THE COLLEGE SEARCH & APPLICATION PREPARATION

Trish Fairweather CodySenior Assistant Director

New York University

Office of Undergraduate Admissions

COLLEGE VISITSBEFORE THE VISIT

Cast a Wide Net Visit schools of varying size and setting Don’t discount schools based on geography

Come Prepared Do research on the web to find out the “fast

facts” Have a general sense of what is important to you

Academic areas of interest Social areas of interest Hobbies, how you spend your free time

COLLEGE VISITSDURING THE VISIT

Look for the “What Else” What distinguishes that school from another? What does this school offer that the others

don’t?

Be Observant (Eavesdrop) Notice mood/activity in classrooms Pick up the school newspaper Eat in the dining hall/hang out in the student

center Listen in on conversations that pass the tour

group

COLLEGE VISITSDURING THE VISIT

Get the Inside Scoop Ask tour guides/students about the intangibles Ask questions that mean something to you and

provide you with real, useful information

Meet/Inquire About Your Admissions Counselor Regional responsibilities mean major influence Stay in touch—appropriately

COLLEGE VISITSTHE INTERVIEW

Before Research the school Know why you’re a fit for the institution Be ready with your strengths, interests, and

values Think of important activities, accomplishments to

draw on during the conversation

Be Prepared to Talk About Personal background Academic background and interests Activities, how you spend your time outside

school Your interest in the institution, your search

process

COLLEGE VISITSTHE INTERVIEW

During Dress neatly Arrive early, especially during busy times Ask relevant questions, and only questions that

are important to you

After Ask for a business card/contact information Follow up with the interviewer—thank you note Take time to debrief

APPLICATIONTHE ESSAY

What is the purpose of the essay?

When do we read the essay?

How much weight does the essay hold?

APPLICATIONTHE ESSAY – CHOOSING A TOPIC

Feel pressure to stand out

Focus on someone/something else (The Grandma Essay)

Repeat things found in the rest of the application (The Soccer Essay)

Address controversial or off-color topics

Answer the question

Write about something that’s meaningful to you An object Something you’ve

overcome A significant event

Relate your topic to who you are now, how things have shaped you

DON’T: DO:

APPLICATIONTHE ESSAY – STYLE Narrative

If you tell a story, don’t forget to make it relevant to who you are now, not just who you were when the story took place

Montage If you incorporate many vignettes, make sure

they’re tied together in to a cohesive story

Humor Use humor! …if you’re a funny person

APPLICATIONTHE ESSAY – EDITING/PROOFREADING Drafts

Start early so you have time to do at least a few drafts Step away for a few days then reread it and see if it

still “works” Have others read it in between drafts to make sure

meaning isn’t lost Don’t get rid of old drafts—one might turn in to a short

answer

Formatting Don’t get too inventive—most applications will have

limited formatting capabilities Pay attention to word limits—if we’re asking for

something (or for not too much of something), it’s for a reason

APPLICATIONTHE ESSAY – EDITING/PROOFREADING

“Sadly, the night came to an end as angry parents

ordered us back to our own homes, safe in our own

beds. (my ending sentence because yours is weird…)

Sadly, the night came to an end and it was that time

where going to bed seems to be as charming as white

gates of Heaven. (you are so weird john).

The next morning I returned to my usual weekend

routine. Wake up on Saturday, complete maybe half of

my homework, get some exercise, and practice all my

instruments (you know you only play one instrument).”

APPLICATIONTHE ESSAY – EDITING/PROOFREADING “Every Wednesday after school I torture 3rd

graders at the local YMCA. I enjoy it so much I’ve started to torture students privately.”

“Last summer, I interned as an execution assistant to the VP of the company.”

“Since sophomore year, I’ve been volunteering as a candy stripper at the local hospital.”

APPLICATIONSHORT ANSWERS

Neglect to spend time on these—they’re often equally as valuable as essays

Force short answer responses to work for multiple applications

Copy and paste from your essay or other writing samples

Get detailed on school-specific questions

Treat short answers like interviews (for schools that don’t offer them)

Be genuine and don’t just tell us what you think we want to hear

DON’T: DO:

SEARCH & APPLICATION PROCESSGENERAL TIPS

Don’t go test crazy It’s quality of ECAs, not quantity, that impact

decisions Don’t overlook the real people of influence in

the process Recognize that there are variables that you

can’t control—don’t waste time worrying about these

Don’t underestimate the importance of deadlines and instructions

Be ok with (gasp) rejection Be true to yourself

Trish Fairweather Cody

trish.fairweather@nyu.edu