Starting Off Senior Year on the Right Foot

One former client asked me to give seniors some key advice for their falls.

1.Dedicate one afternoon per weekend to college application work. He said he spent his week doing homework and his many activities and saved one afternoon per weekend for his college application work and that made his fall schedule work. College applications take time. View them as a regular class and use Sunday afternoons, for example, to fill out applications, draft essays, and put together teacher recommendation information.

2. Develop key essay writing strategy. Go online now and checkout all the applications and supplements. By September 1, each college will have posted its application or supplement. Remember, the UC application is not available online until October 1, but it is available as a PDF online to see what you need to write. See my previous post for essay writing strategies. Coordinate your essay writing and focus on those core qualities you need to let colleges know you possess. Don't repeat. Don't complain. Tell and show.

3. Plan now for teacher recommendations. Teacher dance cards fill early so you need to determine whom you plan to ask now. Remember, most colleges prefer 11th or 12th grade teachers (or a 1oth grade teacher you have now or who knows you in multiple capacities). They want core content--English, History, Science, and Math. If you're multi-talented, choose across math/science and English/Social Studies. If you're specialized, you can go within. But don't choose two in the same content area unless you are sending in a third recommendation. Don't overkill with too many recommendations. Choose those teachers who know you the best and who can say the most about you. Don't fear Brag Sheets...Brag, brag, brag. Makes weaknesses into strengths.

4. Colleges will look at fall semester grades. Keep up the good work. This is not the time to stop major activities or to change your work ethic. Colleges count 11th and 12th grade grades the most. Those grades are most indicative of who you are now as a student. If you dropped last semester, you need to focus intensely on doing great work this fall.

5. Take another round of tests. Seniors do better on standardized tests. So don't think it's too late to improve your scores. You matured over the summer. But don't go in unprepared. Get a test prep book, find a free online program, or ask your parents for tutoring. I know you can't relax but just know that you can beat these tests. If you're worried, send colleges your scores now. Then if you like your later scores, you can send them. If you don't, you don't have to.

Good luck. Please feel free to email me with questions.