Things That Might Surprise You in the College Admissions Process Dave Crooks & Coleman Tuggle Alumni Interviewers

Getting Into College is Like Getting a Job… Attend college fairs Attend college fairs Formal college visits with interviews Formal college visits with interviews College weekends for seniors College weekends for seniors Contact admissions reps Contact admissions reps Visit department chairs on campus Visit department chairs on campus Get to know alumni, recent and old Get to know alumni, recent and old

Consultants The role of a coach is to encourage, advise, and help the player reach their full potential The role of a coach is to encourage, advise, and help the player reach their full potential The coach doesn’t play the game! The coach doesn’t play the game! Consultants who assist and encourage the student to do the best job he/she can in preparing an application serve a useful purpose Consultants who assist and encourage the student to do the best job he/she can in preparing an application serve a useful purpose Consultants who prepare a “canned” application based on a short interview with the student are doing the student a disservice Consultants who prepare a “canned” application based on a short interview with the student are doing the student a disservice

Match the Personalities of the Student and the College Know who you are: your strengths, weaknesses, learning style, social environment, risk appetite, etc. Know who you are: your strengths, weaknesses, learning style, social environment, risk appetite, etc. Visiting campuses is a must! Visiting campuses is a must! Your sense of a strong match with the college should come through in all your communications Your sense of a strong match with the college should come through in all your communications Use Naviance Use Naviance

College Essays & Interviews The essay needs to be about you and by you The essay needs to be about you and by you Make your personality shine through in your essay and your interview: why are you who you are? Make your personality shine through in your essay and your interview: why are you who you are? The school wants to know: Who is this person and how will admitting them benefit this college? The school wants to know: Who is this person and how will admitting them benefit this college? Do interviews matter? Do interviews matter? Show up for an interview neat, prepared and ready for a conversation Show up for an interview neat, prepared and ready for a conversation Practice interview! Practice interview!

The Admissions Process Life in the admissions office Life in the admissions office Weighing GPA, board scores and activities Weighing GPA, board scores and activities Show commitment over time and leadership in a limited number of activities Show commitment over time and leadership in a limited number of activities Get a “real” recommendation from a teacher, not a “form letter” Get a “real” recommendation from a teacher, not a “form letter” Convey your interests and passions! Convey your interests and passions! Demonstrate what you can add to the school Demonstrate what you can add to the school

How Many Applications? Quality, not quantity Quality, not quantity Realistically determine your “stretch”, “probable” and “safe” schools and apply to 2-3 of each MAX! Realistically determine your “stretch”, “probable” and “safe” schools and apply to 2-3 of each MAX! Visit the schools you apply to Visit the schools you apply to Do a great job on each application, don’t just pump them out Do a great job on each application, don’t just pump them out Colleges know when you’re genuinely interested Colleges know when you’re genuinely interested

Diversity & Special Talents Ethnicity helps if you are from an under- represented group Ethnicity helps if you are from an under- represented group Colleges seek geographical diversity (if you’ve lived different places, bring that out) Colleges seek geographical diversity (if you’ve lived different places, bring that out) Being a recruited athlete is a HUGE advantage Being a recruited athlete is a HUGE advantage If you have artistic or musical talent, make sure the school is aware of it (DVDs, auditions) If you have artistic or musical talent, make sure the school is aware of it (DVDs, auditions) Bring out any individual recognitions Bring out any individual recognitions

Other Factors in the Process “Need blind” admissions “Need blind” admissions Legacy status Legacy status Early decision & early action Early decision & early action Clean up your electronic footprint Clean up your electronic footprint

Tidbits… …on William & Mary …on William & Mary …on Dartmouth …on Dartmouth Things that (constantly) surprise us as recruiters & interviewers Things that (constantly) surprise us as recruiters & interviewers

Personality Attributes of W&M Dedicated to excellence Dedicated to excellence A community of scholars A community of scholars Not as pretentious as an Ivy League school Not as pretentious as an Ivy League school A student body very involved in campus activities A student body very involved in campus activities 300 years of tradition and a lot of school spirit 300 years of tradition and a lot of school spirit Professors are involved with students both academically and socially Professors are involved with students both academically and socially Excellent relationship between the students, administration and faculty Excellent relationship between the students, administration and faculty Students have a voice in everything that happens on campus Students have a voice in everything that happens on campus Great sense of community on campus Great sense of community on campus Class size is small so that all students can actively participate in the education process Class size is small so that all students can actively participate in the education process Not a big party school…students make their own fun on campus Not a big party school…students make their own fun on campus

Dartmouth College The only college in the Ivy League (and the only school with college spirit!) The only college in the Ivy League (and the only school with college spirit!) Rural New Hampshire (imagine Hinsdale with trees 100 miles in every direction) Rural New Hampshire (imagine Hinsdale with trees 100 miles in every direction) 4,200 undergrads (and 1,200 grad students) 4,200 undergrads (and 1,200 grad students) A true liberal arts school focused on undergraduate education A true liberal arts school focused on undergraduate education A good fit for well-rounded, academically talented students with a love of the outdoors A good fit for well-rounded, academically talented students with a love of the outdoors