Extra Curriculars: What is the Right Amount?

The Unigo Expert Network is a group of top education experts from across the US answering questions submitted by students and parents about college admissions and succeeding after high school. 


“I’ve heard that spending a little time with many extracurricular activities is less attractive than a ton of time with one or a few.  If I haven’t found an activity I’m passionate about, how can I still seem like a dedicated individual?”—Tami G., Pine Bluff, AR.


A: Follow your passion

Quality not quantity is something to remember when engaging in activities. Too often students think that they need to do everything and be great in school. If you are searching for an inspiring activity and nothing seems to match, take some time to evaluate what you have tried. What did you like and what did you not like and why? Even by not finding some activity that suits you is a learning experience as long as you take the time to determine why you did not like it. What is your passion? Take your passion and make it work for you?

Hamilton Gregg – Educational Consultant - Private Practice

   
A: Size of the college is one variable to consider in your college search 

You are who you are, but that doesn’t mean you can’t grow. If your list of activities does not paint a picture of being well rounded, it would be disingenuous to portray yourself otherwise. This dilemma can be a personal wake up call for you to take a risk, leave your comfort area, and engage in a meaningful activity. Ask people who know you, your family, friends, teachers, and counselor for ideas. This might be a struggle for you, but I encourage you to embrace this problem, worry less about how things look, and focus on finding meaning in this dilemma. Then share your journey with colleges!

John Frahlich— Counseling Department Chair - Hudson High School

A: With extracurricular activities, sometimes less is more

Yes, colleges want to enroll a well-rounded class.  However, that doesn’t always mean that every individual is well-rounded in his or her interests or talents; rather, collectively, a class is made up of a mosaic, and each tile shines in different ways.  Your contributions should be sustained and meaningful.  Find things you care about and do them well. Perhaps you will lead, perhaps you will support; but make sure you contribute.  Your significant activity might even be a job where you learn a lot.  Commitment and depth is far more important (for your application and for your life!) than joining a bunch of clubs to make your list longer. 

 

Monica Inzer– Vice President & Dean of Admission & Financial Aid - Hamilton College

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College Admission Specialists and Facebook

The Unigo Expert Network is a group of top education experts from across the US answering questions submitted by students and parents about college admissions and succeeding after high school.

To have your questions answered visit www.unigo.com/expertquestions

“Can what I post on Facebook affect my chances of getting accepted?” – Derrick L., New York, NY


Post publicly only material that would make your grandmother smile

Ralph Becker
Owner & Director
Ivy College Prep LLC

In September 2008, Kaplan surveyed 500 top colleges and discovered 10% of the admissions officers had investigated Facebook sites, discovering, in almost 40% of the cases, questionable content that reflected negatively on the candidate.  That was three years ago.  Facebook reviews are far more prevalent today and many junior admissions officers are savvy, inveterate users, who, if they need to, can find you on the Web.  If you must post something risqué (raucous parties, inflammatory remarks, drug or alcohol use), out of peer pressure…, make sure your privacy settings strictly control access. Otherwise, yes, you are gambling your candidacy.

Facebook postings can absolutely hurt your chance of being admitted
 
Susan Smith
Educational Consultant
Bedford Educational Consulting

Although many admissions office personnel are not as tech savvy as they might wish to be, the student volunteers and workers in the office are, and often the search for student applicants on Facebook falls to them.  Many candidates are definite – they are accepted or rejected for obvious reasons – but many more fall in that middle range, so that additional information that can be gleaned from viewing a Facebook page can help the committee make a decision.  Inappropriate or compromising content such as party pictures that could be embarrassing should be deleted, going back as far as might be necessary.

Admissions officers don’t routinely check, but be careful

Patti Demoff
Co-Founder
College Circuit

Few college admissions offices have the time, resources or inclination to routinely scour the internet and social media sites for incriminating information on applicants. However, most admissions officers I have spoken to acknowledge that they do occasionally check Facebook or Google students if there is something in an applicant’s file that is inconsistent or raises a red flag. Remember, it isn’t appropriate to post anything that could be considered abusive or demeaning to another person. Nor should there be profanity, references to or photos of drugs alcohol or illegal behavior. Always use privacy settings and do not “friend’ admissions officers.

