这个孩子，今年即将进入大学，他不仅被所有的大学录取了，还获得了今年的总统奖。

更可贵的是，大学发榜之后，他利用周末时间，写下了他考大学的感想和体会，希望让更多的高中生能读到，少走弯路。征得孩子妈妈的同意，把文章转过来，为这个孩子的爱心所感动！

Author’s Note:

Greetings everyone! For those of you reading this who don’t know me, my name is 。。。. I haven’t yet decided my plans for next year, though I know I’ll be attending one of the schools。。。… The following is a collection of random advice regarding the college process, a “guide” of sorts that I hope you will find helpful. First, a couple of background things:

I’ve written this guide out of a desire to be helpful to those applying for college, with no expectation of financial gain or other return, so I ask that if you are making use of this resource that you do not under any circumstances pass the words or writing here off as your own, or attempt to sell this guide for monetary gain. I do encourage you to share this document with your friends, as it was intended to help people!

In all likelihood, by the time you’re reading this I’ll be a very busy and stressed college student, so I may not have time to response to individual inquiries. That being said, I still welcome questions, comments, thanks, criticism, whatever, which can be sent to me via Facebook. Also, if you do feel so compelled, 。。。I urge you to show your appreciation for this guide by 。。。 an organization that I am proud to be part of

Know that this document is primarily written for those aiming for HYPSM-level schools (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, and MIT), and therefore contains advice aimed at a specific group of students, though it should be helpful for anyone.

Also, remember that much of what is stated here is just my opinion. College admissions is by and large a non-transparent process, and much of what we can say about it is only conjecture. And really, your conjecture is as good as mine!

Several times in this guide I will reference College Confidential, a forum dedicated to college admissions discussion. Firstly, know that their search engine is absolutely horrid, so just Google what you need to find with “site: talk.collegeconfidential.com” appended. Secondly, there are a lot of caveats about using CC. It’s in large part a highly concentrated group of anxiety-plagued high school seniors and juniors who put forward information that is sometimes just false. Don’t fall into the trap of reading decision pages, believing the trolls, or compulsively following the SAT forum. Just use it as a resource, to look through interview advice threads or check-up on a form or a deadline.

I also link to MIT Admissions Blogs a lot. Of all the colleges I researched, their page was by far the most helpful. They actually take the time to make their process a little more transparent, to humanize college admissions, and for that I think they deserve a lot of credit. It’s a philosophy that I wish were repeated elsewhere. Many of their posts, which I don’t have the space to link to here, merit reading: http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/c/best-of-the-blogs/
Finally, special thanks to all those who helped me through the admissions process, and those who gave constructive feedback in the writing of this guide!

Overall Advice:

You’re probably going to hear this from a lot of people in the next year or two, but really, don’t stress out. It sounds like hollow reassurance when you’re in the process, I know. But honestly, there’s no benefit to needlessly working yourself into a state of panic. All you can do is present yourself to the best of your ability and hope for the best. And in all likelihood, you will end up somewhere you are happy, where you can enjoyably spend four years of your life.

But of course, don’t go to the other extreme and be too lax about things. There are a lot of deadlines and a million little things to keep track of with college applications, from essays to test scores to financial aid documents (of which there seem to be a million…). If you don’t make a conscious effort to organize yourself, you’re probably going to forget something, which would be highly unfortunate. Even if it seems like you’re managing at the beginning, I still recommend that you make some sort of calendar (paper or electronic) just to ensure nothing is missed. I would also advise you to make a (professional) email for all your college stuff, and keep track of all your account usernames and passwords. Nothing worse than realizing the day decisions are released that you can’t access your account…

At any point in the college admissions process, remember that colleges are not judging you as a person. They’re judging what you put forward as an applicant, your essays, extracurricular activities, recommendations, etc. They are making their decisions based on a reading of your application folder. So you need and must strive to present yourself as best you can in that folder.

Also, when you are thinking about the college process, please do use common sense. Does it make sense that a B+ in gym would automatically disqualify you from Harvard? No (I can personally attest to this…). But does it make sense that admissions counselors will judge you against other applicants from your school? Probably. As applicants, we really don’t know what’s going on behind those closed doors. But I think it’s important to remember that admissions counselors aren’t some secret cult, minions subject to the will of an evil master, or a soulless machine. They’re living and breathing human beings who are really no different from the rest of us. Sure, there are tricks of the trade, but by and large I’d like to think that they read and judge people just like the rest of us do.

Finally, I ask that you read a couple of MIT blog posts to get yourself into a mindset which I believe will be helpful to the process. Sure, some of what is written here is a little sugar-coated admissions propaganda, but
I think the underlying philosophy is sound:
http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/applying_sideways
http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/its-not-fair
http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/the-difficulty-with-data
http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/diversity-or-merit

College Selection & Strategy:

Before you even begin writing your applications, you have to decide where you actually want to send those precious words. It’s really a crucial beginning to the college process, one that you certainly shouldn’t treat lightly!

