Spotlight on Students: Finn

Welcome back to the new series of Q&A videos I filmed with students who recently received their well earned acceptances. These guys worked incredibly hard and learned a lot about themselves through the application process; as a result, they have some great insights to share about how families just embarking on the journey to college can be prepare.

This second conversation was with Finn, a student who's headed to NYU in fall of 2017 -- check out what he has to say about his application process below!

Spotlight on Students: Anya

For the next few blog entries, I'll be sharing some new Q&A videos I filmed with students who recently received their well earned acceptances. These guys worked incredibly hard and learned a lot about themselves through the application process; as a result, they have some great insights to share about how families just embarking on the journey to college can be prepare.

This first conversation was with Anya, a student whom I've had the pleasure of working with for the past couple of years. She's headed to Yale in fall of 2017 -- check out what she has to say about her application process below!

Campus Bubble on the Left

I was reading Nicholas Kristof's article in the New York Times this past Sunday, which I found particularly fascinating for the effects of groupthink that he mentions on three-judge panels, and it made me remember a piece that a student of mine last year wrote about the community that he'd been brought up in.

Through his experience growing up in Santa Monica, he's been well equipped for taking on the fairly left-leaning culture of his small liberal arts college. Check out his piece below:

Thomas Jefferson saw America as a country of the people, drawing much of its wealth from agrarian production. Alexander Hamilton saw the polar opposite: an industrious powerhouse that would be controlled by its financial elite.

The U.S. today has embraced pieces of both ideals. I enjoy calling myself a moderate, a centrist, a libertarian because I don't stick to one line of thinking; I examine every opinion or belief to see what might work best for the nation. People of modern America are too bent on polarizing U.S. policy. It is only the greatness of the swing vote that keeps our innovation alive and well.
Liberalism is defined as being open to new behavior and willing to discard traditional values. The people within Santa Monica like to think that their liberalism is what's needed to cure the ills of society; at times, it is.

Yet, as I've grown up here, I've seen liberal agenda become misguided. Liberals here automatically attack dissenters (conservatives) for believing differently. Thus, the liberalism that embraces open-mindedness has become oppressive.

My experience has led me to appreciate the idealism of liberal thinking, but to reject the conformity that its partisanship indoctrinates. Approaching a problem requires different approaches. Diversity of opinions fosters these different approaches and thus allows ideas to blossom without obstacle.

Moderates. Swing voters. Undecideds. All embrace the ideal of thinking for oneself, manifested best in the action of the swing vote.

Therefore, the swing vote needs to be energized. By doing this, gauging public opinion becomes unpredictable and politicians are forced to say what they believe in. American democracy persists in its worst mistake by perpetuating partisanship simply for the sake of taking sides. Group mentalities are detrimental to the free-thinking that fuels democracy. I do not belong to a party, because I see it, rather than as isolation, as a freedom: freedom in its purest form.

The Art of Discrimination

This presidential election brought up the memory of a question in the study guide for the old SAT test. It was a sentence-completion question, the kind where you fill in the blank with, more often than not, some obscure word you wouldn’t find in the vocabulary of most adults, let alone the average teenager. 

This particular question was the last of the section, which indicates the highest level of difficulty. And indeed it was. I’d estimate that at least four out of every five students eliminated without hesitation the correct answer: discriminating.

It was a question about a chili contest and how the judges were able to note “subtle differences between dishes that most people would not detect.” But it was often the first answer choice that students eliminated—it obviously had nothing to do with acting out of prejudice toward others, those eighty-ish percent would point out. 

At one stage, while explaining the original definition of the word “discriminate,” I went to dictionary to look up the roots. Somewhere along the line, the word had popped out of our English word “discern,” which came from the Latin discernere, from dis- (“apart”) and cernere (“to separate”). Picking apart, observing subtle differences—there’s another, all-too-familiar name for that: critical thinking. 