Let your Facebook page reflect well upon you

Mary Beth Fry
Director of College Counseling
Savannah Country Day School

Consider this: when you apply to college, you’re asking to join a community. Colleges admit excellent students who also promise to be good roommates, great friends and interesting classmates. Profanities or extreme photos on a Facebook page just don’t reflect well on anyone. You’ve done your best in school and worked hard on your applications. Right now, today, would you want admission staffers to look at your Facebook wall? If not, consider making changes: even if admission staffers don’t read it, potential roommates probably will.

The implications of posting on social networking sites

Jennifer Evans
Counseling Department Chair
Broadneck High School

The short answer is a resounding YES! College admissions officers are extremely tech savvy and they know that this generation of prospective students is using social networking sites like Facebook all the time so they need to be in tune with it as well. Conscientious students should manage their online presence to ensure there is nothing inappropriate or compromising. Anything that is on the internet is in the public domain. Students should not post anything that they wouldn’t want a college, prospective employer, teacher, or parent to see. There is always a way for people to access this information.

Maybe. To Be Safe, Use the “Grandma Test” for Facebook

Majorie Shaevitz
Author & Founder
Admission Possible

Do they or don’t they? No one - except admissions officers themselves - knows for sure whether they peek at applicant Facebook accounts. Given that a NY Times article by Sarah Perez noted that “30% of today’s employers use Facebook to vet potential employees,” I’d say the chances are pretty good that some do. Emory University professor, Brian Croxall, offers the best advice I’ve ever seen at The Chronicle of Higher Education (http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/six-steps-for-checking-your-facebook-privacy/30402) about how to protect your Facebook privacy. Then there’s the tongue-in-cheek, but oh-so-wise suggestion that to be safe, use the “Grandma test:" never put anything on Facebook that you wouldn’t want Grandma to view.

Facebook postings can adversely impact admissions chances

Michael Goran
Director & Educational Consultant
IvySelect College Counseling

Using “The Social Network” can have consequences in the college admissions process! Although admissions officers don’t have time to regularly access applicants’ Facebook walls, a fair percentage of them do look at prospective students’ profiles. Still, students need to realize that if it’s public, it’s possible to see compromising items. If told about something that adversely reflects on your integrity or your behavior, admissions officers may go to Facebook to check it out. If you think it’s inappropriate – whether it’s a photo or a comment – don’t post it! The best advice is to clean things up and keep things private.

Yes, inappropriate postings can hurt chances for admission

Wynne Curry
College Advisor
Seven Hills School

The short answer to this question is yes. Facebook, for all its social utility and amusement, can also expose you, your life style, and habits in ways you never imagined. Just like an inappropriate email address can cause admissions officers to wonder about whom they’re dealing with (like partyanimal@aol.com for instance), photos of drunken parties or embarrassingly intimate poses can raise questions as well. Admissions officers are incredibly busy people and while they may not have time to fish around Facebook for incriminating information, students are often surprised by the ways in which their social networking information finds its way to admissions desks. Use good sense and judgment when posting any information.

Get the full story from 34 more experts – including the VP of the College Board, Dean of Admissions from University of Illinois and more – at www.unigo.com/expertnetwork. To send your question to our experts, visit www.unigo.com/expertquestions

About the Unigo Expert NETWORK:

The Unigo Expert Network is a group of top education experts across the US dedicated to the success and well-being of high school students as they make the transition to college life. With members from two-year, four-year, private, public, and independent institutions, the network has over 3,000 years of collective experience, spanning all areas of admissions, financial aid, and how to succeed in college.

To see all members of the Unigo Expert Network, visit www.unigo.com/admissionsexperts
Unigo.com is the web’s largest, 100% free resource for college information, used by over 4 million high school students and parents.

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College Admissions Programs that Work

So there are a lot of people out there starting companies and websites that promise to help you get into college. They each have their own secrets and tips that claim to get you into the college of your choice. Some are more useful than others, but most, if not all of them cost money to sign up. As a writer for  Teen College Education, I have had these college sites come to me to be reviewed. As such, I have actually seen the insides of these sites, and how they work (the stuff that costs you money). Because I have actually seen, used, and tested these sites I can recommend the best one that I found.

