The "C" Word

Onto WordPress!

2008-11-10T22:27:00.000-08:00

Hi readers!

Within the next few days, we'll be transitioning away from our home here to soulsucking.wordpress.com. The team's agreed that WordPress is a much better fit for our goals, and we can't wait to flesh out this blog some more for you. You can look forward to our first WordPress post tomorrow. :)

Thanks for following, and be sure to stop by our new digs!

--Pauline

College Campus Visits, Minus the Visits

2008-10-01T18:00:00.000-07:00

Matthew mentioned his trip to Adelphi University and dropped some tips about preparing before your visit, and I'd definitely say the college visit was one of the most useful (and exciting) parts of my college search and selection process. But what if, in fact, you can't get the heck out of Dodge? Between atrocious gas prices and your jam-packed schedule, the odds of getting out on that college road trip might not be looking so good. Here are ten ways to get the scoop on a school without putting money on a plane ticket:

Get spammed - Painful as it may be, make sure the colleges you're seriously considering have you on their mailing list. In addition to the scores or viewbooks, brochures, and catalogs, you'll get updates on other opportunities to learn more like local information sessions and online chats.
Tear up the web site – If you took the tour on a real visit, the propaganda there would be pretty much like a summary of the web site anyway. So get past the Admissions page, and read absolutely every inch of it that matters to you. Scholarships, study abroad, what classes you'd be taking in your major, what kinds of counseling services are available, see if the student newspaper is available online, everything.
Take a virtual tour - Some colleges' web sites will have these, so you can get a view of campus grounds online. You can also search for them on CampusTours.com, YouniversityTV.com, TheU.com (for a more candid perspective), SchoolFinder.com (mainly for Canadian schools) or even YouTube.
Mooch off of your friends - Know anyone else interested in the same schools? Ask them if they're visiting, and ask for their opinions after the trip. Make sure to ask about impressions of the surrounding town and neighborhood. College Confidential also has a database of student-submitted reports on their visits.
TALK TO A STUDENT!!! - Pardon my caps, but this is one of the most helpful things you can do, even on an actual visit. Ask your high school counselor if there are any alum attending the colleges you're considering—these folks will probably be able to give you the most useful, relevant perspective. Ask the admissions office if they know of anyone who might be willing to talk to you (at least through e-mail). Participate in admissions chats (sometimes current students will be there). When you do meet/speak with students, ask them if you can have their contact information in case you have questions later. And should you decide to go that school, you even have someone to talk to for the low-down on which dorms to avoid, which professors to pick, and so on.
Talk to alumni– If you can't get in contact with a student (or if you can), ask the school if there are active alumni groups in your area. Try to meet up with them. Plus, a current student won't exactly be able to tell you what job hunting or applying to graduate school will be like after graduation.
Talk to professors – If you know what you want to major in, find e-mail addresses of the professors in that program. Ask for their syllabi, ask what their teaching goals are, ask what the students' backgrounds in that subject typically look like when they start the class and how students grow over the term, ask about some of the opportunities for students in your major, ask for their perspective on campus culture—anything you can come up with, really.
Find the confessional box – In addition to checking the school's web site for student blogs, check out sites like Princeton Review, Students Review, Vault, and College Prowler, which feature surveys of current students. College Prowler only has a limited amount of information that you can read for free online (otherwise you need a subscription), but you can buy (or borrow from your library or counseling office) guidebooks on specific schools that are packed with handy student quotes.
"Google this, Google that or even I'll Google you!" - Those, my friends, are the wise words of Barbara Walters, and they can actually be applied to this process. Particularly, I would suggest searching Google News (or looking for the surrounding town's newspaper) to see what significance that school has in the greater community. You may even try searching to see if certain on-campus clubs have a Facebook presence. Get creative.
Make friends with your fateholders – If you have questions that can't be answered anywhere else, well, call the admissions office. Also be on the lookout for college fairs, on-the-road information sessions, and other opportunities to meet with admissions reps in person (and hopefully even get your name in their heads).

The truth is, while this is better nothing, you're still dependent on someone else's opinion or bias. Whether it's your peers, admissions counselors, or whoever writes the marketing on the web site, you're speaking with people who have agendas of their own, so take everything with a grain of salt. Once you find out where you've been admitted and have your list narrowed down quite a bit, make some time to go on a real visit where you can make your own impressions and see the school's “personality” firsthand before sending in that final deposit.

College Counselors

2008-09-26T22:05:00.001-07:00

The college application process can be very draining. Juggling applications, extracurriculars, AP/IB, SATs and SAT IIs and of course your social life is no easy task, especially in your junior and senior years.

The solution? Most students go it alone and somehow push through the last two years of high school. A small fraction, however, hire a college counselor.

College counselors are usually either experienced high school counselors or better yet, ex or current admissions officers, that help high school students through the college application process. Their duties usually include:
- designing an academic plan (SAT, SAT II, GPA/courses, AP/IB)
- designing an extracurricular plan
- helping with personal statements
- finding special opportunities, competitions, scholarships for you
- helping to organize your applications come Sept/October/November of senior year
- encouraging you emotionally

This may seem a bit over the top, but college counseling has proved to be very effective. Just two years ago, my friend hired a counselor for her junior and senior years. She got into Yale University, and is now living in London for a study-abroad program in international business. A popular college counseling company in my area is called Harvard Squared. All of their college counselors are Harvard alumni or current Ivy League admissions officers.

However, these college counselors are not miracle workers. You need to have something for them to work with - your GPA and extracurriculars should be in good shape. College counselors are usually hired for students who are looking to attend competitive colleges, such as the Ivys or other top 25 universities according to U. S. News World and Report.

I am currently looking for a good college counselor. Already, I'm a little overwhelmed about my course load in junior year, and my extracurriculars are not very focused. I feel that I am in need of help, if I wish to go to a better school than UCLA or UC Berkeley (which I do!).

College counselors are mostly for students who are good, but not great. They are competent, but don't have anything special, and might crumble under the pressure.

So if you're ambitious, determined, and qualified, you should look into hiring a college counselor - that is, if you're willing to shell out $3500-4000. But you never know- that money could come back ten-fold if you actually get in to your dream school.

My College Visit To Adelphi University

2008-08-29T15:03:00.000-07:00

Hi! Sorry for having not posting more often, been a little busy. I definitely plan to post more!

