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by Mark Hofer Mark Hofer No Comments

Holistic Applications

As some schools attempt to move away from a highly metrics-only evaluation of applicants to a more holistic assessment, students are challenged to provide a clear, concise, and cogent view of their character and academic potential in different ways. How can students provide this evidence—and where can it be presented most effectively?

The main criteria for admissions evaluations still focuses on weighted GPA and evidence for being a curious, self-driven learner who is also inquisitive about the world; however, a holistic review also looks for the candidate who can authentically reflect, has taken an active participation in multiple communities, sought additional or unique experiences, and is well-rounded in their perspectives, interests, and pursuits.

A student’s weighted GPA is paramount, and thoughtful recommendations are very significant, as are well written and supported essays. But school representatives often note that two common attributes of the strongest and most successful applications are consistency and uniqueness. Does the entire application appear to support the same person? Are strong attributes and characteristics consistently highlighted, and do examples from essays, recommendations, and extracurricular activities correlate and support each another? And, what separates this student from all the other highly qualified students and the sea of sameness?

Providing evidence to address these questions will make an application more powerful and effective.

Some schools fervently promote the use of a holistic view in application evaluations, but what does that mean, and how can students effectively provide the information representatives want to see? How can students create consistency and provide evidence that evaluators are looking for in an application?

There are three main places that an applicate can highlight and support qualities with examples and qualifications:

  • Essays
  • Recommendations
  • The Activity List

These three sections offer extraordinary opportunities. When all three components resonate the same message and story, it is a force multiplier and is more powerful than the sum of the individual statement. Again, consistency is essential and very powerful in holistic evaluations.

Highlighting the same information multiple times, in different ways, supported by different sources is much more effective than sharing it once. Research at Yale University shows that multiple, multifaceted presentations of information will help to fill in information gaps, increases understanding, and promotes empathy. Marketing leverages a communications suggestion that a person needs to hear the same message seven times before they really pay attention to it. While a college applicant may not be able to provide seven points of reference in their application, two or three repetitions from different perspectives will dramatically influence the probability that a characteristic, trait, or behavior associated with college readiness will be remembered by the evaluator.

Consistency is critical. A similar and supporting statement outlined in multiple ways and provided from diverse sources is invaluable. Consistent statements that help support and provided evidence of a student’s character and behaviors are invaluable. While a student can provide relevant examples for their “good leadership skills” a recommending teacher can provide specific examples they have personally observed when the applicant practices and employed “good leadership skills.” In addition, the Activities List is another place to provide supporting evidence of statements. It is much more powerful and effective to “show” (through supporting examples) rather than just “tell” the evaluator that “I am a leader.”

How do you increase consistency over the breadth of your application? Intentionally, thoughtfully, and strategically align your essays, recommendations, and school list information so they resonate with each other.  Be intentional and align your messaging and examples in all areas.

Essays –

Schools look for many things—some you provide on purpose, some you unknowingly provide—in your essay. Your essay theme, the vocabulary you use, tone, examples, references, maturity, and perception of yourself, are all clearly represented in your essays. Take the time to be intentional about what you write and how you write it. This includes providing information that you want to stress to evaluators, then highlight these same things in your Activities List and ask teachers to note them in their recommendations by providing a thoughtful and intentional Brag Sheet. (see below)

Choose those personal character traits and how you perceive yourself, other people, and the world around you very intentionally. Your essay theme is an important vehicle, but the theme is only a vehicle. Identify what you want the evaluator to know about you and then build a story using a theme that can effectively convey that information, thoughtfully and purposefully.

Recommendations –

Schools look for supporting examples and substantive corroboration of your character through the recommendations your teachers provide. If their recommendations mirror and reinforce your stories and information (essays and activities list) evaluators will be more likely to remember—and believe—those traits and behaviors. In addition, teacher recommendations provide another perspective of your college readiness, potential, and authenticity…especially if your recommenders have known you for multiple years and in different classes and/or social settings.

But how do teachers know what you are going to write about in your essay or list in your activities list?

YOU TELL THEM!

On our podcast, Anna Ren and I talk about the power of the Brag Sheet, and how to provide information for your recommenders to highlight. We outline and discuss four main ways your Brag Sheet can help you help your recommenders support you. Please know that teachers want to make the most of their time and be able to support you as effectively as possible. Help them, help you!