Basically, my primary piece of advice is VISIT!! Nothing can replace the first feeling you get when you step onto a campus, whether positive or negative. And make sure you get the most out of your visit when you are there. Definitely try to visit during a good time in the school’s calendar (not during their break or finals week for example). If possible, meet up with someone you know who attends the university, so you can get a student perspective and also visit some of the more private areas (dorms, dining halls, etc.). Sure, you’re there to get that first impression, listen to an admissions presentation, and take the guided tour. But you also want to really get a sense of the school. And I think the best way of doing that is actually talking with real students. Most people (provided they are friends of yours) would be happy to show you around for half an hour or something. Of course, visiting doesn’t replace research. You should have a general idea of how residential and academic life work at each of the colleges, something you can get a sense of through places like College Confidential and College Prowler. Oftentimes it’s the non-academic things (housing structure, location, etc.) that really make you love a school.

In all likelihood, you’ll start with a pretty long list of colleges, which then needs to be slowly pared down. Pick the ones that you actually would want to go to. Not because of the name or the prestige, but because you visited, or looked them up online, and feel in love with their location, their students, their classes, something. Even amongst your safety schools, pick the ones that you would be happy going to (ones that hopefully also offer lots of merit aid!). The key is having balanced slate of schools, some safeties, some “matches,” and some reaches. And in each category, the schools you pick should be ones that you love.

In selecting the number of schools to apply to, there are two differing opinions to balance. On one hand, college applications cost a tremendous amount in effort and money. Between the application fee, score reports, and other stuff, it will likely work out to around $100 a school. And the mountain of supplements will take forever to get through. But on the other hand, you don’t want to be left with regret afterwards, asking yourself what would’ve happened had you applied to that other “reach” school. No one can decide what the right balance is for you, how many you should apply to is a choice that you must make.

Part of the overall strategy for minimizing the number of applications is using your early application abilities well. I most certainly recommend applying to at least one of your schools early. For most schools, applying ED gives you somewhat of an admissions edge, while applying EA doesn’t (though this is still hotly debated). Also consider that some schools are SCEA and some schools aren’t. You can apply to MIT, UChicago, and CalTech all early together, or pick just one of HYPS. Choosing that early school is a delicate proposition. The “lower” on your list you go, the more likely you are to be accepted, so the more likely you are to avoid applications to schools lower on the list (“safeties”). But the flip side is wanting to hear from your top choice early, and possibility of being done with this hellish process in December. It’s a decision you have to consider and make for yourself.

Application Reading Process:

Now we reach the meat of the matter, the actual applications process. But before considering each portion of an application folder, I think it’s important to realize how the actual reading of those applications works on the other side (if only for curiosity’s sake):

http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/reading_folders
http://mitadmissions.org/apply/process/selection
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_34/b3998441.htm
http://www.bostonmagazine.com/articles/keys_to_the_kingdom/
http://blogs.princeton.edu/reelmudd/2011/04/dean-fred-hargadon-on-princeton-admissions-circa-1990.html

Essays and Supplements:

I believe very strongly that these are by far the most important part of the application at the HYPSM schools. Their applicant pools consist of thousands upon thousands of students with stellar scores and grades. Sure, there are those who cured cancer and such and are a cut above the rest. But by and large, the pool is full of people with great achievements. Unfortunately, each reader only has so many applicants they can fight for in committee. They’re going to pick the ones they personally connected with. And how do you show your personality? It’s your essay. Like it or not, you’re being judged by your reader, and in my opinion, the largest part of that judgment comes from the essays. It’s within those 500 words and supplements that the reader forms an idea of you in their head. Sure, it’s not fair, because you’re so much more than can be presented in such a short essay. But it’s how the process works.

There’s so much advice out there about writing the college essay, so I’m going to be brief here. Basically, you want to communicate to them that you’re a wonderful person, that you would make a good addition to that school’s community. How you go about doing so is of course your own choice.
Logistically, my biggest piece of advice is to start early!! If possible, begin brainstorming the August before your senior year or something. You want to spend a lot of time selecting the right topic, and that certainly isn’t going to happen if you start writing in October. Whatever your normal brainstorming process is, just spend a lot of time doing it. Also, there are some helpful starting questions online if you search around. Regarding editing, I’m not a big believer in getting a bunch of feedback. I would ask a few trusted friends and maybe your parents and teachers for some honest comments. Perhaps get together one afternoon and have an essay editing party or something! Remember to never let the essay become the creation of someone else. Don’t be afraid to ignore comments and edits, if they aren’t what you want to say, or aren’t your style. It’s you that they’re judging, so it’s you that should be presented. Of course, your friends and others can let you know that perhaps you’re not presenting the best side of yourself to be judged…

For general help, these two posts were amongst the best I encountered during my writing process:

http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/the_college_essay_yogurt_editi
http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/show_dont_tell_the_college_ess

The book 50 Successful Harvard Application Essays also merits a read for some examples.

