The new Common Application essay prompts

The new Common Application essay prompts

The Common Application has released the essay prompts for the 2017-2018 year. You can find the official announcement on their official site here.

Two of them are exactly the same as last year--the one about your "background, identity, interest, or talent," and the one about "the problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve"--and the other three from the previous year got some tweaks and revisions but are basically the same.

What's really interesting, though, are two new and additional prompts, bringing the number of prompts up to seven.

On swastikas and rec letters

On swastikas and rec letters

Can a teacher take back a recommendation letter? Sure. Recommendation letters are personal statements that a teacher chooses to make about a student's character. They are not mandated or regulated by high schools, and they should be thought of as personal favors. So if a teacher speaks to your outstanding character and then sees evidence that maybe it's not so outstanding, then a teacher can take the recommendation back. This is very, very rare.

Two approaches to getting waitlisted

Two approaches to getting waitlisted

You can't refuse to make other plans hoping that you'll hear back from the school that waitlisted you. Depending on the college and the year (even if you look up their statistics from last year, they may be wildly different this year), your chances of hearing good news later are either slim, very slim, or maddeningly slim. You have to move on. 

Somewhere in your mind, though, you'll keep wondering what to do if it turns out you actually are one of the rare few who gets a spot later. Let's go over two different approaches to dealing with that possibility so it doesn't add anxiety to all your days between now and September.

Picking the right school for your major

Picking the right school for your major

I have students ask me--though maybe in not these exact words--how to go to the right for school for "that competitive edge in the marketplace" if you are really sure of your intended major and career and you're not one of those less-driven, wishy-washy people who will change their mind. 

Sigh.

Fine, let's talk about that. 

In case you missed it, December and January

Thanks for visiting Apply with Sanity. Now that you're back in the groove with the second half of the school year, here's a peek at what you may have missed over the winter.

I interviewed a college student about her path to becoming a double major.

I recommended two books by one of my favorite nonfiction writers.

I gave some tips for what to do over the winter break, as well as updating the What Should I Be Doing Now? section for 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades.

I talked about some of the emotions your family might be going through right now as you're getting ready to leave high school.

I advised you on how to ask a college for a larger financial aid package.

I reminded you that your career path will likely involve more than one career, with examples of people who have made some big changes.

I revealed what I learned from talking to a college Dean of Admission and Enrollment.

I put out a call for seniors to share their wisdom.

I told you how to say Thank You.

I'll continue updating the site several times a week, so please let me know your thoughts, questions, and suggestions.

Saying "Thank you"

Saying "Thank you"

For most high school seniors, the active part of school applications is winding down. Now is the time for waiting. While you're waiting to hear from schools and thinking about how to choose from your acceptances, take some time to write some thank you notes. Write one to everyone who has done something for you along the way: teachers who wrote recommendation letters, counselors who sent off transcripts, college admissions personnel who answered questions, people who took time to interview you. Everybody. They gave some of their time to help you, and you should thank them if you haven't already.

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Talk with the Dean

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Talk with the Dean

Back in December I had a phone conversation with Christine Bowman, the Dean of Admission and Enrollment Services at Southwestern University. [See full disclosure below.] I originally reached out to her to ask about admissions essays and how they're analyzed, but over an hour we talked about a number of things. Here are the three main ideas that came up.

What should I be doing now? 11th grade

What should I be doing now? 11th grade

The best way to prepare for college is to be a good high school student, and there may be no more important semester of high school--as far as college planning is concerned--than this semester. When admissions counselors look at you transcript next fall, this semester is the most recent and full picture they have. While they'll look at all your grades and activities, the junior year is more important. It lets them see how you perform in more rigorous classes and more leadership roles than you're likely to have in the 9th and 10th grade. 

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Your parents' fears and wishes

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Your parents' fears and wishes

Welcome to the new year and a semester!

If you're a senior, you've likely already sent off most or all of your applications. That means you probably have at least a little bit of anxiety about how things are going to turn out.

As a way to put that stress and anxiety into some greater context, please talk to your family about their fears and hopes about your academic future.

Cal Newport

Cal Newport

Cal Newport is a Computer Science professor and productivity writer. You may have seen his recent piece in the New York Times about social media. While his intended audience has shifted toward professionals, specifically "knowledge workers," earlier in his career he wrote a lot about and for students. 

Two of Newport's earlier books are especially good for ambitious high school students.

Changing your mind, again

Changing your mind, again

When I posted my piece in November about double majors, Allison--currently a student an Occidental College--commented about an important aspect I overlooked: at some universities, especially large ones, switching majors can be very difficult. High school students who really do plan on double majoring should make solid plans ahead of time to facilitate it. I agreed with her point...and then recruited her to tell me more about her own mind-changing switch to a double major.

In Case You Missed It, November

Thank you for visiting Apply with Sanity, which is now two months old. November included a major holiday and some other important stuff, so here's a run-down of what you may have missed in the past month.

I covered President Obama's official statement proclaiming November "National College Application Month."

I recommended the one book that every college-bound high school student should have--and it's free!

I discussed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, which may be useful for understanding yourself a little better.

I recommended against planning a double major, or at least telling people you're planning a double major.

I gave some good news about the cost of college.

I poked fun at the Japanese robot who did poorly on college admissions tests.

I talked about bias in college admissions, and why you shouldn't worry about it.

I'll continue to update the blog twice a week, and there are plenty of other sections on this site to peruse. Leave a comment if there are any subjects you'd like to to cover.

Coming soon, I'll update the "What Should I Be Doing Now?" section for the spring semester. Happy Holidays!

Changing your mind

Changing your mind

Today we hear from Gisele, possibly the most upbeat, optimistic, and enthusiastic student I ever taught. She's now at Dartmouth. I asked Gisele to tell me about when she changed majors and why she took a gap year to pursue a music project, and her responses surprised me. Plus, she's still considering making some tweaks even after coming to terms with what she wants.