The information that you provide in your Brag Sheet will help teachers highlight, confirm, and provide a different and supporting perspective for information you outline in your essays and activities list. Be sure to provide teachers with a minimum of:

  • Your Activities List –
    • This provides specific and accurate information about how you spend your time and what kind of activities are most important to you. Teachers can use this as a guide to make specific references and provide current and accurate examples.
  • Why you are going to college and What you want to learn/study –
    • If a teacher can reference your specific intentions and mirror your statements in other parts of your application (usually essays), that will provide credence for your first-person statements about your academic, professional, and personal goals.
  • Your character traits and strengths –
    • This is not a time to be humble. What do you do well and what are those characteristics you will be highlighting in essays (leadership, tenacity, courage, curiosity) and are also represented and supported by your Activities List?
  • What you would like teachers to stress –
    • This is also not a place to be humble. Be very specific about information that will be highlighted in your essays and activities list. If appropriate, describe a specific event or experience you will be referencing in your essays that the teacher may/may not be aware of. Give your teachers a chance to make you shine and make the most of their time in writing an outstanding and powerful recommendation for you.

Choose your recommenders carefully. For example, many coaches are also teachers. A coach/teacher who can speak to your maturation and evolution as an athlete, student, and leader over four years is a golden opportunity for a powerful and effective recommendation letter. Think about those teachers who know you best and in as many settings as possible—including academics, sports, arts, and as an active part of your community.

If you have an opportunity to submit an additional recommendation, it is best to capitalize on that opportunity and ask for a recommendation from a third (non-academic) recommender. That person may be able to provide additional and important references and examples that will buoy statements about your character and academic/professional intentions. Having an external reference can greatly increase a holistic view of who you are and what makes you tick.

Activities List –

Some college representatives/evaluators openly acknowledge they like to read the activity list entries more than any other section of the application. Why? The activities list can say a lot about the applicant by how items are presented, the order activities are listed, what information is highlighted for specific activities, the breadth of curiosity and courage to try new things, which activities an applicant identifies as most important to them, and what they think colleges want to see and hear. Again, evaluators are gathering information about who you are and how you think as much as they are about what you have done.

Above all, take time to reflect and identify your greatest character strengths and specific examples that highlight those specific strengths, character traits, and behaviors. You only have 150 characters—make every character count.

Your list of activities also provides a timeline and evidence for how you have chosen to spend your time during high school. Evaluators can cross-reference the statements in your essays and recommendations to see if your statements are also supported by the activities you list and the amount of time you have devoted to each. Your list also provides evidence for the number of activities you have tried and how much time you have spent on each, as well as your role and responsibilities in those activities. Then they can examine your level of participation, the duration you have participated, and if you have actively pursued increasing roles of responsibility as a participant…or leader.

For example:

  • Don’t just tell… “I am a leader”…but show
    • “As a junior class ASB treasurer I gathered peers together to conduct three projects that raised over $10,000 for 5 local community organizations including X, Y, and Z.”
  • Don’t just tell… “I am passionate about politics and civic engagement”…but show
    • “During the past 4 political mid-term and two presidential cycles I have volunteered for 6 campaigns and have been placed in roles of greater responsibility including X, Y, and Z.”
  • Don’t just tell… “Cross country runner”…but show
    • “Varsity & JV runner; lead league in 9th/10th; recruited 19 new runners, current co-captain; 3rdat state championships (2021) & invited to 2022 Nike Nat’l XC Invitational”

As more schools are overwhelmed by applications, finding a way to separate yourself from “the sea of sameness” is becoming increasingly important in the application evaluations process. Take the time to look at your application components as an intentional, thoughtful, and cohesive singular statement. Create a powerful and effective holistic application by highlighting your unique character and experiences through different perspectives and evidence from multiple views and sources.

by Mark Hofer Mark Hofer No Comments

The SAT Resurrection

The pressure is on. 
The high school classes of 2021 and 2022 will provide invaluable evidence regarding the SAT/ACT and whether these tests actually predict future college success. While it is common knowledge that antibiotics kill viruses (they don’t) and SAT and ACT scores indicate future success in college (they don’t), the college classes of 2024, 2025, and 2026 may provide substantial and invaluable evidence about the efficacy of the SAT/ACT. Although the usefulness of antibiotics on viruses can be directly tested, the validity of the SAT and ACT as predictors of college success continues to be one of the most influential, highly controversial, contentious, and likely tendentious questions in education. 

First, it just isn’t true. The College Board has pushed their SAT exam as the primary indicator of academic college success on students, schools, and even national and state governments for decades. Currently, over two million high school juniors spend countless hours studying, practicing, and stressing, all in the hopes of increasing their SAT/ACT score-even though most evidence shows that these tests don’t predict much of anything, yet alone future college success. 