EqualApp.com

I reviewed the site and gave the webmaster some suggestions, which he told me will start as soon as possible. What I liked about this site is that there was a college finder feature where you could enter your test scores and other information about yourself and find a college that you are likely gain acceptance. It broke it down into reach schools, probably schools, and safety schools, something that all seniors should do at some time or another anyways. The best part is that if you are not ready to pay for the program, there is a free demo version with many of the same features of the real one. Try it out at least, cause for free, there isn't much to lose.

EqualApp.com

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Starting Your College Applications

Should I start my college applications?? The short and simple answer is YES! Do it. Start them now and get some of the applications out of the way so there is less stress later in December when you are trying to meet January 1st deadlines. If nothing else, then I recommend doing a few things to at least get the ball rolling.

        

         1. Start researching what colleges you plan to apply to. You want to find schools that you will be happy at and that are affordable.

        

         2. Research the requirements for said colleges. What do you need to do to get in? You have time now to get it done.

        

         3. Finish your testing!!!  Get your standardized tests out of the way already. Most schools require that you have SAT or ACT scores by the December test date.

        

         4. Start brainstorming for your essays. Write down what you do and how it affects you as a person. If you want to start writing your essays, then go ahead.

        

         5. Talk to your college counselor. He or she will know exactly what to do to get started if you haven't or how to help you if you have.

        

The most important thing that I can say is start now. Start doing something because the more that you do now, the less there will be for later. Senior year is stressful enough, so you want to do everything possible to stay calm. And remember, college is not the most important thing in the world. 



You will go somewhere and have a good time.

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The Secrets to Writing a College Essay

 Do You Want to Write a Killer Admission Essay?

Who doesn't?? Everyone needs to write a college essay as part of the application. This is in addition to the grades and test scores that all colleges request. The essay is very important because it sets students apart from others who would otherwise be equally qualified. The other big factor that sets people apart is activities outside of school, or extra curricular activities. For now I will focus on the essay because there are a few articles about extra curricular activities already on TeenCollegeEducation. You should read them.

What Are the Guidelines for an Application Essay?

Colleges all have different guidelines, but many of them use the Common Application form found on the Internet. It really makes their lives easier when reading so many applications. If you want to look at the specific Common App website then click on the link to check it out. It is not anything fancy. The common app gives students 6 choices on topics to write their essays about.

Option 1- Write about something significant in your life and its impact on you

Option 2- Write about a specific issue that you are concerned about

Option 3- Write about someone who is important to you and has influenced you

Option 4- (a lot like 3) Write about any character or person who has influenced you

Option 5- Write about your personal background and what you can offer a college

Option 6- Write about anything that you want

As you can see, the essay that students write for college is very broad, and especially with option 6 students can write about anything that they want. Colleges will read whatever you send them, but it is up to the students to make sure that what they send best represents them. Writing a few jokes is probably not a good idea for a college essay, because schools really want an ESSAY. They want to learn about you and make sure that you can write.

How Do You Write a College Essay?

You would write a college essay much like you would any other essay, especially considering your audience. Students are not writing to their friends via text message, so this essay MUST be formal and respectful. Make sure to use proper English, because the people reading these essays have been doing it for so long that proofreading errors really annoy them. Many people have lists of ways to write essays, but my 10 steps to write a college essay are:

1- Choose a topic.

2- Consider everything about this topic.

3- Ask Yourself: Will this essay allow me to best put myself on paper?

4- If your answer to 3 was "No", then repeat 1-3 until you get a "Yes."

5- Most people brainstorm, but I say just start writing. With computers you can just cut and paste or delete anything that you decide that you don't like later. The important thing is to get your ideas on paper. I wrote 7 different versions of my essay that I eventually combined into one.

6- Write.

7- Edit accordingly.

8- Reread your essay and again ask yourself: Does this essay represent me as best as possible?

9- Proofread for careless errors and reread.

10- Submit your masterpiece.

With these 10 steps you will be able to write a great essay and increase your chances of getting into the college that you want. The important thing is to remember to write what best represents you as a person. Students cannot do anything more than that.

Tips for your College Essay

Everyone has all sorts of tips to help them write essays. If you check Google you will find hundreds of websites dedicated to tips "guaranteed to get you into college." I am not saying that those tips are bad, but my tips are much simpler and easier to apply.

-Pick a topic that you are comfortable writing about and CAN write about. Make sure that you have a strong viewpoint on it and can use it to describe yourself.

