The Application
Before you begin, take time to reflect on your personal goals and values. What do you want from your college education? How do you learn best? What activities and interests do you feel passionate about? Many applicants worry so much about whether or not they will get into a certain college that they neglect to think first about who they are, what they value, and what they want to achieve from their college experience. If you take time to reflect on what matters to you and why, you will have prepared to develop a strong application.
Many applicants believe that in order to stand out in the admission process, something remarkable must have happened to them (either positive or negative) so they have something distinctive to write about in their essays. This is simply not true. It is not what you have experienced that counts, but what you make of an experience. Think about what matters to you, think about the experiences you have had and how these experiences have influenced you, and go from there.
I advise students to resist the urge to “package” themselves in order to come across in a way you think a college wants. Such attempts simply blur the picture of who you actually “are” – what you value, what motivates you, what may in fact be distinctive. The strongest applications are those where the student’s genuine voice stands out.
This is a time to think carefully about who you are, and to believe in yourself. Have confidence in what you have done and trust where you are going. Remember that colleges want to read your application and to learn about your achievements, talents and dreams.
Procedures for Applying to College
1. Complete and submit all parts of the Senior Packet to the box in the Guidance Office.
2. Complete all student information on all college and scholarship application forms, including signing access waivers, before turning them in to Guidance. The same should be done on the teacher recommendation forms before giving them to teachers. Due to confidentiality requirements, we will not complete any forms without signed waivers.
3. Submit all college and scholarship application forms to the college admission secretary/ registrar at least two (2) weeks prior to the postmark deadline. The exception to this 2-week period is for January 1st deadlines; these forms are due before Thanksgiving Break. NO EXCEPTIONS or EXCUSES!
4. For a recommendation you must turn in the recommendation form provided by the college, with your part filled in. Attach it to a recommendation form, found in Guidance, with the proper address on the form. If the college requires teacher recommendations, give the teacher form directly to the teacher, and provide a properly addressed, stamped envelope with a copy of an updated resume. Remember to thank the teacher writing the recommendation.
5. Request a transcript to be sent to the college(s) where you have applied. All transcript requests must be in WRITING on the transcript request form. Telephone calls are not permitted. A student should submit a Transcript Request form in person to the Guidance Office Registrar. The first transcript request if free and each one thereafter is $5.00. You must have a Transcript Release Form signed by a parent on file with the Guidance Office before a transcript can be sent.
6. Remember, your deadlines are YOUR responsibility. Respect your teachers’ and counselors’ time and their commitment to all of their students, not just you. This process can be stressful or well managed; it is really up to you. The staff is here to help. Good Luck!!
John Carroll High School is an institutional member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling. We affirm the NACAC’s ethical code of conduct, the Statement of Principles of Good Practice, and the Statement of Students' Rights and Responsibilities in the College Admission Process.
SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY GUIDEThe following information was taken from fastweb.com’s Student Bulletin
Master the Basics – Pay attention to details for a high quality essay.
Get Organized – Brainstorm to generate some good ideas and then create an outline to help you get started
Demonstrate Originality and Creativity – To catch the attention of a panel of scholarship judges, find a hook that will get the reader interested right away.
Show, Don’t Tell. – For example, if you’re describing an activity you participated in, don’t describe it in general terms. Be specific! What duties did you perform? What affect did it have on your life or the lives of others?
Develop a Theme That Fits the Scholarship – What sort of student is the sponsor looking for? Include elements in your essay that complement the sponsor’s expectations (without pretending to be someone you aren’t).
Turn In a Professional –looking Essay – Write a second draft to catch mistakes and better organize your thought. If possible, type and doublespace your essay. Check spelling and grammar. Also, share your essay with friends, family or teachers for another proofread.
WHAT DO JUDGES LOOK FOR?
- Do you qualify? Sounds simple, but students every year waste time by applying for awards they aren’t eligible to win. If you don’t qualify, don’t enter the contest.
- Is your application presented well? Type your essay. Messy handwriting and excessive scratch-outs could land your application in the trash.
- Did you include all required documents? Required docs frequently left out of an application include: transcripts, references and a letter of recommendation.
- Did you answer all of the questions? Double-check that you haven’t forgotten any required information.
I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT!
Take the intimidation out of writing essays by turning your achievements, goals and interests into essay topics:
Personal Achievements
-Remember to personalize your experience. For example, what makes the volunteer and community service you’ve performed unique?
-Do you still keep in touch with anyone you’ve helped?
-Talk about specific interactions you may have had with others. How did you influence their lives?
-How did your achievements reflect your values? Why are your achievements important to you?
-Remember that judges want to hear from you as a person, not your resume`.
Academic Plans and Possible Major
-Instead of saying, “Math is my favorite subject,” discuss a specific assignment or project that you worked on that sparked your interest and why
-Avoid saying that you selected a major or career path to “help people.” What specific actions can you take to improve the lives of others? Discuss specific values or ideas you want to develop once you get to college.
Background and Influences
-Is there a person you wish to emulate with your chosen major or career path? Someone who encouraged you to succeed? Focus on specific qualities or actions that the person has inspired in you.
-Think about your friends and family, community, and the things you’ve learned outside of the classroom. Pick specific people, incidents and learning experiences to write about that will let your personality come through.
Current Events and Social Issues
-Think about current issues or events in the news that you feel strongly about.
-Do you know a lot about a controversial topic?
-Do you know of someone who is directly involved in an issue who might be able to provide insight?