It is not standardized. The name, format, scoring, length, and even the definition of what the SAT purports to measure has been notoriously and continuously ephemeral. The College Board has changed the definition and name of the SAT-and what it purports to measure-no fewer than four times. Originally the “School AptitudeTest” became the “Scholastic Assessment Test,” only to be changed to the “SAT I: Reasoning Test,” and most recently, the nondescript “SAT.” Why the changes? After College Board’s own multiple failures over many decades to validate the SAT exam as a measure of anything associated with academics or college potential, they did what any ethically bound non-profit organization would do-they repeatedly changed the name of the test. After these multiple band-aid monikers the College Board ultimately decided to stop wasting their money trying to validate the test and finally acknowledged publicly-the SAT could not authentically be called the Scholastic Assessment Test, and that the “letters SAT did not stand for anything.” And still, many colleges require these tests to apply to college, but more disturbingly, exam scores are directly tied to merit scholarships. 

It’s about equity. In 2020 and 2021, nearly all colleges and universities did the right thing and did not requirestudents to submit standardized test scores as part of their college applications because the global pandemic severely limited the administration of standardized tests (SAT, ACT, AP). Of course, some colleges and universities had to be courageous enough to be first and lead the way for others to do the right thing, and some schools only did so after extreme social pressure and duress. However, schools still used test scores as the main consideration for which students received merit scholarships. That’s correct, the clear inequity that underserved students experienced in opportunities to take the SAT/ACT was recognized by schools as directly influencing admission evaluations…but not evaluations for merit scholarships. For example, although none of the Ivies provide any appreciable merit money, the University of Denver is “test optional;” however, they are openly intrepid about providing merit money to only those applicants with high SAT/ACT scores. As Todd Rinehart, vice chancellor of enrollment states, “We could say we’re not going to play in this space because we see the inequity, but if we want to have a competitive chance of enrolling them (high potential students as defined by DU) we better pay market value.” 

Now the clock is ticking. What will the numbers say? Will students who were admitted to schools be more, less, or equally successful in college even though they were evaluated without an SAT/ACT score? There will, undoubtedly, be arguments about the definition of success (freshman GPA, sophomore retention rate, four-year graduation rate, admission to grad school, job acquisition post three-month graduation, ad infinitum). 

And while we wait for these metrics to reveal how the class of 2026 ultimately fairs, human and institutional laziness will surely creep back in. Schools will passively return to what was easy, safe, and predictable. Actually, the SAT/ACT application requirements for 2021 applicants have nearly returned to pre-COVID-19 state already. Why? Because numbers are clear, safe, and schools will again bask in the simple verisimilitude that a 1470 SAT score is patently better than a 1100 SAT and indicates higher academic potential and future college success. Once again schools will admit those applicants with higher SAT scores and provide them with more and higher merit scholarships. Using convenient test scores is much easier, quicker, cheaper, and more effective to hide the sausage making than employing a truly holistic evaluation of each applicant. While a school can be called to the floor (or courtroom) for admitting a student who has evidence for more academic curiosity, gumption, and moxie-no one seems to question an admission based on a 1470 vs. 1100. Even David Coleman, the President of the College Board stated, “We must certainly ask ourselves if we are, together or as a group, doing all we can to advance equity and excellence…because if you look around, it sure doesn’t look like it.” Clearly, if there is any hope to achieve some modicum of equity on the path to college, the SAT and ACT will have to be taken out of the college admissions and financial aid equation.

Do well Class of 2024 and 2025! You represent the best SAT/ACT experiment and stress test to date. Make us proud. Provide us with clear evidence that numbers alone do not define a student’s future potential. Show us all that your admission to college was not a mistake, no matter who you are or which school you attend. 
The pressure is on.

by Mark Hofer Mark Hofer No Comments

I Did vs. I Can’t

One student wrote, “I couldn’t do anything.”

Another student said, “I did this,” and quickly outlined five things they made and did over the last year, enthusiastically adding details about what they learned in the process.

Which student do you think was accepted to more colleges and provided more financial aid?

The year of 2020 – 2021 was a year of challenges and hopefully many changes in perspective. I have worked with teens for over twenty-five years, and they are my continuous and highly vocal barometer of social trends, the incoming cultural perspective, parenting standards, and fervent offerings of the current “song of my generation” – Pursuit of Happiness by Kid Cudi, seriously? Teens are amazing, when they want to be. I have witnessed this often. However, this past year has provided teens (and parents) with a blatant choice to seize this odd period and seek out treasure—or gravitate towards the human default statement: “I can’t.” 

I have seen more teens flush more time down the toilet in the past year because of one thing—apathy. While NetFlix and Forge of Empires are definitely part of the equation, apathy is the driving variable. In its most basic definition, apathy is the mental default to laziness and pessimism. Conversely, I have seen an equal number of students discover more about “learning more with less” than ever before. More than ever—and now buoyed by the evidence I have witnessed this past year—it is clear that the “apathy vs. intellectual resourcefulness” behavior is not genetic; it is learned.