I remembered the SAT question not because of the rampant discrimination (in the negative sense) through the many long months of the campaign, but more so because of the alarming lack of positive discrimination when it came to the facts. I’m enough of a realist to know that all politicians sometimes spin the truth, bend the facts or outrightly lie (as we all do on occasion). But what is staggering to me is how the people of this country opened the White House doors to a president-elect with such utter disregard for truthfulness.

I understand that he and his team figured out how to use misinformation to ride a wave formed from powerful emotional undercurrents in the country. I can also sympathize with the urge to act irrationally out of anger, fear or frustration. But what common ground do we have in this free, democratic society if not an allegiance to discerning the truth from the information we have available—as muddy and complicated as that process can often be?

Without rationality, how can democratic debate exist? Without factual accuracy, how can we determine the needs of Americans who feel forgotten—let alone enact and enforce policies to address those needs? Where is there earth solid enough for us to stand upon together if objective truth is no longer one of the values we share?

We all have lessons to learn. They’re about restoring respect.

First, especially for all the smart people out there, it’s a sense of respect for the tremendous power of human emotions—starting with your own. Emotion trumps reason every time (and puns that gross aren’t easily forgotten). Only by taking your own emotional temperature can you tell when a fever is coming on. People with a fever don’t act; they react. Thought goes out the window, instincts take over, and trouble begins. There’s no control and certainly no appealing to reason at that point. 

When you’re in tune with your own feelings and the way they color your view of the world, you can start to tune into others’ and discern who’s too feverish to listen, who might be soothed back to reason, and who has the same receptivity you do.

Then, out of respect for knowledge and intellect, rebuild your world view from the ground up. Start with the good discrimination—the kind that sifts reliable data, facts and objective observations out of personal biases, competing interests and misinformation. Don’t feed preconceived notions or simply reinforce the beliefs passed on to you by family, friends or even your teachers. Question everything, and dig until you find solid ground within yourself, in light of the facts and your own experience. 

Learn how to determine which sources of information are reliable; call out the nonsense when you see it. Check your facts, strive for the truth, and inspire others to do the same. Your opinion does matter, and every person’s opinion deserves a place in the world—as long as it’s founded upon respect for human dignity. 

Understand that if your views are anchored in conviction, carefully reasoned and well communicated, they’ll resonate with more people—if they’re listening. While you cannot satisfy everyone, but know that if you engage both emotion and reason, you can learn to make more people listen.

Want to make a difference in the world? Practice the art of discrimination—for good—and make it a cornerstone of your education.

Connecting the Dots: High School, College, and the "Real World"

My Teen LAUNCH partner, Kristine, and I have been working hard on a new program as a follow up to last year's Carve Your Own Path workshop. 

It's called Ready for the Real World: How to Make the Most of College.

I actually put an announcement out about the event a couple of weeks ago, and a mother I've worked with before (who also has a current high school freshman) asked if we weren't just creating more anxiety by talking about the "real world." Her daughter has three and a half more years of high school! Aren't we getting ahead of ourselves?

I don't think so. Here's why:

This isn't a nuts-and-bolts sort of workshop; it's about asking questions and looking at the overall context of college, which I believe everyone should do. If you grew up like me, you just assumed you were going to college. But it's not necessarily the best option for every single high school graduate. (Check out this PBS News Hour testimonial as an example.) 

Understanding the underlying reasons for why and which college is the right fit for you helps you build a better case for going there. This is critical thinking, friends! Admissions officials appreciate students who are informed about the investment their family is about to make; those students are more likely to take full advantage of the opportunities that college provides.

By making the most of the college experience, then, those who graduate will be prepared to send the same, clear message to employers: if you give me the chance, I'll make the most out of my time with your company; my work will benefit all of us. 

College admissions can so easily be perceived during high school as a contest to win. But nothing ends with your acceptance; it's only just the beginning. And those who simply get into the habit of looking ahead today will be the ones who discover their path tomorrow.