Also, don’t forget the extracurricular supplement part. Realize that the readers will see a million essays about tutoring, debate team, math league, orchestra, and those sorts of things. So in order to truly stand out, you have to either have a unique activity, or present it in a novel light.
Finally, there are the dreaded supplements. I was frankly pretty bad at writing these, so not sure my advice is particularly good. One learns in laziness to shape already written essays to fit prompts, to reuse and recycle writing really well. But I would very much advise against this. Take the time to consider and write from the prompt. The readers will know if you’ve forced an essay to fit, and that doesn’t reflect positively on your level of enthusiasm for the school.

High School Transcript:

I think in the frenzy of writing college applications, many people forget how important your high school transcript is. I’ve heard admissions presenters say that it is the first thing they look at, the most important part of your application folder, which really does make sense. You’re applying to college based on the strength of your academic resume (unless you’re recruited for athletic or musical ability). And what better place to judge that strength than on your transcript? I think it’s a reliever to realize that one of the biggest components of your application is already “done,” formed by the hard work you’ve done throughout your high school career. Of course, this means that you do need to keep up that hard work, even through the end of junior year and onto senior year. Also, make sure to select a challenging set of courses senior year, since colleges do see all the way up until your senior year first semester grades (unless you apply early).

Extracurriculars & Awards:

Here, the adage of quality not quantity really is true. It’s not about joining a million clubs. It’s about having a couple of things that you’re truly passionate about, that you can hopefully show great success in. The Common App is very brief, giving you precious little space to describe all your awards and positions. It’s about presenting yourself in the best possible light in the smallest amount of space. Just like when you’re writing a job resume, you want to make your accomplishments clear with maximum effect. Know how to use abbreviations well, but stick to ones that are common knowledge (capt) or ones that will be the first result on Google.

On the subject of an additional resume, I advise against it if all you’re going to do is elaborate on your extracurriculars. The readers probably know what things like debate team and student council are like, and aren’t likely to be super happy that you just enclosed a one page rehash of your Common App. I would however include additional information if there’s something that doesn’t fit on the application nicely, a cool summer program you went to, a unique extracurricular you have, something of that nature that would enhance your application is worth including. If you are doing so, remember to keep it short and sweet. I would suggest less than one page, tastefully typeset.

Test Scores:

I’m not going to be offering any tips on how to score higher on the tests here. There exists a multitude of College Confidential threads and an industry devoted to helping you with that. So I’ll stick to tips on getting through the not-so-fun process. (Though I will say that the service Academic Approach: http://www.academicapproach.com/online/ is apparently used at Exeter and comes recommended, if you’re looking for a class of some sort).

Recommendations:

This part is pretty simple I think. Ask teachers with whom you have a good relationship, ones that hopefully have something more to write than: “Sally was a great kid in my class and always got good grades and helped others.” Also pick teachers that write well. As I said before, you’re being judged on the content of these words. In all honesty, the teacher recommendation is probably not going to have a major effect on the strength of your application, but it still does merit your attention. And don’t forget that your guidance counselor also submits a recommendation for you. You may want to ask him/her to include in that letter anything special about your high school circumstances (scheduling difficulties that prevented you from taking four years of language, special school awards you didn’t have space for on the application, etc.) Also, I think it’s a good idea to ask one math/science teacher and one humanities teacher, probably from your junior year in high school. The balancing of subjects shows that you’re well-rounded, and is even required by some schools such as MIT. And junior teachers have had you more recently and in general for more advanced classes.

Finally, please take the time to thank the teachers that wrote recommendations for you, ideally with something more personal than just an email.

Interview:

There is nothing that I could say here that hasn’t already been said by someone else on College Confidential. I know for a fact that there are entire consolidated threads devoted to tips on the subject, so I really won’t say anymore here. Just be prepared to answer some friendly questions (though some really are thought-provoking) and demonstrate why you want to go that school. Also, if possible, have some questions ready for the interviewer about the school, you don’t want the interview to be entirely one sided! For the large majority of people, the interview really isn’t going to swing your application one way or another. You’ll probably have a nice conversation with an alumnus in a coffee shot, very low-key and informal, really nothing to worry about. Of course, do take care to avoid being in the small group of applicants for which the interview is a negative on their application…

Results:

Remember at any point during the college process that it is a stressful time for everyone. Don’t be the person that publicly disparages his/her safety school, only to find out that it’s a friend’s top choice. And be gracious about your acceptances and your rejections. Just as in sports, character is shown in both victory and defeat.
I do offer some articles that I think will be of solace upon rejection:

http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/its_more_than_a_job
http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/blearyeyed
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/0...

Conclusion:

Well, that’s all I have to say. I hope that what I’ve written here has been helpful and informative, and I wish you the best of luck with your applications and results! If the advice here was helpful to you, please remember to pass it on to next year’s students!