While Carol Dweck opened the conversation about growth-mindset, I think there is much more value in helping students develop curiosity and gumption…and embrace a good failure now and again. Failure can be solid evidence for the pursuit of a worthy challenge, and gumption. One good failure is much better than a year of “I couldn’t.” Fail forward. Communicate learning and growth. Dare to look and be foolish.

I don’t like to frame everything for teens around college applications, or even education. That only diminishes self-driven and curious learners who later become thoughtful and intentional voters. However, I take great joy in helping students showcase their character, skills, interests, and talents in pursuit of higher education and financial support. And while colleges require evidence for academic challenge and metrics of success, good schools increasingly value and reward curiosity, gumption, and even failure. 

Most college admissions representatives are authentically open about what they look for in applicants and applications. While they admit being held hostage to metrics such as GPA and test scores, the best of them will openly admit they are human. They want to find a diamond. They want to champion the underdog. And they admit, a student who “did something” gains more empathy than one who “couldn’t do anything” every time. A student who can clearly and convincingly communicate what they learned when failing to create a sourdough bake bread starter, building a loom, creating a YouTube channel, starting an Etsy business, taking the free Harvard CS50 class online, or toilet training their cat, is going to gain more empathy and support in the evaluation and admission process than a student who announces, unapologetically, “I couldn’t do anything.” Carpe diem.

For those who want to be a student who says “I did,” or help support one:

by Mark Hofer Mark Hofer No Comments

Are You Curious?

Colleges want to know if you are curious. But what are they really looking for, and where can you provide evidence of your curiosity?

“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” 
-Albert Einstein

The Oxford English Dictionary defines CURIOSITY as “A strong desire to know or learn something.” However, current research provides a much more complex and multifaceted picture. There are different types of curiosity: epistemic, empathic, and diversive—and the motivation for each is quite different. 

First, there is epistemic curiosity. This is the drive to know more about something. For example, you know that deep, dark rabbit hole you fall into on the internet when you become obsessed to eliminate gaps of information … just because it feels satisfying? That satisfaction is your brain being stimulated by a squirt of dopamine, quenching a chemically induced thirst in your brain. Google, Netflix, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, and all the other players know exactly how to stimulate and feed your epistemic curiosity, but fortunately colleges won’t be evaluating your Google search history. However, when you are driven to know more about “the right things” and feed that kind of specific curiosity (e.g. – when to use an SN2 reaction in organic chemistry, when Boolean logic is appropriate, or why the ideal gas law is so awesome)—that kind of curiosity is labeled as productive learning, and colleges want to see evidence of that behavior.

“Much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition 
turned out to be priceless later on.” 
– Steve Jobs

The second type of curiosity, empathic, is the drive to know other people and understand how they think and feel. When you build relationships and are comfortable in your empathic ventures, it is psychologically and physically pleasurable. Again, research has found this empathetic state and the drive to reproduce the feeling is driven by high releases of dopamine. Colleges also look for evidence of this type of curiosity in applicants’ essays, letters of recommendation, and in the extracurriculars you choose to participate. Why? Because socially successful and empathetic-rich students are often more successful in college, in and out of the classroom.

“In business it’s about people. It’s about relationships.” 
– Kathy Ireland

There is also a third type of “curiosity” that some researchers have suggested—diversive curiosity. This is when you search your phone looking for new messages just to keep from actually thinking or reflecting about something of value. But colleges aren’t concerned with your need for likes or your Twitter feed desires. My suggestion—derail that habit and evoke your epistemic curiosity instead.

“A few years ago, users of internet services began to realize that 
when an online service is free, you’re not the customer. 
You’re the product.” 
– Tim Cook

Okay, so there are three kinds of curiosity, but what kind of curiosity are schools looking for, and why?

Colleges are struggling with a new era of applicant evaluations that does not include standardized testing metrics, most notably the SAT and ACT. Metrics are safe. Evaluations can be justified with reference to a number. This includes numbers that are known to provide spurious correlations—such as higher SAT scores = greater college success—that have buoyed inequitable evaluations for college admission and financial aid awards for decades. Moreover, The College Board and standardized tests are currently falling out of favor for many reasons, including access inequity during COVID. It is hard to take a test if your area doesn’t provide one and you can’t travel to take it. For that reason, colleges are anxiously looking for other indicators of future college success. Enter the search for natural, self-driven, curious students.

Colleges are looking for students who can provide evidence for being self-driven learners. Do you ask questions and does your curiosity drive you to learn on your own? Do you find opportunities outside the classroom such as internships, jobs, and opportunities to mentor? Most of our education system is based on responding to someone else’s questions and agenda, but that isn’t what many industries need or want. There is a growing need for those who can ask better questions and look for innovative solutions, on their own. College are looking to steward such students.