Interested in learning more? Check out our Ready for the Real World Facebook group and join the discussion. We've been discussing a range of college-related questions:

• What is the point of college?
• What has been the most challenging part of preparing for college thus far? Even if you aren't there yet, talk about the stage you are in.
• Any guesses what employers are looking for in recent college graduates? Don't worry about getting this one "wrong" just because there may be some "right" answers! We want to know what you think.
• Does your student have a dream career that excites them? Yes, sort of, definitely not?
• What is it about a college education that makes it an ideal choice for your student? Have any questions ever been raised as to whether or not college is the best option?

Nick's Picks: Spotlight on the University of Delaware

Founded in 1743 (making it one of the oldest in the nation), the University of Delaware saw in its first graduating class three alumni who went on to sign the Declaration of Independence. At 4,300 students, it's on the lighter side of mid-sized research universities, with distinguished alumni coming from both sides of the political aisle.

In this virtual hangout, Nick speaks with Admission Counselor Chuck Liddiard about some of the opportunities UD provides for both its admitted and its prospective students. Check it out!

What's your personal headline?

If you stop to think for a moment about an application reader's job, much of it happens in blocks and stacks: blocks of a couple hours at a time (give or take), devoted to reading a stack of personal statements -- perhaps 40 or 50, one after the other.

From that perspective, your main college essay (aka personal statement) has a singular aim: to make a positive impression and stick in the mind of the reader long after the reading session has ended.

This application season, I've found myself asking the same question each time I read a first draft (and sometimes a second, a third...even a fourth): what is the ONE THING this piece demonstrates about you?

If you're working on your piece now, ask yourself that question. You should be able to answer it in a short phrase or sentence. Here's the key, though: the one thing should be go beyond just a topic. Instead, it should be more of a headline.

Here's the difference:

A topic is a noun. It's a simple object or idea. It's usually pretty easy to identify -- here are some examples:

1. my love of reading
2. writing plays
3. secrets

Simple, right? When you're identifying your one thing, you want to take it one step further. This means turning your topic into a headline; you're adding an action to the noun, turning it into a how statement. Examples:

1. how rejecting the concept of a "canon of literature" helped me rekindle my love of reading
2. how writing plays enabled me to discover a deeper empathy for the people surrounding me
3. how examining the secrets I'd protected unconsciously has made me more honest with myself and others

Give it a shot. What's your personal headline?

Spotlight on U of A

Flagship of the system, football powerhouse, and the oldest university in the state, the University of Alabama houses programs of study in 13 academic divisions leading to bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.

In this virtual hangout, Nick Soper of Creative College Prep chats with James Gilbey, Regional Recruiter, about what's drawing some Californians out south.

Leave your comments below!

In Due Time

My wife Stacy and I narrowly missed an argument last night. She’s five months pregnant and was at a prenatal pilates class. It was intimate: only one other class-taker and then the teacher. Evidently, Stacy’s classmate is an old pro at the pregnancy thing; this is her third pregnancy. (This is our first, and it came after a long, grueling period of emotional and financial turmoil involving work with three separate fertility specialists.)

The teacher shared that she’s had similar struggles getting pregnant, but that it’s something she wants in the future. Stacy’s classmate piped up that it will happen—at the “right time.” That’s not something that someone who’s been through years of hormone therapy, ovarian overstimulation during egg retrievals, failed embryonic implantations, and ultimately miscarriage wants to hear. The implication, as Stacy pointed out during her rebuke to this woman, is that there is a “wrong” time—and how can you imply that I’m wrong to do everything in my power to have the child I so desperately want?

Having been half of Team Get Pregnant Already—my primary responsibilities having been attending to the mother-to-be in mourning as well as the credit card debt that wouldn’t die—I could sympathize. Who is anyone else to tell us what’s right or wrong, in terms of timing or otherwise, when it comes to growing the family?

But there was a voice in my head that spoke out, even though I chose to demur with my wife for the sake of pre-bedtime peace in the household. The corrective thought: instead of getting into judgments about the right or wrong time, I believe in *due* time.

For our internal desires for our lives to be realized (in the sense of becoming real in the external world), there is no getting around the time they must take, the stages they must pass through. Words like *marinate, percolate, incubate* all come to mind here—words that entail two things: the development of something; and the passage of time.

