It is hard for parents and grandparents to imagine the extremely demanding and competitive college application process facing today’s high school students. This is a process that we would not have recognized even in the early 1990’s, and it has become remarkably more difficult in the ensuing twenty years. Competition for spots at the UC’s has become incredibly competitive, and the CSU’s struggle to offer a path to graduation that can be completed in four years.
Students now need to apply much more broadly and include out of state public institutions as well as private institutions in their considerations for college. Costs have skyrocketed to the point that a UC education runs over $30,000 a year, making it important for both ‘A’ and ‘B’ students to look for merit money opportunities in order to avoid as much debt as possible. The increasingly competitive application environment means that essays and descriptions of high school activities must help the students present themselves in the most interesting and/or superlative light in order to have the best chance at acceptance.
How do students manage to accomplish all this and also stay on top of their course work and demanding AP classes while keeping up with sports, arts, or other time consuming activities? The answer is that they MUST use the summer before their senior year as the primary focus for both researching college options and putting together their core college applications. The UC application essays are a repeat of those used last year, and the application becomes active this year on August 1. The same is true for the Common Application used by over 500 private and out of state public institutions. Student don’t actually submit these applications until some time in the fall, but those students who use the summer to put together their tentative college list, write thoughtful and effective essays, and complete these two standard applications are best positioned for reducing stress and successfully managing all the competing demands on their time.
One way to get off to a good start towards accomplishing these summer tasks is to enroll in the one-week Coronado College Admissions Boot Camp meeting at the CHS library from 1 to 5 p.m., June 16-20. Student will receive individualized college lists based on their academic statistics, test scores, interests, merit money possibilities, and financial concerns. We will spend part of the week researching and comparing these colleges as well as any majors of specific interest. Other areas that we will cover include understanding what the colleges are looking for, how to best present yourselves on paper and in interviews, organizational strategies, and much more.
Another major focus of the camp will be writing and polishing an effective finished essay that will work for both the Common Application and one of the UC prompts. Where possible, we will also lay the groundwork for a second essay suitable for the second UC prompt or a Common Application supplement. Students will need to allow some time outside of class to work on their essay in addition to the time spent on the essay in class.
For more details on the camp, including instructor biographies, registration instructions, and fees, please go to http://connectingtocollege.com/bootcamp.
We hope that whether or not you are able to join us for our College Admissions Boot Camp, you will use your summer wisely. Set aside time every week to work on researching colleges and writing your essays. Set a goal to have your college list and ALL materials for the UC and Common Application completed BEFORE your senior year starts in August.
For updates on all aspects of the college admissions process, including links to essay topics and tips, please ‘like’ the following Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/connectingtocollege