So, two days ago I visited a college for the first time completing a campus tour at Adelphi University on Long Island. It was a student led tour at 3pm that we had called earlier and reserved a spot for my dad and I to visit. Pretty decent size nice campus. When we arrived, we were given a form that asked for information about the prospective student.

After that, the student guide arrived and another family came and joined us for the tour. She took us around to the different buildings and explained what things were like and also welcomed us to ask any questions if we had any. All in all, it was a very easy, exciting and informative experience.

In fact, when we had reached one of their dorms, a girl down the hallway greeted us: "GO DOWN TO THE BOYS FLOOR! IT SMELLS LIKE A DEAD PIG!" -- she didn't really lie, either as we all found out. I appreciated the warning! Oh dorms... We also passed by the bathroom of the boys floor, which the other family had wished to take a peek in. I stood outside telling the guide jokingly, "i'm not going there - you can't get me to go in there!" which she laughed at. Although don't get me wrong, this is a great opportunity to really scrutinize everything - you want to know this is where you want to go to school and live!

Otherwise, the tour really did help me learn about what the campus was like. And that's exactly what you want.

This school helped me think about what questions to ask in the future, what things I might want to learn more about, what I want in a college, etc. It was a really great educational experience. You really want to get a feel for exactly what you're looking at and no reading can do the true justice of whether the school is right for you until you visit.

So, definitely do your research before visiting schools as much as possible and narrow it down to a nice list. Look to see if they have campus tours, open houses, and admission events, etc. Mark down such dates on a calendar or keep track. Use these as perfect opportunities to narrow down prospective schools. TIP: I've been seeing that some schools have been hosting online chat rooms. They will have a website that you can meet at a certain time where you can chat live with current students and admission representatives at the school; a great way to learn more without having to visit just yet.

Taking out books in the local library helps, as well as websites such as the Collegeboard.com to get in-depth college profiles and Peterson's detailed college search. Both have match makers to narrow down colleges based on what you're looking for.

These resources give you a good feel for what the school is like. Prioritizing which parts of a school are most important are dependent on your needs and interests (ex; do you want small class sizes?). College hunting should be viewed as a matchmaking process. The college must match you as the individual student and your learning needs. So review things carefully and try to think about what environment would work best for you.

Asking For Letters Of Recommendation

2008-08-22T22:34:00.000-07:00

...is terrifying.

Because when you were putting off that English essay or that lab report last year, I bet you weren't thinking about your letters of rec. And if you're anything like me, you might be losing sleep over the fact that someone is going to write a judgment of you that may significantly impact the next four years of your life (and beyond)--and you might not ever get to read it.

Yikes.

As usual, I'm no expert on this college app thing, but since you should be starting to ask for your letters of rec as soon as possible (like...now?), I thought I'd throw out some tips for you, all throughout the process.

Deciding Who To Ask

Be aware of what your colleges require - Your first step should be to check what the applications say. One school may require more letters, another may require letters from teachers of certain subjects.
Pick someone who knows you well!!! - Besides academic enrichment, this is why it's good to stay late after class to ask questions and to see your counselor every once in awhile. The better the writer knows you, the less generic your letter will be.
Pick someone who's seen your best - Your best may be a year of near-perfect DBQs in your AP US History class, or it may be starting Chem with a D but working to the bone for a B+ by the end of the year. If you've taken challenging classes and those teachers have seen you succeed, they may have a lot to say. This is more likely to be someone from your junior year than earlier.
You probably can't pick your Ceramics teacher - Colleges want to see that you're prepared for what they'll offer you. Try to choose a teacher from a core academic subject (English, math, history, science, foreign language)
Alumni points - If you have a teacher who knows you well and just happened to graduate from your dream school, he may be able to speak to your ability to contribute to campus in a way that other teachers may not.
Don't ask more teachers than necessary - Teachers are busy. Don't waste anyone's time. Admissions offices are also busy, and extra letters usually don't get read. Check which application asks for the most recommendation letters, and ask exactly that many people.

When You Ask

Give your teachers at least three weeks before the deadline - GIve at least two to three weeks to write it, plus some leeway time to get it back to you. Again, teachers are busy, and odds are, they'll have other students asking for recommendations. Basically, ask for your recs as soon as humanly possible.
Set up a time to discuss - Please do not just stop your teacher in the hall and hand them your forms. No. Talk to your teacher after class, find him before school, or if absolutely necessary, send an e-mail. Then, politely ask if s/he would be willing to write your college recommendation letters. If s/he says sure, express your appreciation and ask if you could set up a time to fully discuss it. Your meeting will probably be around half an hour.

At The Meeting

Be prepared with the necessary paperwork - Bring them to the meeting, of course. If there is anything you need to fill out, fill them out before you give them to your teacher. Bring envelopes for each letter. If the application says recommendations should be mailed straight to the school, stamp and address the envelope.
Be prepared to explain which application is which - If there are differences in the application processes, make sure you clarify for your teacher. For instance, some schools prefer to have recommendation letters sent straight to the admissions office, while others would prefer that the student send everything together (in this case, the teacher needs to seal it in an envelope and signature over the flap, so they can see you haven't read or opened it). It's just as confusing for your teachers as it is for you. I suggest using paperclips (to keep each school's materials separate from the others) and sticky notes (with instructions written).
Give your teacher a list of your involvement - Ideally, the teachers writing your recommendations are people who know you pretty well and can speak to something specific about you. Even if that's true, a "student profile" is an extremely helpful resource so nothing is forgotten, or so you can discuss something that your teacher may not know yet but that may relate to her experiences with you. Include club involvement, athletics involvement, community involvement, employment, the schools to which you're applying and your educational goals. Keep it to a page or shorter. You can download my student profile as an example, based on a template from my high school (notes are in bold). You may want to follow this template or create one of your own.
Give your teacher a deadline - Have a safe gap of about one week between the deadline you set for your teacher and the actual application deadline, just in case anything happens.
Make sure your teacher can contact you - If you don't have class together or something, make sure your teacher has an e-mail address and/or phone number where she can easily reach you if she has questions. Make sure you have your teacher's, too. A good place to put your own contact info is on the student profile.

After

Check up on your letters - A few days before the deadline you've set, casually ask how those letters are coming along. If they aren't coming along, politely remind your teacher of the application deadline.
WRITE THANK-YOU NOTES!!! - I have seen teachers stay in for lunch to write recommendation letters, and it was not pretty. Your teachers are doing you a huge favor, so please, please at least give them a note of appreciation.