I’m 35 years old. It took me until I was 30 to move resolutely (more or less) into the field of college counseling. I needed most of my 20s to learn how to advocate for myself as a business owner; how to become a more effective writer and writing coach; how I could bring my own experiences, interests, and pursuits to bear on guiding young people about to step out of their family homes on their own for the very first time in their lives.

During college, I believed that writing was purely an act of will, that I needed to sit in front of the computer and think up my ideas, and then dig up some words that I’d then string together in sentences. The result: I came out of the creative writing program with such terrible writer’s block and such a diminished sense of my own agency as a creator that I’ve spent every year since then in some stage of creative recovery. The only glimpses of creative work that had any sort of pulse to it at all were in the moments when I was writing or acting fueled by some form of tumult in my personal life.

Did it need to take that long? I ask myself that question often. Part of my own recovery has been about acknowledging that my thoughts and feelings emerge on their own accord, in whatever time they take to surface. I can only give them space to breathe and grow; there is no forcing them. But that could take many lifetimes. I only have one.

And so sometimes that triggers me to swing back into the harder, more disciplinarian part of my personality, bring ye olde hammer down on myself for doing so much loosey-goosey drifting. But that kind of pressure is no good. There’s a snapping shut of the creative presence in me; I picture a sea anemone feeling out the ocean water around it does the instant it perceives a threat nearby.

What’s the solution? Where is the middle ground? And what does it have to do with going off to college?

Parents often lament that there is no longer space in the world for their kids to explore as they come of age. “Things weren’t like this when I went off to college. You weren’t expected to know what you were doing with the rest of your life. But now it feels like if you haven’t already figured it all out, you’re not going to be competitive. What do you think?”

Yes and no.

It’s true that the admissions landscape, as well as that of the job market, is broadly more competitive. Students and graduates competing for placement have to make more compelling cases for why they’re the right fit for that spot. They have to have a plan for crossing from high school to college and from college to the working world (or grad school) that includes a range of options and contingencies.

Making the best case for your candidacy and forming an exhaustive and adaptive plan are a lot of work by themselves. But here is the key ingredient: knowing the why—as far as it can be known. That’s where the real, sustained effort comes in. It requires you to make your own space.

Let me explain.

College admissions officials know better than just about anyone that students often change their minds, their majors, and their interests over the course of their college careers. You take a class in a subject you’ve never had any exposure to before, you join a new student group, and suddenly you’re in love with something you never knew existed. That’s a big part of what undergrad is all about.

What college admissions counselors admire, however, is the courage and self-awareness to take stock of what you’ve been doing over the past few years, name the trajectory you’re on at this moment in time, and do your homework so that you can articulate how their school can support the steps you’re taking for your future. Show them your determination, that you are highly organized and taking a serious, proactive, and realistic approach to managing your way through life, and they’ll understand your potential to contribute to their campus in the coming years.

The same goes for students getting ready to leave college. Show your potential employers why you’re right for the job and why the job is right for you. What relevant experience do you have? What experiences do you want? *Why*? What questions are you trying to answer about the direction you’re headed in? And then, to round it all out, what non-work experiences help to make you a relatable, interesting person?

In other words, you make space for yourself to explore by doing everything in your power to continue in a direction that fits you as an individual. You are already in motion, on some trajectory. While you can’t know everything about where it leads, you can work continually to check in on where you seem to be headed, and make adjustments according to where you want to be headed.

If human behavior interests you, for example, perhaps you’re considering a psychology major. But why rest there when nearly every undergraduate school has a psych program? What are some of the classes, areas of concentration, or experiential programs that the colleges on your list have to offer? Are you interested in the effects of drugs on the brain? Perhaps you can find a pharmacology class. The ways in which people behave in groups? Maybe there’s a concentration in organizational psychology. Are you interested in working with victims of abuse? See what internships your potential colleges offer.

The bottom line is that nothing has changed about the way in which we explore our paths through life. We need time and experience; most of what forms us is a process of trial and error. The only difference between now and “back then” is that college-bound students and graduates need the mindfulness to self-reflect, the diligence to do it consistently, the clarity to recalibrate as often as needed, and the ability to articulate their progress (in an appealing way) to the people with the power to open up doors to opportunity.