-Ask yourself if you gave this paper to a friend to read if he or she would say it sounds like you. You want to sound like yourself in your essay, not some graduate professor with a PhD.

-Proofread!!!!

-Lastly ask yourself if this is the best that you can produce. Do not "settle" but keep working until you are completely satisfied with your work.

It is not impossible to write a college essay. Everyone is capable of doing it and everyone does do it, but what sets people apart is how much they care about it and how much effort they put into it. My biggest piece of advice that I will repeat again is: Be yourself on paper. Show your personality and why the college is stupid if it rejects you.

Make sure to also read:

SAT and ACT Secret Guides

Activities Outside of School: The Secret to College

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Tips To Help You Get Into College (part 4)

Continuing from Tips to Help You Get Into College (part 3), today we have tips 7 and 8. Last time I discussed standardized tests and college visits (in part 3) so tips 7 and 8 have to do with being organized and showing interest in colleges.

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 7. Be Organized!!  College application for early decision are due on November 1st for most students. If students plan on applying to a college via early decision, then they had better meet these deadlines. This will probably require working on applications over the summer, but it is for college, so it's worth it. It is immensely important that students start to work on their college apps in all cases over the summer. Once school starts again in the fall, time just flies by and it will be December in what seemed like a few weeks. Stay on top of your applications!!  Missing deadlines is the WORST thing that you could do for colleges. Universities have so many other applicants that they will not fret over one lost potential student; there are 5 others who can just as easily fill that space (and who applied on time). Senior year is tough because many students choose to take multiple AP classes and are leaders in their classes and sports. This is all the more reason to be organized and get applications done piece by piece, whenever possible. There will be plenty of time for students to party and relax come March, when acceptance letters are mailed. Although I do NOT recommend it, from March on, seniors could basically just show up to class and twiddle their thumbs the rest of the year. This would get kind of boring, but you get the idea. The important thing is that students get all of their paperwork in on time and have the time to put into it. So, all that I can say is BE ORGANIZED!

8. Show some interest in the colleges that you want to attend. Although, in the grand scheme of applications interest is not as important as grades, tests, or extra curriculars, it is something that can make the difference between 2 students. College obviously want students who are interested in what the school has to offer, because above all else, they want students to enjoy their experience. They prefer to have students who will absolutely love the campus than students who will settle for it.  So how does a student show interest in college? The answer is actually pretty simple; sign up for their information. The colleges will email students information, and soon they will start to send snail mail. College visits help a lot too. Different colleges have different methods, so it is up to students to figure out the best way to show interest. You can find out how to have the college contact you on their official websites. Try to get their attention somehow.

   

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Making the Most of Activities Outside of School

 What are the Best Extra Curricular Activities for College?

Well, it depends.

It is no question that extra curricular activities are essential for college admissions. As I briefly discussed in my previous article Activities Outside of School, extra curriculars put a human face on an application that is otherwise just numbers and letters. The way that a student chooses to spend his or her time leaves a very large impact on college recruiters and admissions officers. If you have ever been to a college night at high school, then you know that one of the first questions college representatives ask is "what do you like to do during your free time?" Colleges want the most interesting people (who are qualified) to make up their student body.

The first step in using extra curriculars for college applications is finding something that you like to do. Experiment! Students should join many different clubs and organizations early on just to get a little taste of everything that the school has to offer. In the long run, this experimenting will also help students "discover themselves" as many psychiatrists call it, during their sophomore and junior years. Besides the mental advantages from finding something to do, colleges love to see activity. Although a student will probably not stay in all of the clubs that he or she originally joined (and I recommend keeping only a few), common sense says that students will find a passion for something. Peruse that something! If it just so happens that your school does not have something that you are interested in, then start it. Colleges love to see initiative as well.

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So now that students have something that they are passionate about, what is next? -Dedicate more time to improve it. For example, I play tennis and am a member of the mock trial team at my high school, just to name my two biggest extra curriculars. Dedicating more time to them would mean practicing more, both alone and with the team, and doing legal research for Mock Trial, so that I am more prepared for next year's competition. In the end, this time translates into better teams and more accomplishments and achievements. There is nothing better for colleges that having the best tennis or mock trial team in the city. This would really make you unique. This also shows dedication, which is my next big point.