Colleges That Change Lives

2008-08-14T22:38:00.001-07:00

Okay, I'll be the first to admit most of my posts haven't been the most relevant. Random books, mostly, and life in general. But this one - this one, I promise, is about college.

More specifically, Colleges That Change Lives. It's a book-slash-website-slash-group-that tours-the-country. They run college fairs for specific colleges that they've classified as...you guessed it, "Colleges That Change Lives". These schools have certain things in common: low student-to-faculty ratios, a focus on liberal arts and sciences, environments that inspire learning, et cetera.

Somehow I managed to get on their mailing list (I guess I must have signed up, though I don't remember it), and however it happened, I'm incredibly pleased, because I got a lovely little flyer in the mail that - yes there is a point to this rambling paragraph. Long story short, CTCL is going to be in Tulsa (where I live, in case you weren't aware) on the twenty-seventh.

The program begins promptly at 7:00 p.m. with a 30-minute information session, and a college fair begins immediately afterwards, lasting approximately 1.5 hours.

I don't actually have a lot to say, having not been to it yet, but both St. John's and Marlboro, the two liberal arts colleges I'm interested in (in New Mexico and Vermont, respectively) will be there. Kalamazoo and Hendrix (Michigan and Arkansas) also look interesting, but you can guess why Kalamazoo appeals to me (and it's not the locale).

This one's short, but only because I'm saving the yammering for after Wednesday.

Next CWL coming up in November!

2008-08-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

CollegeWeekLive (CWL) is a two-day virtual college fair to help prospective students in their college planning by connecting them with colleges in a live, interactive environment.

CollegeWeekLive is a bi-annual event which next takes place on November 12th and 13th, 2008 from 10:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST. The college fair will draw thousands of students from the US and abroad and over 200 major colleges. Attendance is free for students, parents and guidance counselors. Registration opens September 1st.

- Email received from Nextstep College Newsletter

Why apply early? Or, why not?

2008-07-31T12:09:00.000-07:00

Applying early vs. regular is probably one of the more confusing little decisions you have to make in the process. It doesn't seem terribly complicated at first, but then you start to realize the deadlines are coming at you like a village mob, and then you find out that there may be some commitment involved. So here's a guide to deciphering the different kinds of application deadlines and some suggestions on when to take advantage of them.

If you are thinking about applying early (or if you are thinking about applying regular action, really), you should start working on your applications now. Early deadlines can be as soon as November 1st, and regular deadlines are not long after. First of all, you want to give your teachers ample time to write your recommendations once you hit campus--and so does every other student. Not to mention, this is your senior year. You've got homecoming, club meetings to lead, grades to pull up, a job to get to on time, and friends and family to see as often as you possibly can before you head off to college. Trust me, you do not want to be slapping your applications together last minute.

If you apply early, you must be prepared to submit some applications regular decision, also. By the time you hear back from a school to which you applied early, you will only have a couple weeks (if any time at all) to finish another application.

Warning: This post is super long. My advice is to check which types of deadlines actually apply to your schools first and to skip the ones that don't.

(Photos courtesy of my new MacBook. Faces of despair courtesy of yours truly.)

Early Decision ("binding") (ED)
This is for those of you who have said, "Yes! This is my number one, absolute DREAM school, and if I get in I'm not even considering anywhere else." Through ED, you're making that statement to the school and promising (signing a contract) that if accepted, you WILL attend, no matter what. Application deadlines are typically November 1 or November 15. Typically you'll find out whether or not you're admitted by mid- or late December.
Don't You Dare Forget: You can only mark off one school as Early Decision. Even if you apply ED I, be prepared to submit applications during Regular and (if applicable) ED II deadlines.

Recommended if:

You've been dreaming about attending this school since you were a wee young tot, and you had a vision over tea that this was where your future belong.
Your dream school is particularly competitive and you want to demonstrate to them that you're very, very interested AND you have a solid academic record throughout the first three years

NOT recommended if:

Financial aid is going to be a factor in your decision (remember, you're committing no mater what)
You haven't visited campus
Your previous grades or SAT scores leave something to be desired (or you haven't taken the necessary tests yet), and you're using the first semester of senior year to make improvements
You're not entiiiirely committed to your top school. Is this true love, or is it just a crush?

Early Decision II (ED II)
A handful of schools (Brandeis, Wesleyan, Colorado College, and others) have ED II or "Option II" Early Decision, so if you are rejected by Dream School #1 (or just had to put off that Early Decision application a couple months), you have the chance to say, "Yes, this is my number two absolute dream back-up!" and try the process with a second school. Same rules generally apply (binding, one school, etc.), you just can't get into a school ED I.
Important Tip: ED II deadlines are pretty much the same as Regular deadlines, so you're going to have to fill out other applications. In that case, if you find out you're in at your ED II school, you just have to call the other schools' admissions offices and ask to withdraw your applications.

Recommended if:

You've been dreaming about attending this school since you were a wee young tot, and you had a vision over tea that this was where your future belong. Unfortunately, you kind of let down the oracles the first time you took the SAT, if you catch my drift. But lo and behold, upon retaking it fall of your senior year, you were able to achieve a higher score and hopefully please the admissions gods.
The school of choice is a very competitive school and you want to demonstrate high interest.

NOT recommended if:

Financial aid is going to be a factor in your decision (remember, you're committing no mater what)
You haven't visited campus
You're not entiiiirely committed to your second-choice school. Rebound girl, much?

Early Action (or "non-binding" early application) (EA)
This is for those of you who want to apply early and hear back early, but don't want to commit to just one school right away. Early Action deadlines are around the same time as Early Decision, but you get until May 1st to make your final decision.
"I applied to all of my schools Early Action just to get it over with. I heard back from all of my schools before anyone else, and I had more time to make my decision."
"By applying early, I was also invited to apply for special scholarships."

Recommended if:

You need to allocate more time to your side of the decision-making. For instance, let's say you can only visit campuses after you're accepted (big money-saver), but you're interested in schools all over the country (big time-eater). By finding out sooner where you got in, you give yourself a four-month window to visit schools, instead of about three weeks if your notifications came in April.

Not recommended if:

Your previous grades or test scores leave something to be desired (or you haven't taken the necessary tests yet), and you're using the first semester of senior year to make improvements.