As with writing, in any creative undertaking (which includes actively exploring your future) you exercise your will not in the action of creating, but in consciously making the time and space for your creations to emerge—in due time. “Due” comes from the Latin “debere,” which means “to owe”; what you owe yourself is that space and time to take every opportunity as it comes, and adjust your plan according to whatever hand life deals you.

Looking back on my career path and on our journey to almost-parenthood, I can’t see all the time leading up to this point as anything other than due time. The struggle brought us closer, forced us to communicate more effectively and bring a higher level of order to our household. What comes when you’ve paid your dues?

Nick's Picks: Spotlight on Cornell College

Focus...concentrate...just one thing at a time. 

That's the basic learning philosophy of Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, IA: take one class at a time for a deeper dive into the learning experience.

In this virtual hangout, Nick chats with Marie Schofer and Ling Zhang, in the Cornell admissions office, about some of the exciting things happening on campus. Check it out!

Reflection: Overcoming Failure & Adversity

Some of our greatest opportunities to learn and grow come under the most challenging circumstances. How do you think about your personal setbacks? Times of failure? The obstacles you've had to overcome in your life?

What to Check Out:

1. Watch J.K. Rowling’s take on failure, which she calls “stripping away the inessential” at Harvard.
2. Listen to Skater Rodney Mullen describe the act of getting up again—in all aspects of life.
3. What stands between you & your goals? Read this article & put words to your personal obstacles.
4. Watch teenage comic Kevin Breel open up about the adversity hidden behind his funny persona.

Related College Questions:

The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What's the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?

Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

If your progression through college has been interrupted, please use the space below to explain the nature of your leave and your activities during your time away from school.

Respond to the following quotation: "Difficulty need not foreshadow despair or defeat. Rather achievement can be all the more satisfying because of obstacles surmounted."

What is the best mistake you have ever made?

Nick's Picks: Spotlight on Macquarie University

Many students love the idea of a study-abroad experience. What if it spanned your entire college experience?

An adventure down under for American students interested in taking their undergraduate experience abroad, Macquarie University is a large public university in the suburbs of Sydney, Australia.

In this virtual hangout, Nick Soper of Creative College Prep chats with Lea-Anne Allen, Regional Manager, about some of the exciting things happening on campus.

Check it out!

Four Key Attributes of a Personal Statement (and what it's NOT)

I recently came across some guidelines for the personal statement on website of the Dutton E-Education Institute for Penn State that I thought were worth sharing for students just diving into writing their main college essays.

Here's a quick share of the four main ways to view your personal statement:

1. It's a picture. Provide a snapshot of who you are as a person.
2. It's an invitation. Your job is to "bridge the assumed distance of strangers." Invite your reader to get to know you.
3. It's an indication of your priorities & judgment. Your selection of material reveals your priorities & ability to discern effectively.
4. It's a story, or more precisely, your story. The personal statement allows you room for creative, meaningful self-reflection.

Just as importantly are the four things a personal statement is NOT:

1. An academic paper with you as the subject. The objective distance of academic writing disengages the reader from you in a personal statement.
2. A resume in narrative form. Other parts of your application, which might include a resume, already tell readers about your accomplishments. A personal statement must reveal and interpret well beyond a resume.
3. A journal entry. A common mistake is allowing your personal statement to read like a diary. Share only relevant material selectively, in a voice that remains both individual and professional.
4. A plea or justification. Don't beg and don't defend the (incorrect) assertion that you are more worthy than other candidates—it only backfires.

Keep these guidelines in mind and PRESS ON!

Nick's Picks: Spotlight on Muhlenberg College

The Spotlight on Admissions series features brief conversations with college representatives from across the country, sharing a little bit of their wisdom from their time in admissions. 

Check out this conversation with Melissa Falk, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid for Muhlenberg College:

Looking at College Loans

We're making today a quick one. I'm taking a good look at how to help families understand how college loans work, and what they'll be like to pay off after college.