Students need to show their dedication to the team/activity that they are a part of. This might be by participating in tournaments outside of school, performing, or a variety of other things. The point is that students need to have something to show for their time. A few awards never hurt anyone either. These kinds of "showcases" are also great because they give students something to write about in their college essays. Applications are basically brag lists after all once you get started.

Students need to take some initiative and show their leadership skills. Yea, ok it is great that you were a member of a team for a few years, but being captain of the team really makes you stand out. Colleges love to see students lead others; who doesn't like leaders? Leadership shows dedication to the extreme. Every group needs a president, from the cheer squad to the robotics club. Students should take this into consideration when they choose clubs to join. One club might have less members, so a student will have a higher chance of gaining a leadership role. The basic point is that students need to show leadership.

Finally, students need to put it all together for their college apps. To do this, a student needs to choose the 2 or 3 activities that best represent him or her and write a killer essay/app about them. Unfortunately, I cannot help with the essays, all I can say is that it must completely own the reader. My key rule of thumb regarding extra curricular activities is that less is more. Students are better off having 2 or 3 activities and dedicating a lot of time to them than they are spending little time on 7 or 8 activities. The most important thing to remember is that Extra Curriculars put a human face on an otherwise dull and monotone application. DO NOT IGNORE THEM!!!!

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Are AP Classes Worth It?? -The AP Student

Has anyone ever told you that AP Students never sleep? Well they were right. Read this before making any final decisions on AP classes. You might change your mind.

It is common in this day and age for high school students to get little sleep on a regular basis. That is simply part of the high school experience. What varies is how often a student needs to sacrifice sleep in order to get work done.

I introduce you to the AP student, one who spends more time studying than sleeping. It is common for students to take multiple AP and honors classes to look as good as possible for college. Students take as many as 4 even 5 AP classes at once simply to strengthen their college apps. Something that these students do not tell you is that these classes often ruin their lives. It is common for these students to spend more time studying at home than they spent learning in school; this is simply the way it is. Life becomes almost routine: 18 hours of studying followed by 6 hours of sleep (and that's on a good day). These AP classes truly take a toll on the student and drain him/her of all energy. The week becomes one long, extended cramming session with almost no sleep. This is the life of an AP student.

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This sounds pretty bleak right? - It gets better. AP students are more often than not required to work over vacations and take the initiative to perform well. There is ALWAYS work, even when the students think they are done. These classes ruin vacation. An AP student might get a random Wednesday off from school, but all of the teachers take note of this day off, and use it as an excuse to give extra homework so that a student is “better prepared for the AP test.” Thus the student spends his/her entire day off catching up on AP work. So much for a day off from school... All that vacation does is speed up the AP class. The teachers think that because a student does not need to spend the day in class that he will have more time to work, so they adjust their workload to reflect this misconception. Even summer and semester break are corrupted with AP work.

So what about the classes themselves? -Honestly, students usually fall asleep. The classes are interesting in themselves, but AP students usually run on 6 or less hours of sleep every night for the entire school year. This lack of sleep makes it very hard to stay awake in AP History, for example, even though the subject at hand might be interesting. Students lose class time because they are so tired from all of the AP work that they had the previous night. Thus they need to work more diligently and longer after school to make up for the time lost in class because of dozing off. They stay up late finishing AP homework and are tired again the next day, which usually causes them to fall asleep in class once more. The AP student is caught in an endless cycle of sleep deprivation. This doesn't even cover the fact that students want to know if they should retake standardized tests.

What of weekends? -HAHA, weekends do not exist for the AP student. Many students need to go to school during the weekend just so that the student will learn everything by May for the AP Tests. Time not actually spent at school is used working on, you guessed it, AP homework. Just like vacations, AP teachers use weekends as an excuse to pile up more work. Most AP students simply accept the fact that they will have no social life at all due to their work. The ONLY good that comes from the weekend is that students can sleep in a little longer.

Then there is the issue of extra curricular activities. Most AP students realize that extra curriculars are key to college applications and are involved in a few. For a previous post on why Extra Curriculars are so important,  click here. These activities take away from valuable study time, but are necessary (if not just to remain sane). As if AP students were not already stretched thin enough... The point remains that everything takes away from study or sleep time. Pure leisure time is virtually nonexistent. The word "Party" does not even exist in the vocabulary of an AP student, is replaced by words such as "perseverate."