Single-Choice Early Action (SCEA)
A handful of schools (Yale, Stanford and others) offer a kind of single-choice Early Action program, sort of the lovechild of ED and EA. As the name suggests, this is a kind of non-binding early program, but you're only allowed to apply to one school Early Action (even if that second school offers normal EA). The point of this is, it allows you to put off your commitment until May 1 like with regular EA, but it shows a stronger interest like with ED.

Recommended if:

You have a clear first-choice school and want to demonstrate interest
You're applying to a super-competitive school and have no interest/opportunity to apply EA anywhere else

Not recommended if:

Your previous grades or test scores leave something to be desired, and you're using the first semester of senior year to make improvements
You'd like to hear back early from any other schools

Regular Decision (RD)
This is kind of the default option. Deadlines are typically January 1st or 15th, notification is typically in March or April, and you have until May 1st to officially commit to a school.
"I was pretty much counting on getting my senior grades up. My junior year report card was not exactly that impressive."
"I just wasn't sure about all of the schools I was applying to until later. And I needed more time to polish my application, get my recommendations, and all of that."

Recommended if:

You're undecided about whether or not you should even apply to certain schools
You think your senior grades will be much-needed help to your application
You want to retake the SAT, ACT, and/or any required subject tests
The early plans don't appeal to you or aren't available to you

Not recommended if:

You're applying to highly competitive institutions (highly, as in, if your parents told their friends you got into that school, eyes would widen) and your freshman through junior year record is so gorgeous it makes your counselor blush.

Rolling Admissions:
Rolling admissions means that admissions decisions are mailed depending on when your application is received. If you apply early, you get it early. If you apply late, you hear back late. Typically there's a cut-off date, but these tend to be much, much later than Regular deadlines (sometimes as late as August). Applying Rolling Admissions is good for safety schools--you can apply even before EA and ED deadlines so you're sure you actually have a college to go to, or you can apply after everyone rejects you (but we know you won't let that happen). And it's just good in general, because you have a little more control over the timetable.
Important Tip: Most schools with rolling admissions still have financial aid deadlines in the spring or earlier (keep an eye on that FAFSA!!!). If you apply Rolling Admissions, try to treat it like an Early Action, or at least Regular. Applying later than January to a Rolling Admissions school should only be a back-up plan, particularly if your family is confident it can pay for the school.

Hopefully that was helpful. It's long and complicated, but understanding your deadlines is a pretty important part of the application process (and, uh, life in general). The more you know, the more control you have over your future. If you have any questions, comment away!

Oh, and let me reiterate this, because it's even more important than you think it is right now:
Start working on your applications now. Early deadlines can be as soon as November 1st, and regular deadlines are not long after. First of all, you want to give your teachers ample time to write your recommendations once you hit campus--and so does every other student. Not to mention, this is your senior year. You've got homecoming, club meetings to lead, grades to pull up, a job to get to on time, and friends and family to see as often as you possibly can before you head off to college. Trust me, you do not want to be slapping your applications together last minute.

Freshman Orientation?!

2008-07-23T11:54:00.000-07:00

I can't sleep, so I blog.

It's pretty surreal to think that I'm actually going to college in the fall. I mean, I read the brochures, I pictured myself on campus, imagined where I would hang out on the weekends, imagined where I would be studying, imagined what student groups and organizations I would join. I visited the campus and sat in on a class and wondered with whom I would be hanging out... And then I went to orientation on Monday and Tuesday. And I got my student ID card. And I got my class schedule. And I stayed in the same residence hall I'll be staying in this fall. And I talked to potential future classmates, and when I met people, I asked them what their major was. People would introduce themselves by their major.

Orientation was awesome. Sure, most of the time was spent listening to talks and presentations, but they were 100% useful--info on health services, technology I'll need to know, time management, ways to get involved in campus ministry, etc. We did have some downtime (and they brought a hypnotist!), and I got to know quite a few people. I wonder how many of these people I'm actually going to talk to next year. Hopefully at least a few.

We received our class schedules, and no doubt this is way different from what mine looked like last year. Seattle U is on the quarter system, which means three shorter terms during the traditional school year (plus summer quarter) instead of semesters. Anyways, my schedule for fall quarter consists of three core* classes, each worth five credits (meaning about five hours per week). I'm taking Introduction to Geology, College Writing, and Arabic Language I. Arabic! I am so psyched. Plus, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, that's the only class I have, and it starts at 13:30. I think this will be just fine.

We were assigned our summer reading. Seriously, I have homework again. But instead of getting a test in the fall or having to put together a poster board, SU has this thing called Academic Salons. There will be discussions on this book (Crossing Into America, an anthology about immigration, basically) the first week after move-in, and throughout the year as I understand there will be several speakers and other events around the theme of "engaging worlds."

My dad was fortunate enough to be able to join me for orientation. I basically only saw him for meals, but he tells me they just had a bunch of speakers, too, though he enjoyed it. I definitely recommend taking at least one parent to campus visits and/or orientation if possible. The priorities and perspective are going to be notably different from your own, but incredibly valuable. For instance:

Me: So, I talked to someone about studying abroad.
Dad: Can you use your scholarship?
Me: The Middle East.

This is my dad's second time coming with me to an SU informational event. He's even more sold on the school now (with the t-shirt and bumper stickers to prove it), but I think he's still working on dealing with the whole out-of-state thing. Aww.

As a whole, the orientation experience has so far helped make this whole crazy college thing seem more real. And I feel like I'm more emotionally ready to hit campus in the fall, now that I've completed at least some of the obligatory sitting-in-a-chair-pretending-to-mess-with-my -cell-phone-because-I'm-too-terrified-to-go-up-and-talk-to-anyone. I don't entirely know what I'm doing, but I kind of know who to ask. I haven't found that BFFAEAE just yet, but schedules permitting I think I have people I can eat meals with unawkwardly. I've been told that studies show that students who go to their freshman orientation are more successful and happy in college than students who do not, which was not my motivator for going but good news considering I'm pretty terrified. Excited, yes, but terrified.