Schools are increasingly searching for students who take ownership of their education and apply their learning beyond the classroom. For example, a student that learns to code and then applies that knowledge to solve a community need or to share their new skills by teaching other students, has moved from Bloom’s taxonomy of merely understanding knowledge, to the application and synthesis levels of understanding. Colleges have observed that students with these curiosity-driven learning/application/synthesis behaviors become the most academically and socially successful at their schools.

Curiosity is surely embedded deep in the nature vs. nurture spectrum—partially inherited, and some learned. Like most behaviors, curiosity is likely a combination of many different factors including genetic predisposition, environment, practice, and encouragement. But no matter why a student exhibits curiosity, colleges are looking for evidence in essays, resumes, and letters of recommendation that show an applicant is exercising that muscle.

As an educator I strive to engage students and inspire their curiosity; however, you can lead a student to a good quandary, but you can’t make them think. Some students are naturally curious. Or are they? Nearly all the best scientists and engineers I have worked with ask questions and are driven to find answers. Almost to a person, they note this behavior was either practiced by their family, a family member, or a mentor/teacher who challenged them to ask questions and seek useful answers. While there may be a genetic predisposition to be curious, the habit is a learned—and often modeled—behavior.

Being curious is simply asking questions. The scientific method is, foundationally, asking questions in a systematic format. Questions can be inspired by the surrounding world, other people, or a new piece of information or experience. However, cognitive dissonance (when the brain is faced with a situation that does not match current understanding or expectation) there are two options: dismiss the misalignment, or seek to understand. Colleges have mounting evidence that suggest that students who naturally seek to understand and cannot allow cognitive dissonance to exist are academically more successful. They are looking for students who like to think.

All areas of STEM industry are founded on asking questions—being curious. Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? Good scientists continuously ask these questions about everything. The next step is developing a way to answer questions in a clear, concise, and cogent method. The scientific method is one systematic way to do just that. However, daily life is filled with questions and problems that successful people answer and solve. Students applying to college will be much more competitive if they just practice being more curious.

“Learning is by nature, curiosity.” 
– Plato

For more information about curiosity and how to develop it, you might enjoy:
Britannica’s Curiosity Quiz

Astrophysicist and curiosity addict, Mario Livio’s book – 
Why? What Makes Us Curious.

A formula for asking good questions: Warren Berger’s book – 
A More Beautiful Question.

by Mark Hofer Mark Hofer No Comments

School Culture?

Who creates a school’s culture? Given that the first tenet of modern psychology is: “Human behavior is consistent and predictable,” school culture has traditionally been created through decades of consistently modeled student behaviors. But what happens when culture cannot be observed or modeled?

“We seldom realize, for example, that our most private thoughts and emotions are not actually our own. For we think in terms of languages and images which we did not invent, but which were given to us by society.” — Alan W. Watts

High school and college administrators recognize there is an opportunity to create an entirely new school culture every four years. Administration can strategically guide and encourage the behaviors of entering freshman who will be role models for the next year’s class. Rinse and repeat for three years and you can develop a new school culture. But what if upper classmen are not present to model the accepted, promoted, and perpetuated cultural norms?

“Cultures grow on the vine of tradition.”– Jonah Goldberg

Here’s a thought: What if schools are unable to open in 2021? Given the current trends, this is not inconceivable—actually, it is more probable each day. But what would that situation look like and what kind of impact would it have on school culture?

A majority of this year’s college freshman will not “go” to college. They are experiencing college academics virtually, without any exposure to campus culture or traditions. In addition, last year’s freshman were on campus for six months or less. That wasn’t enough time to find the best grilled cheese sandwiches and gelato, yet alone learn why a class starting before 8:00 a.m. is a rookie mistake. For all intents and purposes, in September of 2021, half of all college students will have no personal experience with the culture of the school they have “attended” for two years. In addition, upper classmen will have been absent from the campus for two years and clueless about what upper classmen are supposed to do, because they haven’t had anyone model those behaviors for them. Then—hopefully— there will be a full reboot of colleges and universities in September of 2022.

“If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got.”
— Albert Einstein

In 2022, three years of students—freshman, sophomores, and juniors—may join seniors on campuses. However, many seniors will have been absent from campus for two years and be completely unpracticed in modeling the ways of the school and its culture. Juniors were only on campus for six months, and then away from the school for two years. And freshman and sophomores will be completely ignorant about the school’s culture. Also keep in mind that most sophomores and freshmen never even visited their school for a campus tour during COVID. What do you call this? An opportunity.

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference.” — Robert Frost

Never before have students had such an opportunity to develop the culture of their schools. This cultivation will be happening at nearly three thousand schools across the United States—and in other countries. Untangled and freed from the shackles of tradition and circumstance, the question is…who creates a school’s culture? Who will lead? Administration? Professors? Students?

