on being creative and coming up with a plan for your writing so that you do not just ramble.  Look back at the question again before you begin to make sure you are fulfilling what the college is asking you to do (list, define, explain, compare/ contrast, evaluate, etc.)

When you are writing your essay, get specific.  It is often the small things or experiences in our lives that have the biggest impact on how we feel, think or act.  Sharing a specific example that speaks to who you are by illustrating your character, values and background is much more powerful than offering sweeping generalizations about yourself.

One tip is to select a topic that allows you a more narrow response and then you can use your word count to provide details and depth.  It can be helpful to describe the scene or the person with sharp nouns and active verbs or by using details that will invoke the senses. How did it look? feel? smell? sound?  Don’t just say that "Uncle John was odd." Show us his dog who smashed through closed windows and his unique decorating style of mixing plaid and polka dots.

Be sure to use your voice and stick to the word count.  (Hint: I know it doesn't seem like it, but I promise, it is always easier to cut words than to try to figure out how to squeeze more detail in later, so answer the question fully first before worrying too much about word count, but plan ahead enough so that you are at least in the ball park of your word limits... you want to cut 50-100 words out not try to cut 2,000 words.)  This is a formal essay so you need to make sure that you are using proper grammar, punctuation and varying your sentence structure.

Whenever possible, start your essay with a catch – something that will engage the readers and compel them to continue reading.  And I hope this goes without saying, but don’t lie.  Do not make up stories that are not true or genuine.  You are the best you there is and this essay is about you so show yourself off and just be careful on tone.

Don’t forget, if you are writing the main common app essay, do NOT tailor the essay to one particular college because all of the schools that you apply to will receive the same version of the main essay.  Also, for what it is worth, when you are sending specific essays to individual colleges that are personalized, be sure to double check and make sure you are submitting the right essay to the appropriate college.

REVISING THE ESSAY
Give plenty of time to edit!  I understand that this is different than most of the essays you have written in high school, but it is worth writing a draft, walking away from it for a few days and then coming back to read it again to take a fresh look.  Many students are stunned at how the essay that they initially thought was great doesn't meet their own expectations when they re-read it with fresh eyes.  It can help to read your essay out loud and see if it feels natural and sounds like you.  Time to edit and go through multiple drafts is a gift you can give yourself to drastically decrease your stress with the entire college application process.

When you begin reading through your essay again ask yourself:

Does it reveal who you are?

Does it represent your best academic ability?

Does it sound like you? 

Look at the overall structure of the essay:

Does it make a stunning point at the beginning and then fizzle, or does it steadily build in interest and intensity?

Have you made clear the relationship between your ideas?

Is the essay well organized?

As you begin to get picky, look at your word choice and make sure you are not overusing particular words.  Pay careful attention to the verbs - they should give your reader a clear picture of you in action. Although the essay needs to be personal, you shouldn't overuse the pronoun "I."

The essay also needs to read smoothly. As you revise and refine the piece, be sure that it has an attractive introduction, carefully crafted body paragraphs, and a confident conclusion. Look for clear transitions between paragraphs, and try to vary sentence length and structure.

Please rest assured that I am here to help you with your essays.  I will NOT write it for you, but if you are struggling to come up with topics or want help editing, don't hesitate to stop by and see me.  Also, the English teachers are awesome resources for editing help too.  Good luck and happy writing!  :-)