------------

*Core classes are basically classes that are required of all students at a particular college regardless of major (these may differ from college to college within one university), which totals to about four quarters of classes. (Don't worry, most of these overlap with major requirements, anyway, but I probably won't be taking any major courses until sophomore year.) For instance, at SU's College of Arts and Sciences, some of the core requirements are one course in a fine art, one lab science, one of two particular history courses, Philosophy of the Human Person, one of several ethics courses, and others. Since SU has a very distinct educational mission (that is, a dedication "to educating the whole person, to professional formation, and to empowering leaders for a just and humane world," as they say), these courses set the foundation to further that emphasis. Many colleges have core requirements for similar reasons--to encourage a broad liberal arts perspective, to enrich understanding with some particular educational flavor, to make sure students are proficient in a variety of subjects, etc.

the summer blues

2008-07-19T17:10:00.000-07:00

Hello all -

I've been pretty occupied these past few weeks. Global Citizens Corps organizing/planning, piano competitions, tennis practice, and of course all that academic stuff.

Anyway, I just wanted to quickly share with you all about a site that I stumbled upon a few months ago: http://www.cappex.com/. It's like Zinch in some ways, but drastically different in most ways. Like Zinch, Cappex lets you make your own profiles for schools to download your info. You can send "shout outs" and receive "love" on Cappex. There are also many scholarship opportunities. The main thing that is different about Cappex is their college "Calculator." You fill our your profile, and then you search a prospective college. Then, Cappex will automatically calculate your chances of admittance. It's a rough estimate, and for a few colleges (especially the Ivys), they won't even be able to give you a guestimate of your chances. However, I think it's sort of interesting to look at it.

Cappex also has a few articles and worksheet-type things to help plan out your roadmap to college. It has a very useful article on how to stand out in terms of your extracurriculars. It's opened my eyes a lot, and maybe it can help you out, too.

Blogging FTW!

2008-07-16T12:03:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, I've been long-distance interning for Zinch, a college recruitment site, for the past 3 or so weeks. Every week my group, called the "Student Voice," have assignments we must complete. This week, remarkably, I was told to write for The Zinch Report, Zinch's very own blog. I already have two posts up and today I'll be posting an interview with The "C" Word's founder, Pauline. It'd be great if you guys could stop by, read, and maybe leave a comment. Just click here to visit (I'm posting on Sid's blog). Thanks!

Pauline Paint Warrior, Offending the Sun Gods, and Existentialism in the Fourth Grade: More Tales From A Rockin' Summer

2008-07-15T14:07:00.000-07:00

In a Mayan village, I helped to liven the paint on their church...

...but it was they who helped me liven the color of love in my life.

As I mentioned previously, I recently spent eleven-ish days in Mexico with other youth from my church. It was without a doubt one of the best experiences of my life, and I truly feel unable to express to you the full magnitude of those days. The trip sort of had three parts: doing manual labor for a church in a Mayan village, a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and some down time exploring culture, nature, and hotels. We swam in a cave! But my favorite part, without a doubt, was the Mayan village. I couldn't even speak their language, but their love and graciousness, their excitement, their eagerness to share their culture with us was beyond my comprehension. I will never forget some of the people I met in Mexico as long as I can help it. As much as we came down there to serve them with our hands, they served us even more in an infinite way.

Plus, I puked on top of a pyramid:
See that sucker on the very left? That's the Temple of the Sun in Téotihuacán, a pre-Aztec civilization. Notice how it's built to look like the mountain behind it, because they believed that the gods were on the mountains. If they could get as high as the mountains, they thought, they could be like the gods.

It's no fourteener, but it is a steep 250-foot summit, plus I was hot, sickish, and out of shape. Shortly after making it to the top, I felt a little woozy, laid down, and found my breakfast to the left of me. I had to be carried down. It rained that day when we were supposed to go boating. I probably offended the gods. My friend, on the other hand, theorizes that, much like dogs pee to claim their territory, I have now claimed this temple as my own.

------//-------

This week I've been volunteering at my church's Bible day camp. It has an outer space theme this year, so each age group is assigned to a planet. The first day we had fourth-graders, and when they found out their planet was Pluto, one of the girls came up to me and said, "I have a feeling we don't exist..."

I was so proud!

Next week, I have orientation at Seattle U! I'll be sure to tell you all about it.

College Week Live!

2008-07-10T15:04:00.000-07:00

Live event
07/10/2008 9:00 AM EST

Check it out!

www.collegeweeklive2008.com

I visited the last one in March which had many guest speakers, college counselors, presentations. A must-visit resource when they have the conference. It is completely live and online. Make sure you register!

Be sure to check back soon as I'm sure they'll schedule another CWL; in which case you'll definitely see a post in advance updating you. I'm subscribed to the newsletter for updates!

work it!

2008-07-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Things have been really great lately - I have a chance to win this year's SYMF piano competition, I have a chance to get on varsity tennis this year, I have a collective 4.0 GPA so far, my private SAT tutor says that I'm en pointe for that 2400 if I put in some hard work this summer, and oh yeah - I got a 5 on my AP European History Exam!!

I really didn't expect a 5. I thought definitely a 4, but a 5?! I was really surprised. I promised myself if that I somehow pulled out a 5, I would celebrate my butt off. And so, my parents are taking me to the ultra-expensive and ultra-elegant Cheesecake Factory tomorrow night. Have you tried their veggie burgers? They make them from scratch!

Right now I'm trying to knock out my summer assignments for AP Composition and APUSH.

Also, especially if you're a rising sophomore or rising junior, its very important to take the summer to read some books! Collegeboard has a hefty list of 100 books that you should read before you go to college. Of course, reading 100 books within a couple of years is practically unheard of, so it's wise to pick and choose. Here's the link - http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/boost-your-skills/23628.html

My preliminary list is as follows (title, author) :
Candide - Voltaire
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
The Cherry Orchard - Chekov
The Great Gatsby - Scott
Faust - Goethe

If I have time (which I probably won't), I can add on. AP Composition is going to be an eye-opener. If I don't read enough, I can't write anything fantastic. But if I can stick in a few references to classic texts, I'm sure it will boost my grade and lessen my stress next year.

I'm stuck.

2008-07-07T08:41:00.000-07:00

I have writer's block times a million.

Not only have I been mulling over a college blog related post I thought of about a month ago but I'm also incredibly stuck on what to write for my college application essay. The Common Application came out on July 1st. I actually finished about half of it the very same day but when I got to the essay portion I blanked (not that I hoped to finish my entire application that day but I thought I should at least have some sort of idea -- but I don't). Hmm...what could I ever possibly write about? Perhaps sample essays would give my brain a well needed boost so, I virtually made my to Sparknotes.com and read about 5 essays they had. I thought to myself, "Seriously, could I ever write anything that good?"