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” — Alan Kay

by Mark Hofer Mark Hofer No Comments

Learning vs College Applications

“What should I do during vacation… you know, to look good on college applications?”

I hear this question often. Students and parents usually want to know if attending an organized camp, traveling far away to help people, or taking a college class will look good on college applications. I first acknowledge that each of these experiences can be valuable—and then suggest that painting a house, babysitting, publishing a blog, getting a j.o.b., learning an instrument, taking a bike apart, learning to sew, taking a daily walk, volunteering, speak (and think!) only in Spanish for a week, or even becoming a busker… can be just as valuable, when approached with the right mindset and two questions.

“Never let formal education get in the way of your learning.”

– Mark Twain

Okay, what are these questions that lead to college application success?

  1. Why am I doing this? (No, really, why?)
  2. What did I learn today?

A student who habitually keeps these two questions front of mind, every day, will shine on any application. “Why did I take X class, program, job, internship, trip?” And “What were the most important things I learned, and why are they important?” Document answers. Share answers with others. Apply what you learned. Applicants will quickly separate themselves from all the other outstanding academics and test takers by providing clear evidence of self-driven and intentional choice-making, and authentic reflection.

However, this isn’t just about college applications. We would all be more effective if we started the day by asking “Why am I doing this?” and finishing with “What did I learn?” Unfortunately, the competition, hype, and unwarranted focus on admission to elite colleges has derailed all of us from attending to Why? and What? But colleges and universities are now looking beyond GPA and SAT scores. Spurred by increasing student depression, anxiety, and suicides, schools are shifting evaluation criteria and now actively seek students who routinely ask these important questions. Why? Because student who ask these questions make better choices, and are more successful in college. They become intentional learners and make thought(filled)-driven choices.

“My grandmother wanted me to have an education, so she kept me out of school.”

– Margaret Mead

The most competitive college applicants will provide clear evidence for attending to Why? and What? questions. Can a student effectively communicate why they did X, and what they learned? Students who provide consistent evidence of these behaviors will stand out like a beacon in a sea of sameness. Where students go during vacations or what they do is secondary to what they learn. Learning to effectively communicate their intentional, self-driven, and courageous growth is the best way a student can… you know, look good on college applications.

“Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.”

– Albert Einstein

by Mark Hofer Mark Hofer No Comments

The Honor Code

I just returned from the land of over a thousand, small, outstanding, liberal-arts colleges. I believe it is called… Minnesota. Okay, that might be hyperbole, but Minneapolis is loaded with academic opportunity. Think of Boston, but with wheat fields and friendly cows. While I found the landscape beautiful, the people incredibly friendly, and the cheese sublime, one thing definitely stood out.

by Mark Hofer Mark Hofer No Comments

Admissions Scandal vs. The Real Scandal

A salacious scandal can be so very captivating, and Operation Varsity Blues definitely qualifies as a good scandal. It highlights many unsavory human characteristics, such as greed, power, deceit, cheating, personal gain at all costs, vainglory, and incredulity… just because it’s fun to say. But the real scandal in college admissions isn’t the tiny percentage of fraudulent student applications. The real scandal is something much larger, covert, and devastating to students and families preparing for college honestly. The scandal is, access to information.

This post is about much-less-exciting issues associated with the college application and admissions process that has recently fallen from grace. These issues are, however, much more important than the high profile scandal currently distracting us from looking behind the curtain of the college applications and admissions process. Pay no attention to those levers, just keep your eyes on the big money and Hollywood glitter.

Here is a perspective from ten-thousand feet on this current issue and situation.

Admissions…the reality –

  • There are over 3,000 four-year colleges in the US, not just the 100 that US News and World Report would like us to believe.
  • Eighty percent of US colleges accept at least 50% of their applicants
  • There are only about 30 schools with an acceptance rate of less than 15%, with Stanford/Harvard hovering around 4.5%, but Curtis Institute of Music leading the pack at 4.3%.
  • Over 2 million students apply to college each year.
  • If the Varsity Blues “scandal” includes more than a 1,000 students—and it won’t—that would still only be a tiny fraction of 1% of students applying and getting accepted to college. It is a tiny fraction even if we only looked at 100 of the schools with the lowest acceptance rates.

