The "Invisible" Common App Question
It's ironic that one of the biggest, most important questions admissions officers at competitive colleges have, is one that is actually NOT on the Common Application.
The Common App asks a bunch of questions such as name, address, to list your extracurricular activities (10 of them) and a personal statement (what we in the biz call a "Personal Statement.")
(Hah. The main essay, ok? Plus other, supplemental essays.)
When you're applying to college, you're also providing transcripts, teacher recommendations, a recommendation from your guidance counselor (hah, also), and a few other items.
But the REAL question, though actually nowhere on the Common App, lies in the hearts and minds of admissions officers. That question:
Why Should We Take YOU Instead of Your 50,000 Other Competitor-Applicants?
The question is invisible, but the most important question you must answer.
But here's the thing...
You cannot begin thinking about this question when you sit down to fill out the Common Application in August. Your thinking must start much earlier.
When you apply to college, you're summing up the body of work that you began creating the moment you walked into high school for the first time. Maybe even earlier.
It's all on the table: every class you took, every in-school club, sports or other activity, out-of-school activities, summer activities, you name it.
Here's a big problem:
Most families don't meet with their guidance counselor for their Big College Meeting until 11th grade! When most of the high school body of work is already in the books.
There's plenty of blame to go round, but that's not the point of this note. I'm writing to tell you about tomorrow night's college planning webinar, which, among other things, will help you answer the Invisible Question.
It's called A Dirty Dozen Deadly College Planning Mistakes...and how to avoid them. It's free. Topics include:
- College application mistakes
- College essay mistakes
- Financial aid mistakes
- Scholarships mistakes
- College list mistakes
- Guidance counselor mistakes
- "Big Picture" mistakes
- More
We'll be live in the chat so you can ask questions, we'll do our best to answer them, depending on time. I'm trying to keep the whole class to an hour. I hope you can make it --- here's where to sign up:
- Andy Lockwood
P.S. Definitely feel free to pass this along to any of your pals who could use this information.
P.P.S. Our SAT prep class starts next week. It's small and it's guaranteed. Here's where to get the details.