Some two weeks before the arrival of the Common App I read a post on the MIT Admission Blogs by Snively '11 and he wisely suggested that "you pick the school you most want to attend and just mull over the essay topics. Don't necessarily think about them, but just remember them and see what happens during day-to-day life that would help make that essay the best it can be." He's right. He is so right.

Well, it definitely helps I'm going to Disney World tomorrow. Hopefully the magical inspiration -- that Disney presents on a day-to-day basis and that which encouraged Walt Disney to create the amazing company it is today -- will rub off on me and guide me past my writer's block and onto a "very me" college application essay (and a new blog post!). Wish me luck!

No news is...

2008-06-29T22:53:00.000-07:00

I can't say good news, I can't say bad news. Rather, no news is no news. I've finished Glory Road, and I must say it's much better in retrospect than it seems at the time. It's a parody of sorts, ridiculous and cheesy for the first half - and completely amazing for the second. Heinlein managed to give class to a one of the most clichéd genres that exists.

And every time I start writing, I feel inadequate. Everyone else is talking about their trips, their plans, their mission statements...Gawd. That's terrific for them, but I'm really not that sort of person. I'm...either more complex or more basic, and perhaps both, in different ways. I got a prompt a few days ago on one of my English exams - it's a correspondence thing - and here's what it said (paraphrased):

Write an original piece about your first ride on a _______ (horse, roller coaster, etc.). It should be at least three paragraphs, and approximately 250 words.

I wrote in the margin, "Hey, you didn't say it had to be autobiographical!". This was my response:

It was a dusty, blustery day, nearly a month since the seasonal work had ended and maybe two before first snowfall. When the ice came, I would slip into large boots with rubberized soles to fend off the muddy slush, but that day I was barefooted and the silky-fine layer of dust that coated the ground also transformed my lily-white feet to a soft brown. My feet were my best quality, I always believed, hanging on the ends of my legs just begging for the attention they deserved. I wanted to learn to walk on my hands; I was convinced if the first thing people saw were those shapely slender-toed feet, my squab face wouldn’t disgust them so.

My opinions changed that day, though, when my face did what my feet couldn’t – or at least, never had. Every smid in Flouxter had a Modley 42, but we lived out in the Mudland (though the mud was dirt by that time) and even hovercrafts need flat land to equalize. The smid in the Mod was a stranger, and a city one, if the tear-tracks through the dust on her face were any indication. Probably she’d gotten lost, and my Pop always said solar batteries were a bad idea – runaways and thieves could take
advantage as they liked, and smids could end up in the Mudland before they knew
they were lost.

I’m sure I must have looked baked brown as a mudcake, cracking a grin at her, but when she smiled a bit as well and hovered down for me to climb in, I knew it was worth it. My home was just across the dune, hardly a whiplash and a holler away, but it was the closest thing to civilization she’d get before the blazing sun faded and the wolves woke, and the ride was still the best in my life. We comm’d her folks and let her wash, and I did get her comm number, so maybe she can come back when the ice has melted. I’d let her borrow my boots.

It's odd, I'll admit, and probably not what they expected, but it says a lot about me. I'm not the sort of person that does a little task the ordinary way if I've got any other choice, but I'm very conservative in my bigger choices. I work at a pizza parlor. My title is CSR, which stands for Customer Service Representative and translates to 'peon'. From the Greek peedon, to mean "one who is peed on". I get to smile and tell the customer we're out of something, that 'No, sorry, we can't do that' and 'Yes, of course I'll get that for you' without sarcasm or adding aloud 'Despite having a half-dozen other things to do that are much more worth my time'. At the end of the day my feet hurt, my back hurts, and I'm about ready to bite someone's head off. My coworkers are pretty cool, though. Most of them are older than I, but we get along pretty well.

I feel like I'm learning, even if I'm not in a formal education program - besides my correspondence courses, of course. I'm working hard, and trying really hard to take care of my father (and probably failing terribly), and I'm writing a little here and there and reading when I have a chance. I picked up Frankenstein's Bride by Hilary Bailey; it's two books in one, really - also the classic Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, and I began reading it. That is, I read the first novel, thinking it was Frankenstein (because of course they would put the original before the sequel, right? Right?), and only realising 91 pages in that I'd been reading Bride. That sucked - not because the novel was bad; it was quite good, actually, it's just that who wants to read half of the sequel before reading the original? So I stopped and started Frankenstein. I'm 47 pages into that, now. It's very nice as well.

Also, I picked up Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy and Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert at a jumble sale recently, so those are on my To Read list, as well. Keeping them company is Farnham's Freehold: another Heinlein novel, another library book, another recommendation by my father. Oof. I'm working tomorrow, and need to send off an exam (the one mentioned above, actually), and should get some sleep.

Ta,
Kathryn

Just Dance

2008-06-28T15:59:00.001-07:00

Hey all! I just got back from New York! I was attending the Global Citizens Corps summit 2008 at Adelphi University on Long Island, New York. It was fantastic! We listened to a lot of speeches from a variety of different speakers - from op-ed writers to the President and Vice President of Mercy Corps. It was fantastic! If you care at all about global poverty and globalization, you should definitely check http://www.globalcitizencorps.org/ out. I came into the summit not really knowing much at all about global issues, except that they were bad. But when I left, I feel so empowered to do something! I feel such a responsibility to do good in the world, since it really is up to our generation of young people to implement a real change. We also went to the United Nations! Overall it was just a great opportunity to meet a lot of people, and learn about a lot of pressing issues. The people I met were simply amazing! We talked about globalization as well as SAT scores (apparently they were released on Thursday, or some time around then). It's great to become a part of a network of determined individuals - they can help you out a lot in the future.

Blog Mission Statement

2008-06-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

I felt compelled to write this latest post.

We as a blog need a mission statement. We need to clearly lay out for us what we are aiming to do and what the reader will be able to get from following our blog.

What is our motive; our primary goal? In essence, it is to help you, the very reader of this blog by journaling our experience as we venture through the college search process. Parents, guidance counselors, and students alike we hope to assist you as we learn the inner workings of the whole process: what works and what doesn't. We also have the perspectives of many different students from different backgrounds: different geographical locations and minds coming together to offer insight to others. We're all students, just like you. All we're doing is sharing our experiences with you.