AP students are caught in an endless cycle of work and sleep deprivation. School becomes life; life becomes monotonous. Students escape this cycle once they graduate, but are only met with real college work. Consider this the next time you sign up or tell someone to sign up for an AP class.

    

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Tips to Help You Get Into College (part 3)

Continuing from Tips to Help You Get Into College (part 2), we have tips 5 and 6 today. Last time I discussed living life and finding something to represent you. Today I will focus on tests and college visits. These are just as important as grades, extra curreculars, living life, and finding something to represent you (tips from previous posts).

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5. Tests - It is common knowledge that it is important to score well on standardized tests for college, but which tests are the most important? - In my humble, objective opinion the SAT IIs are the most important. They are like a final that is the same for everyone in the world, so everyone is graded on the same scale. No two schools teach or grade material exactly the same way, so SAT IIs provide a way to grade everyone in a fair way. Unfortunately, more and more school are eliminating their requirements for SAT IIs, most notably the University of California schools. Then there are AP tests, which are also very useful in much the same way as SAT II tests. They cover some subjects that the SAT II does not and are more comprehensive (they have a free response portion). Next is the ACT. This tests on learnt knowledge and is similar to a regular test in school. You do well on this test if you know the material. Lastly, and my LEAST favorite is the SAT. This test is absolutely worthless and does nothing. It is called a "reasoning test" and tests on how well you can take a test. It is possible for an otherwise stupid person (for lack of a better word) to score higher than a straight A student. This test ruins the lives of almost all American teenagers. How is that fair? This test only adds stress to the lives of teenagers and the sad part is that the SAT was designed to ruin their lives.

6. College Visits - Too many people go to or apply to a college just because of the name. That is the wrong reason to attend a university. You want to go to a school because it is the best that you could attend that focuses on your interests. It does not help you in the long run to attend Harvard for Hotel Administration, even though Harvard is the best University in the world. If your interest lies in Hotel Administration, then you would be better off applying to Cornell or even University of Las Vegas. They are the best in this particular field. Additionally, it is important to get a feel for the campus and the surrounding area. Students are going to spend four years of their lives attending the school, so they had better like the feel of it. Visiting colleges is vital to get to know the area and make the best choice regarding your education. This is one of the most overlooked parts of applying to college, DO NOT ignore this.

To continue and read part 4, please click here.

To read part 1 click here
To read part 2 click here

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Tips to Help You get into College (part 2)

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Continuing on from Part 1 of Tips to Help You get into College, we have tips 3 and 4 today. To find part 1 please click here. Last time I discussed grades and extra curriculars, which are really the most obvious requirements to get into any college. Today tips 3 and 4 involve living life and finding a passion to represent you.

3. Live life. Nothing is more boring that someone who lack life experiences. Colleges know this and look for applicants who live active lives. One of the most important questions that colleges ask during the admission process is; "What can this student add to our student body that this other student cannot?" The solution- make sure to live an active life and participate all of the time. Additionally, living life will give you more experience in areas outside of the classroom. You will be a more well rounded person, thus more desirable to colleges. Granted, all schools need some book worms, but that is only a small portion of the student body. You can worry about taking the SAT again or focus on other things. Your unique experiences make you interesting and make you stand out among other students. It is important not to let tests or grades completely destroy your life, because it will only hurt you in the long run. Save time for yourself to try something new, or go to the movies, or hang out with friends. Do not neglect your studying, but DO NOT over-study on a beautiful day, when you could go outside and have fun.

4. Find Something to Represent You- This is usually an activity or a hobby. This is THE activity that you spend most if not all of your free time on. It is something that you are dedicated to and are willing to practice, even if you have to stay up later to finish homework. For some people it is a sport, for others it is a hobby like juggling or painting, but you need to find something. Do not just party with friends all of the time, do something productive. Why? - because it makes you special. Colleges look for special students who would add to the student body, so you might be that student. Come time for filling out applications, this activity will really come in handy. You will probably be able to write essays about it shows that you are willing to dedicate yourself. This "something" is different for everyone so just go out and explore things that you enjoy.

5. Tests - Which tests are the most important? - In my humble, objective opinion the SAT IIs are the most important. They are like final that is the same for everyone in the world....

To Continue on to Tips to Help You Get Into College (Part 3) click here.

For part 1 of Tips To Help You Get Into College click here

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