Here are some quick resources for your home calculations:

• U.S. Department of Education  

Information about the Federal Direct Loan Program, including publications and tools to help manage Direct Loans

1. Direct loan calculator via FAFSA forecaster
2. Federal loan repayment calculator  

• College Board

Calculators and information on loan repayment estimates and comparing federal and private loans

1. Student Loan Calculator
2. Student Loan Comparison Calculator
3. Parent Loan Repayment Calculator

• Mapping Your Future

Repayment information including calculators to estimate repayments & salary based borrowing levels

1. Debt Wizard Repayment Calculator

• Chronicle of Higher Education

Information displaying average amount of debt assumed by parents at various institutions

1. Average PLUS loan packages table

Will You Cross the Great Divide?

School is about to begin, if it hasn't already. Seniors: are you ready?

A close colleague of mine recently coined the term "The Labor Day Divide" to describe a phenomenon that roughly coincides with the start of senior year.

New seniors split fairly neatly into two camps: those who have crossed off most of their Summer College Checklist...and those who have barely begun.

The divide becomes most evident toward the beginning of November when Early Application deadlines ...and it's not a pretty picture (such as the one below) for Camp #2.

Credit: Jeff Drahota / USFWS

It's never too late, though, and we still have time before Labor Day. Check your college task list against this one:

1. Identify Academic, Social & Personal Goals: these will guide every choice you make through applications and college itself
2. Free Associate & Build Out Initial College List: as many as 20+ schools that you can later slim down
3. Create a Personalized List of Essential College Questions: use it to direct your research
4. Develop Your Brag Sheet & Info Packets for Recommenders: your rec letters are a crucial part of establishing your credibility, so give your recommenders the ammunition they need!
5. Build Your Activities List & Student Resume: clarify your skills & abilities, making sure you’re ready for any opportunity
6. Start Demonstrating Interest: keep a correspondence log to ensure that every college knows who you are before applying
7. Personal Statement & UC Insight Questions: capture your unique essence in a strong draft that you can adapt to different prompts
8. Why Us? Template: most colleges ask why the fit is right, so start with what you’ll bring to the table
9. Balance the College List: ideally 6 - 10 total applications, anchor, target & reach
10. Home Stretch: week-by-week application task due dates for fall
11. Research affordability: estimate Expected Family Contribution, run the Net Price Calculator for individual colleges, research merit aid & scholarships

Nick's Picks: Spotlight on Emerson College

With its main campus in the heart of Boston and a new, state-of-the-art campus in LA, Emerson College is an institution dedicated to the arts and communication in the context of a liberal education.

In this virtual hangout, Nick Soper of Creative College Prep chats with Amy Mitchell, Director of Admissions, about some of the exciting things happening on campus. Check it out!

Reflection: Storytelling in Preparing for College

We all have a story (many stories, in fact!) to tell. We are living one that's unfolding moment by moment, year by year.

But why are stories so vitally important? What is it about codifying our lives in terms of stories that makes our experiences so much more meaningful and more compelling?

WHAT TO CHECK OUT:

1. Journalist Dave Lieber makes the case in this TEDx talk about how storytelling can change the world.
2. This guest blog makes the case for why storytelling will be the top business skill in years to come.
3. Ever thought about what’s actually happening in your brain when you hear a story?
4. When was the last time you listened to a great story, just for the heck of it?

RELATED COLLEGE QUESTIONS:

• Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.
• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• If you were to write the story of your life until now, what would you title it and why?
• You are writing your autobiography. Imagine what you would say on page 54 about yourself and your experiences.
• A good story starts with a good beginning. Get us hooked in the first 150 words.
• Every name tells a story: Tell us about your name — any name: first, middle, last, nickname — and its origin.

3 Formatting Tips for Emailing Admissions

You have narrowed your college list, you're doing your research, and you know that you want to stay in touch with your top choices all the way through application season.

Beyond the fact that many colleges want to gauge your level of interest in attending, cultivating a relationship and opening a direct line of communication with your regional admissions counselor at a college can help you get answers to questions you might not be able to find elsewhere.