The whole college process can seem both daunting and exciting. There is also the excitement of the future. The ability to have more freedoms and grow. Meet new people. Participate and have experiences you have not had before. Many things come to mind. Such things come to mind as: "What colleges should I look at? What major should I choose? What about financial aid?" All these thoughts racing through your head, naturally, it seems a little overwhelming. For others, its easier for them to know what they want to do but the transition for everyone still exists: to move from high school to college. This transition is what we want to hone in on and assist you with so it becomes an easier (hopefully less scary) experience.

So, to the point, let us help you!

"kinda that summery feeling only on a more existential level"

2008-06-20T18:44:00.000-07:00

A buddy of mine from camp describes the funk I've been in as, "kinda that summery feeling only on a more existential level." Truly everything lately has been given a haunting (though, frankly, obnoxious) new weightiness. I've got 92 days until move-in date at Seattle U, but most of my friends head out a month before I do. These few transitional months are doused with alternating, dizzying hues of lasts and firsts, from the last Sunday night youth group to the first time I purchase extra-long twin-sized bedding. And the first loan I take out. Yikes.

Sometimes I hate thinking that everything in life is just a transition to another thing, which is a transition to another thing...a transition...a transition... I don't think that's all it was meant to be, anyway. So I'm trying to remind myself to straight-up enjoy the moments in my summer for what they are. It's not hard to do.

So far this summer I have:

been to graduation shindigs; seen seven local bands play; eaten at the SAME Cafe; visited my favorite bookstore twice; interviewed one band; celebrated my brother's wedding; celebrated my brother's graduation; cried; gone whitewater rafting (and saved my tour guide's life! haha); chillaxed in the mountains with my family; enjoyed Ben & Jerry's Stephen Colbert's Americone Dream; met new people; taken probably over 200 pictures

The remainder of my summer will probably/hopefully include:

working at my church garage sale; volunteering at a homeless shelter; fixing up buildings, touring, and visiting the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico; celebrating my niece's first birthday!!!; visiting my old summer camp; COLLEGE ORIENTATION; more concerts (hopefully, Monolith Festival at Red Rocks?); whining about how I'm not old enough to volunteer at the DNC--or vote, for that matter!; meeting more people; taking more pictures

Counselors and admissions folks may often give you the advice that your summers should be productive, and indeed they should. Take summer classes, go to a summer camp, volunteer, get a job or internship, assist a professor with research... There are tons of awesome opportunities out there that will change your life, or at least your weekend. And although it's a perk, don't just pursue these things to add another line to your application. Like I said, these things may change your life, and not just as a means to an end. The point isn't so colleges can see you're a workhorse; the point is so you can diversify your experiences and discover the things about which you're passionate. Eventually, you will be able to refine your definition of what really hums your soul. And with regards to college, consider the fact that most people aren't sure of what they want and thus change their majors several times (on average, three, but I know some who've tried as many as five). This can make it harder to graduate "on time," and while I'm sure that's a fun ride, it's also a huge investment of time, work, patience, and, well, money.

This is sort of an odd connection, but one thing that comes to mind is something Nathan Bond of the band Band Marino said about their newer music:

The new stuff we're writing is growing in really exciting ways. And it's not that it's all over the place, it's just growing into a lot of neat territories and we're excited about exploring those landscapes some more. Even though I'm proud of [our first and previous album] for what it is...I see it as our first steps into a much larger world.

The sooner you can explore those different territories, the sooner you'll be able to explore more of what you really love, to venture into a larger world.

Spaz if you want to

2008-06-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

(I'm the second to the left)

Hey ya'll - I'm following up on what Nancy said. I'm going to stagger my blocks of text with a few interesting pictures thrown in.

Today was our last day of school. Sort of anticlimatic, but I'm relieved that it's over. I ended my sophomore year with a bang: 4.29 GPA. I got by with a 90.1% in AP European History! Whew. Now all I have to worry about is my AP Euro test score. I hope I pulled out a 5, but I'll settle for a 4.

As I reflect upon this year, I really did buckle down and do some serious work. Of course, there's still miles and miles left for improvement. Next year is going to be death! And let's not even talk about SAT prep! I'm getting a private tutor over the summer so I can knock the SAT out in October/November this fall.

More on SAT later. What I'm really excited about is my trip to New York next weekend! I'm going with the Mercy Corps, which is basically an organization for global relief, meaning poverty, hunger, education for all, water, global warming, etc. I'm going through a one-week in-person leadership training. We're also going to the U.N. and taking a night tour of NYC. I've missed NYC- I'm glad I get the chance to go again. And maybe I can swing by the college of my dreams: Columbia.

Soul suckingly delicious.

2008-06-17T11:25:00.001-07:00

Hey!

I'm Matthew, a 17 year old who lives in Stamford, CT. I attend a small private college preparatory boarding school. I'll be entering my senior year and have been voted president of my school. I have many hobbies including photography (which I love), kayaking, cooking, going out to eat, etc.

When I first read the idea, on Zinch.com forums, I was blown away by the potential that I see in such a resource we as students could be to help others. Each of us coming from diverse backgrounds, we'd all be able to contribute something to help our fellow peers; you, the students! Right now I'm keeping my options open while looking into Business/entrepreneurial studies, psychology, and some other majors. I'm undecided at the moment what school I'll attend, I'm trying to keep my options open and this summer I'll start visiting some colleges.

If I got you curious enough, check out my Zinch.com profile @ zinch.com/mfishman to learn more about me. Of course, as you follow the blog, I'm sure you'll learn more about me, too!

Hello stranger.

2008-06-17T01:01:00.000-07:00

Hello. I'm Kathryn. I like to think nothing about me is ordinary, and work quite hard to prove it. Someone told me once thinking you're weird means you have low self-esteem. I said it means I'm a realist. I live in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and went to public school until tenth grade. Now I do correspondence work, and will graduate within the next few months, envelopes willing. Don't get me started on the envelopes.

I'm taking a year off before I go to college, to "grow up", which is one of those phrases parents have created to torture their children, I'm sure, along with "when you're older" and "when I was your age". Regardless, my father has terminal liver cirrhosis and wishes for me to be home more, spending time with him. He won't be dying within the next year (I hope), but it's hard to have any idea of when. He's got probably five years, almost definitely two, and ten is a long shot. If I had my way, I would be in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the autumn, living in a dorm at St. John's, but it's hard to argue with a dying man.

My blog will most likely be about family, about working a tiny job at a pizza parlour where my feet hurt All. The. Time., about trying to learn on my own while still trying to stay relaxed, and trying not to go crazy. I'm terribly self-absorbed, you should know, although not in the vain perfectionist way (I think). A lot of this will be about ME ME ME, and I hope you won't hold it against me.

