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Essays, Resumes, and Letters of Recommendation Christina Hunter Admission Counselor University of Denver
Transcript of Essays, Resumes, and Letters of Recommendationnhs.svvsd.org › files › Niwot-DU Presentation...
Essays, Resumes,
and Letters of
Recommendation Christina Hunter
Admission Counselor
University of Denver
Different universities have
different requirements…
Check your college applications.
Types of College Essays
• Common Application
o Used at over 520 colleges
and universities
o Essay of at least 250 (but
no more than 650) words
o 6 topics to choose from
• Common Application
supplemental essays
o Prompts vary by school
• College-specific
Sample Essay Size:
250 words isn’t much! DU’s Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning (CCESL) has received a
$315,000 grant from the Morgridge Family Foundation to create a variety of civic
engagement opportunities for DU students. The Morgridge Community Scholars program is
for DU students interested in moving from critical thinking into critical action. Student
participants will follow a project structure that includes research; development of a
project plan in collaboration with faculty and other students; and project
implementation. The Community Leader Corps is for students interested in developing
community-based leadership skills by working with other students and community
partners around social justice issues. Students will learn how to identify local social
justice issues, develop public relationships, work with community partners and accomplish
community work with other students. Morgridge Community Scholars will receive a $5,000
scholarship to complete their work. Community Leaders will receive a $2,000 annual
fellowship and are eligible to receive a $500 annual stipend to implement community
work. Foundation support also will be used to develop alternative spring breaks,
international immersion programs and a Volunteer Corps for DU students to work in
economically stressed areas of the country and the world and to develop skills and habits
that will allow them to work with others to make a difference in these communities. “The
Morgridge Family Foundation’s support is important to CCESL because it provides us with
opportunities to support students who are interested in accomplishing community-based
work,” says Eric Fretz, director of CCESL. “The gift will allow us to provide scholarship
dollars and……
The College Essay
In the rest of your
application, admission
counselors hear about you.
The essay is our opportunity
to hear from you.
Keep it simple. Always answer the question or choose a topic that interests you.
Demonstrate your writing abilities.
Tell your readers something they don’t already know about you. Tell your story!
Don’t whine or criticize.
Proofread your work!
Components of a Quality Essay
Write in your own voice.
Essay Prompts
1. Open-ended
o Opportunity to describe yourself and
tell a personal story
2. Recount an incident or event in your life
o Explain how that event impacted you
3. Reflect on past experiences
o Discuss how those experiences made
you into who you are today
4. Discuss an issue
o An opportunity for you to show your
ability to think outside the box
5. Explain why you would like to attend
“our college”
o Research the university – have
concrete reasons why you want to
attend
General Essay Tips
Get started by brainstorming.
Start writing your college essays early!
Your essay topics do not have to be “earth-
shaking.” They simply need to be authentic,
real, and unique to your experiences.
Revise your college essays for
scholarship applications.
Proofread, and then proofread again.
Resumes
• Use Naviance to create your resume o Resume Builder in the “about me” section
• What to include in a resume for college? o Goal (career goal/ college major)
o In-school athletics, clubs and activities (Key Club, Band, Football)
o Out-of-school athletics and activities (Club soccer, Dance, Boy Scouts)
o Work experience
o Volunteer experience
o Internships
o Leadership (captain of sports team, club officer, drum major)
o Honors, awards and recognitions (black belt, honor roll, letter)
o Summer / enrichment programs
Letters of Recommendation
3 Kinds of Letters:
1.Counselor
Recommendations
2.Teacher
Recommendations
3.Other
Recommendations
(coach, employer,
religious leader, etc.)
Tips for Requesting Letters of Rec
o Check to see how many and which type of letters of recommendation are
required by your prospective colleges. Only ask for what you need.
• You will not be able to request 5 teacher letters and pick the 3 that
you think are the best. Letters will be sent directly to the colleges.
o Give at least three weeks notice when asking for a letter of
recommendation.
• Your counselor or teachers may not be able to write their best
recommendation for you with only a few days notice.
o Waive your right to view recommendation letters on your application
forms. Admission officers will trust them more if you haven’t seen them.
o Make sure your references know the deadlines for each college.
o Follow up with your recommenders a week or so before your deadlines.
o Once you’ve decided which college to attend, write thank-you notes. Tell
your references where you’re going and let them know how much you
appreciate their support.
Counselor Letters of Rec
1. Make sure counselor letter of
recommendation is required
• Required for Common App
2. Ask early – three weeks in advance!
3. All counselor recommendations are
confidential – sent directly to colleges
4. Provide your counselor with a list of
colleges that you’re applying to and their
deadlines.
• Let them know if you are applying
Early Decision anywhere
5. Complete your Senior Planning
Worksheet on Naviance in August.
6. Request transcripts be sent to each
college (details will be provided in
August).
Teacher Letters of Rec
1. Ask early –three weeks in advance!
• Some teachers will only write a specific number of
letters because of the time involved.
2. Complete the NHS Teacher Recommendation Form
• Helps teachers write better recommendations
3. Give teachers at least three weeks to complete
4. Some college applications will allow you to enter a
teacher’s email address and an email request will be
sent to the teacher to submit their recommendation
electronically.
Other Letters of Rec (Coach, Employer, etc.)
o Make sure the colleges you are
applying to will accept additional
letters of recommendation.
o Give these individuals a resume
and ask them to focus on your
involvement within their group,
organization or religious
community
o Provide deadlines to your
recommenders.
o Follow up about a week before
your deadline to make sure your
letter is sent on time.
DU Requirements
1 Essay & Counselor Recommendation
Optional:
• Resume
• Additional Letters of Recommendation
Contact Info
The University of Denver
Undergraduate Admission
2197 S. University Blvd.
Denver, CO 80208-9401
303.871.2036
www.du.edu/admission
Christina Hunter
303.871.7651
Connect with us!