Standardized Tests… the reality –

  • Over 1.6 million students take the SAT each year and about the same number take the ACT. (The College Board, the company that provides the SAT, is an incredibly profitable not-for-profit company with high-paid lobbyists and its not-for-profit status is regularly called into question.)
  • The scandal shouldn’t be that people can and did cheat on the SAT, the scandal should be that the SAT is not a predictor of future college success and yet it is one of the most important evaluation components at many universities and colleges.
  • Over 1000 US schools have dropped or don’t require the SAT/ACT admissions requirement. Even well-known schools such as: (U of Chicago, Wesleyan, George Washington, Brandeis, Pitzer, Bowdoin, etc.) don’t use the SAT for admissions evaluation. And there are many more schools following suit. The College Board is not pleased…and shouldn’t be given they make hundreds of millions of dollars from the SAT each year. I would be remiss not to mention that the ACT is run by a reputable not-for-profit organization and doesn’t employ lobbyists to promote their test like The College Board (SAT) does.
  • The number of incidents involving fraudulent ACT/SAT tests is a fraction of a fraction of a percent. Does bribery—or rather, debauchery, because it’s more fun to say—occur? Sure. Is it wide-spread? No. Is it statistically significant? Definitely, No. Is it salacious? Absolutely!

Coaches and Admissions Representatives… the reality –

  • To believe, or even assume, that there are more than a handful of fraudulent coaches and admissions representatives at colleges in the US is offensive to those thousands of coaches and college admissions representatives who are doing great work for students, families, and colleges/universities. Do cheaters exist in those professions? Yes. Would more than a handful be able to operate without being caught? Not a chance.

Then what should students and families focus on in order to make a college application as strong and competitive as possible? What are the best ways to develop appropriate, effective, and competitive applications (and test scores) through diligence, planning, and study… that are much more productive than focusing on the incredibly small number of bad actors?

Rather than focus on the titillating things, focus on positive things that all students and families can control, things like tenacity, integrity, perseverance, hard work, creativity, mission alignment, and most importantly, preparing a plan early. Research the college application process early and get advice on how to prepare. Again, rather than focus on debauchery, take a step back and acknowledge the much more important and positive ways to spend our time and energy.

Your Story –

Admissions representatives and application evaluators consistently identify a student’s story, academic record, and recommendations working together as a “cohesive and unified statement” as the most effective and influential part of a competitive college application.

Essay + Recommendations + EC’s = Your Story. All application components should strongly resonate the same story and build a clear picture of who you are, what is most important to you, your character, sense of humor, and yes…even those things you need to work on. Providing evidence of “Humble Swagger” is something that college admissions representatives will not only appreciate, but they will also champion.

Time and Preparation –

When I work with students, the most valuable commodity is… time. Time to prepare a student and time for a student to prepare.

An essay written over a weekend can never be as thoughtful and polished as an essay developed, re-worked, percolated, and refined over a few months and multiple drafts. Again, admissions representatives tell us that drafts and refinement are just as evident as having someone else “over-helping” the process. And yes, they can tell.

When writing a personal statement essay a reader/evaluator should see a clear picture of who you are, what is most important to you, your character, influences, ambitions, goals, and excitement for the future. That is a big burden for a 650-word statement. To do that well requires time, percolation, cogitation and time. Start early. Get feedback. Draft. Draft. Draft.

Consistently studying for the SAT over six months a little at a time will provide much greater results than cramming for a weekend. I know, that’s boring… but true. One of the best correlations to SAT/ACT improvement is the number of practice tests taken. Intentional study of unmastered content identified during practice tests also correlates to improved scores. With dozens of free, online, timed, full-length SAT tests w/answers… there is no excuse not to prepare. I personally know a student who raised their SAT score from 1080 to 1480 in six months using Khan Academy, taking a full-length practice test every other week, and studying for four-six hours on unmastered content between tests. I didn’t think that was possible. I also know many students who have scored 1500+ using only Khan Academy to prepare.

Okay, what SHOULD college-bound students and families be most concerned with? It isn’t Photoshop skills, paying someone to take your SAT, or worrying about cheaters. It is much less glamorous.

  • Know the Early Decision/Action process– unless you know about the different application periods (Early Decision, Early Action, General Admission, etc.,) the pros/cons of each, and have the support and knowledge to complete your application on time, you are at a significant disadvantage for admission. At some schools, the admissions rate it 100% higher during Early Admissions—schools like Stanford. At some schools, your chances are 200% higher applying Early Action – like U Penn. If you have the resources and support—as well as access to navigate and understand the application process— you are at an advantage. People with money often know about this admissions advantage, prepare their students earlier, and apply with a significant advantage.
  • Leverage free resources– If you know about them, they can help you prepare to be competitive. A few include Khan Academy – SAT prep and the podcast College Admissions with Mark and Anna– all things college applications/admissions. (A shameless plug indeed!)
  • Fly-In Programs– “There is no substitute for meeting face-to-face.” Research which colleges provide and pay for visits to their school. (Project Greenlight provides a compiled on-line list of participating schools)
  • Research schools—early and with intention—and know why you are going to college. For example, do you know your personal, academic and professional mission? Are they the same or are they different? The schools you apply to should have “mission alignment” with your mission. When mission alignment is showcased in your application as part of Your Story, schools know that you love them and mean it. That’s when schools not only admit you, they may give you money.
  • Get off the screen, social media, and Netflix. Once addicted, it is hard to fit in all the college preparation—including GPA maintenance—as well as building your “Brand” “Story” “Special Sauce.” Acknowledging the problem is the first step. Teens hate it when we say that. I recommend, iGen – Jean Tenge, and Irresistible – Adam Alter. These research-driven books will radically shift your perspective on our relationship with screens and who/what is turning on who/what.
  • Meet people and build relationships– These people will be your support system, your network, and your recommendations. (If you spend all your time in front of a screen you are not fostering these critical components of your college application…and your life.) I challenge teens with the same challenge I was sagely provided, “Meet a new person every day.” Priceless, but usually not very salacious.
by Mark Hofer Mark Hofer No Comments