Now, as to what I'm doing currently. My father wants me to read Glory Road by Robert Heinlein, and I must say he's succeeded at least partly. I'm not such a fan as he'd like me to be, I suppose, though. It's escapist fiction from the 1960s, and I find the characters vapid, irritating, like bobble-head spray-on-tan blonds, like the American stereotype and everything I dispise. ...Regardless, I'm trying. On an unrelated note, I have a book of Aristophanes's plays, which I'm thinking of reading though at the mom, can't really imagine wading through.

On the structured academia front, I need to write an essay comparing and contrasting either Viola from Twelfth Night and Jane Eyre or Rochester and Duke Orsino. I haven't quite decided on which, but I'm leaning toward the former. Jane and Viola are such a wonderfully complex characters; I'm not sure the duke has enough structure for an essay.

And now it's 3:32 in the morning, and I really should have gone to bed hours ago, at eleven probably, which is when I got home from work. I'm off for ten hours' sleep if I can manage it, but I'll probably be woken in less than six. I have housework tomorrow, and two posts in a row would be odd, so I'll probably yammer on again sometime near next weekend? Or earlier, if I can get the hang of this schedule and don't end up a drooling fool.

Wish me luck,
Kathryn

hey, let's blog!

2008-06-16T20:11:00.000-07:00

I like to think that apart from words, pictures are the next best way to convey an event, an idea, an opinion, or even who I am. With that said, my college-ish blog will be sure to include an endless amount of pictures to suit your fancy. :)

My name is Nancy but most people prefer to call me Nance, Nancy Drew, or Tina Fey. I hail from the sunny (and oh-so humid) state of Florida. I'm 17, a rising senior, and I go to an arts high school where I spend most of my time in a little place I like to call my home, the theatre. I'm a geek at heart and I enjoy the geeky things in life (Yes, I own a binary watch and yes, I've always wanted to build a robot so that I could beat up your robot). My college searching experience began in the 7th grade when I went through a phase where I was obsessed with going to college even if I was 6 years too early. From then on I have gone from thinking that the Ivy League was the way to go and if I didn't get in I'd turn out to be a hobo to thinking I needed a college that was real -- one that didn't hide behind a façade of names, reputation, and college ranks. I'm a student too and I'm experiencing all those hurdles that every high school kid has to pass. The easiest way, I've found, to maneuver through the process is to share it with others and to communicate with students who are feeling exactly the same way as you are. This blog is for all those who have ever pulled an all-nighter, freaked out over standardized tests (or any test for that matter), or have, at some point, lost hope in high school. High school is tough, alas, junior year hit me like a sack of potatoes. But if we share our high school difficulties together, we'll be sure to conquer them.

Stick Figures In Peril

2008-06-16T20:07:00.000-07:00

My name is Pauline. I like yellow cake with dark brown frosting, the aesthetic value of oranges, and dandelions. I actually enjoy riding the bus. My personal e-mail address pays homage to an obscure punctuation mark. Few things get me more excited than a pair of maracas or a large box of crayons. Soybeans have never let me down...I think. I don't know what my role is when it comes to building a better world, but with a goal like that I'd rather try everything than try nothing. I have the coolest family in the world. I have the coolest family in the world. I have the coolest family in the world! I try to read a portion of the Gospel nightly. As a child, I collected dryer lint. As a teenager, I collect Alex Trebek quotes. I've been writing literally as long as I can remember, and I think I'm called to keep doing it until I stop remembering. I own fifteen vinyl records, one Lomo Colorsplash camera, and a plush enlargement of the common cold virus. My favorite colour is safety orange. And yes, I just spelled that with a "u."

So, tell me what college fits that.
(Apparently Seattle University, but that's not the point.)

The message I'll probably be preaching a lot here will take you back to Sesame Street: we are all unique people, unique goals, unique experiences. There isn't one perfect college for each person, but there isn't one perfect college for everyone, either. In school shopping, I have always been about fit. Prestige may have a certain amount of practical impact, but to be honest with you, I'm more concerned with going to a school that will help me become a better person and citizen of the world overall, rather than just a better journalist, or even a better learner or leader.

Unfortunately, choosing a college can seem instead like a daunting and dehumanizing experience. I struggled with the personal essay because confining myself to a mere 500 words was like boxing my entire being into 500 square inches. On the other hand, I'm sure colleges struggle to explain themselves in the short time we may peruse their marketing. Which is probably why it seems like every school in North America sent me eight brochures, a viewbook and a video. (Hey, why couldn't I get away with that?)

As an officially college-bound contributor to this blog, I'm assuming the role of human road sign for the other contributors and readers: Yield, Dead End, One Way, Deer Crossing. Consider the last paragraph Avalanche Danger. I'm obviously not an expert on any of this, and thank goodness for that. I never wanted to "master this game," because that's not how I see it. I chose Seattle University based on the sum of my experiences, and my hope is that in sharing those I'll be able to help you notice and evaluate yours. So feel free to ask a lot of questions, no matter how seemingly irrelevant. I'm a big believer in the big picture.

Lily's First Post

2008-06-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

My name is Lily Fu. I'm 15, and 100% Chinese (although I can't speak Mandarin fluently). I'm currently a sophomore (c/o 2010), and I attend Oxford Academy. Oxford is a small public magnet school in the Anaheim Union High School district. If you haven't heard already, Oxford is the 4th best high school in the nation according to U.S. News World & Report, the 9th best high school in the nation according to NewsWeek, and the top public high school in Orange County.
http://www.usnews.com/listings/high-schools/california/oxford_academy
http://www.newsweek.com/id/39380
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/students-school-high-2067829-schools-top

But don't get it twisted - Oxford isn't as pompous (or amazingly amazing) as the name purports.

Anyway, I have been very serious about the entire college process since about 9th grade. I have done extensive research on my top college choices in alignment with my potential career choices through a combination of Internet research and seminars from admissions officers themselves. I am a straight-A student, but am struggling a bit in the extracurricular field. For the moment, they include my high school tennis team, Health Occupations Students of America club, National Honor Society, Tiger's Action Plan in partnership with Anaheim Police Department and Tiger Woods Learning Center, American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Cypress committee, Youth Leadership America, and piano.

I want to share my experience with the Internet community/fellow college hopefuls. I have one more year of this college madness, and I'm going to make it count.