Here are three tips for crafting a great introductory email (remember that these are principles that can apply to nearly ANY email you write):

Tip #1: Use the Subject Line Wisely

Most people who use email addresses in an official capacity have very limited time to get through their inbox and respond. Help your reader out: use the subject line to get your request across clearly and concisely. Don't make them have to guess what the email is going to be about.

Tip #2: Use Space to Make the Body of the Email Reader-Friendly

Imagine that you're sitting down to do your homework, and the first page you open up to in your textbook is one solid block of text, covering the page. Sigh. We've all been there. Whatever resolve we MIGHT have had instantly drains away. Boring. So much work for my brain.

So do your reader a favor: let in a little air. See if you can think about your message in three parts: the intro, the body, and the call to action. The intro establishes the context for reaching out. The body provides more in-depth information, and sets you up to make your request. And the call to action asks for something specific.

Tip #3: Strip Away Any Words that You Don't Absolutely Need

A good rule of thumb for this is that all the text of your email fits on one window, even with spaces. If you have a number of different questions, you might want to consider sending multiple emails. Make sure that you're only including information that is directly related to the request that you're making.

Other than that, keep the tone polite, respectful and upbeat (remember, this is about showing off your excitement!), and make sure that your email demonstrates that you are a competence writer. Use good grammar, spell check the text, and make sure to proofread carefully. 

Ten Out-of-the-Box College Offerings

Many families get stuck in trying to dig up the real differences between colleges. The basic distinctions are out there: size of the student body, public versus private, research university versus liberal arts college, location, name brand, etc. 

But there are so many schools thinking just a bit outside the box -- doing something just a little different, which many families have often never even heard of.

I thought I'd use this post to toss out a list of the specialized offerings out there that might dramatically change the college experience for a student considering the options:

1. Honors programs: often a way to get the best of both worlds -- a tight-knit learning environment in a big university environment -- these programs have many variants. Of note: check out Swarthmore's seminar program.
2. Co-op programs: build a robust word resume during your undergraduate years by alternating semesters between internships and the classroom. Of note: Northeastern University's co-op program has helped elevate the school's profile across the country.
3. Design your own major: another steadily growing offering at many schools, students get to cobble together their course of study according to their interests -- with sound advising, of course. Of note: Hampshire College was built around the idea of a customizable course of study. (Just don't let them hear you call it a major!)
4. Block programs: concentrate...just one thing at a time! Taking one course at a time is a radical shift for many students, but the alternate schedule affords some unique opportunities. Of note: get a sense of the possibilities Cornell College's program affords its students.
5. Major-minor requirements: the jobs of tomorrow demand an ability to think in an interdisciplinary way. While many schools offer students the possibility of multiple majors and minors, there are few that mandate it in their curriculum. Of note: Allegheny College lays out an simple case for why a major-minor requirement is in the student's best interest.
6. 4 + 1 accelerated degree programs: if you're REALLY the academic type, earn your bachelor's AND an MA, MPH, MBA, or MS degree in half the time (and tuition dollars!) it'd take otherwise. Of note: the Claremont Consortium has pooled all of its five schools' resources and offers a variety of options.
7. 3-2 engineering programs: torn between a bachelor's in science and an engineering track? With this program, you can graduate with both degrees in five years. Of note: Goucher College's partnership with Columbia University balances the small liberal arts experience with a powerhouse research university.
8. January term: take a little break from the regular ol' semester system with a winter interlude. Travel or take that art intensive you've always wanted. Of note: St. Mary's College in CA does Jan term right.
9. Great books curriculum: if you're an avid reader with an insatiable love of learning how all of our major Western fields of study came to be what they are today, look no further. St. John's College, which has campuses in Annapolis, MD, and Santa Fe, NM, offers this singular track.
10. Financial literacy course requirements: why basic financial literacy isn't a core part of our schools' curricula -- at the secondary or post-secondary level -- is beyond me. It's a part of life. Of note: Champlain College stays true to its pre-professional roots with its required financial literacy coursework.