How Much Is Too Much?

I recently spoke with a senior attending a prestigious film school in southern California about tuition and student loans. He told me, “My $109,000 college loan debt is just the price of a good education.” Then, I asked him if he knew what compound interest was; he wasn’t quite sure. Actually, he had no idea how his loans were structured, the relative impact this debt would have on his lifestyle after graduation, or why it was or was not a good investment. With a national student loan debt surpassing $1.6 Billion as evidence, I don’t think this knowledge gap is unusual for most students entering college.

There is a simple rule that many college admissions counselors suggest students and families us when considering student loan debt. Do not graduate with more debt than the average starting yearly salary of the occupation you pursue. If you pursue a computer science degree with an average (national) yearly salary of about $65,000 for new graduates, you can afford to take on some debt with some confidence you can pay it back without extraordinary or undue stress. Conversely, if you are getting your teaching degree, a new graduate can expect to earn about $38,500in the first year after graduation. Why is this important? If the boat is leaking faster than you can bail water, you don’t want to be the captain. This is also how compound interest can quickly drown new graduates and their future ambitions.

In addition, students must realize that all degrees—and later, jobs—within a discipline, such as “engineering” or “finance” are not the same. For example, some engineering degrees, such as aerospace, command a significantly higher starting salary ($72,000) than a civil engineering degree ($59,000). In addition, some degrees are worth more in some states than others. A teacher, for example, may have a starting salary of $51,000in New Jersey or Washington D.C., but only $30,000in Montana. That 40% difference is critical when trying to pay back student loans.

As students contemplate undergraduate education it is crucial they consider the amount of debt incurred relative to the earning potential of the skills they will obtain. This valuation is often referred to as the Return On Investment, or ROI. However, to fully establish the ROI for a specific school and specific student, other variables must also be considered. Is the student considering graduate school (and the associated loans/percentages) after receiving an undergraduate degree? Is a graduate degree in the specific area of work sought actually needed? How much will a graduate school degree in that area of study cost? All of these variables create a complex dance between debt, earning power, and time. However, choosing an undergraduate school before considering these questions can quickly create a loan burden that determines a lifestyle for decades.

The current average debt for a student graduating with an undergraduate degree is over $37,000. The average salary of a new graduate is just over $50,000. While this does not seem to present a national crisis, the current national college loan debt is over $1.5 Trillion and that is more than the national credit card or auto-loan debt. Much of this debt is driven by the pursuit of higher education at schools where the high costs of attendance require students to take out large loans to attend. According to the research collected by Frank Bruni, taking on inappropriate debt for undergraduate education has been shown to be a bad investment. Getting the best possible undergraduate education at a school you can afford (through personal finances or through grants and scholarship), getting high grades, and graduating with as little debt as possible is the smart decision and is supported by research and evidence. If you follow this path, graduate with little debt and with marketable skills, you have the choice to enter industry or taking on some debt for graduate school—and graduate school increasingly pays off in most, but not all, professions.

Do the preliminary work and reflection to identify the best college for you and your family and don’t be misled by unsubstantiated pressures to attend brand name, expensive schools. Your future will thank you.

by Mark Hofer Mark Hofer No Comments

New Day Northwest – Preparing for College Applications

Educating students and families about the college application and admissions process is my professional mission, and a good way to reach students and families is… on TV! Margaret Larson graciously invited me to her show, New Day Northwest, to talk about reducing the stress that students and parents experience during the college application process. Although there are only a handful of steps associated with applying to college, knowing those steps: GPA, SAT/ACT, essays, recommendations, extracurriculars, FAFSA/CSS, and developing an appropriate college list, one of the most critical parts in creating a competitive application is starting early! If you are a sophomore, or even a freshman, there are many things you can start doing now to prepare for college applications and to be much more competitive for admissions… and scholarships. Don’t delay, reach out to those who know the current application process, the culture and mission of individual colleges and universities, and can help guide you to the best possible college for you and your family.

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