I'm on the WAITLIST! WHAT DO I DO?

Applications have skyrocketed for almost every school. Cornell went up 7%, UC San Diego went up almost 9% (90,000 applications!) and Colorado-Boulder went up a whopping 33% (legalization of marijuana or the Denver Broncos... you decide).  All that being said, it's getting more and more competitive. 

It also means more schools are using the waitlist. Why? With an increase in applicants (internationals!), an increase in the number of applications each student is submitting and no increase in the number of seats in a freshman class (for most schools), it's more and more difficult to predict whether an accepted student will actually come to the school.

Simply said, being on the waitlist means you'll be considered if there are open seats after the accepted regular decision students have responded. What are your odds of getting picked? Not great. Last year Yale took ten percent (10%) off the waitlist (not bad actually). Notre Dame took seven percent (7%). How many did Stanford take off their waitlist? Zero. Zero percent or zero people... either way it's a big donut. The moral of the story is don't put too much hope in the magic waitlist. With schools using the waitlist more and more, the percentage will likely go down (thankfully Stanford's percentage won't be going down any further).

So what should you do? How do you improve your chances of being selected off the waitlist? Here are a few tips:

1. CONSIDER YOUR OPTIONS - Don't wait on hearing whether you get off the waitlist. Make a decision and go with your 2nd choice. Go ahead and secure your spot (do it before the May 1st deadline of course). It's also good to take yourself off the waitlist of any school you really don't intend to go to. It'll give others a better shot. 

2. WRITE THEM A LETTER - Well before May 1st (ie. ASAP), write a letter to your admissions representative (the person in charge of evaluating apps in your region). Send a copy to the main admissions office too. Don't get super mad, but be positive. You're NOT a loser for not getting into their school, so don't come off as one. In your letter, talk about how you see yourself fitting in (classes, professors, activities) and how you would contribute to the academic community. Also talk about how you remained committed in your classes and activities in this last semester of high school. Share any new awards, improved grades, updated test scores. Lastly, if the school is your first choice, then say so. They'll more likely select you if they can count on you coming.

3. ADDITIONAL REC LETTER - You might consider also sending a letter of recommendation from someone who can shed a different light on you (other than the ones you already submitted). It might be a community leader, a pastor, an employer, or even senior year teacher who has gotten to know you. But only send one... too much stuff is too much (some schools explicitly say not to send additional recommendations - if so, do NOT send recs).

4. DON'T SLACK OFF - Technically the entire year is up for review when they consider you. So don't slack off. Study for those AP tests. Finish off the year strong. Schools don't want slackers... so don't be one.

Lastly, don't get too sad. You make the school, the school does NOT make you. If you work hard, take advantage of opportunities and have a great attitude, you will be successful no matter what. Harvard doesn't assure happiness. Yale doesn't promise a big paycheck. It still comes down to you. And that's a good thing.

Need further advice? Help? Guidance? Don't hesitate to contact us! Good luck!

Summer Plans: Taking Classes at Community Colleges

Thinking of taking classes at your local community or junior college this summer? Here are a few reasons you should do it:

• Community colleges normally have classes you can't get at your high school. You can explore your interests or take more classes in an area of strength (math focused students taking higher levels of math; history students studying different eras of history, etc.). 

• If you get an A, it may give your GPA a little boost!

• If you do well, it can signal to universities that you're ready for college-level study.

• It can demonstrate to colleges your interest in the subject.

• You can takes classes almost anytime morning, noon and night. You can take classes online through your community college as well!

• It's a good complement to a part-time job.

A few things to be mindful of when taking community or junior college classes:

• You have to WORK! Summer classes are accelerated so you need to stay on top of it. 

• Teachers won't pay as much attention to you, so you NEED to be pro-active with asking questions and seeking help.

• You need approval forms signed by your high school before you register. Start all this paperwork in April and search for the high school enrollment info on each individual community college website. 

• High school students register last... so have a few backup class choices ready!

• California students applying to UCs or CSUs - try to choose UC-approved courses so you'll definitely get the course transferred later on.

Hope that helps! Questions? Comment below or contact us!

5 Great Activities You Can Do This Summer

Students (and parents) often ask me how they should spend their summers. Should I go to summer programs? Should I take SAT courses? Can I just play video games and watch TV? Uh, no, to the last one for sure. 

Summers are important because it provides colleges a glimpse of how you spend your free time. It's also a great time to do things you didn't have time for during the school year. Here are five great options for the summer:

1. University Summer Programs

Yes, lots of students are going to them. No, you won't automatically get accepted to USC if you go to USC's summer program (or any other university's summer program for that matter). However, university summer programs are a great way to focus on a specific interest area (business, engineering, art, etc.). Since most high schools don't focus on career exploration, studying engineering at Johns Hopkins Engineering Innovation program or business at Georgetown's Fundamentals Summer Program may help you learn more about those careers. 

Living on campus will also help you see if you really like the school and have what it takes to handle college life. I had a student whose dream was to go to NYU. But after a summer in New York City, he realized he hated city life and applied elsewhere. I also have many students come back from summer programs way more motivated because they got a better taste of the hard work needed to succeed. Whatever the reason, summer programs might be the way to go.

2. SAT or ACT Study

Yeah it's a little boring, but it's the best time to get it in. You can take an expensive training class or study on your own. Either way, you should do it before your junior year (when you need to be taking them). What's the best way to study? That's another post for another time. All I can say is every good test prep plan requires taking plenty of practice tests.

3. Volunteering (with ONE non profit)

That might seem boring too, but summer is the best opportunity to commit more time to ONE local non-profit or cause you're interested in. Focus more on deep than wide. When you commit more time, you'll develop stronger relationships with the leaders and the community the organization is serving. You'll learn more, have a richer experience and may even help with leading big events or new projects. Summer is a great time to invest more deeply in the organizations you're passionate about. 

4. Independent Projects

Start a cooking class out of your house! Start a weekly fitness group with your friends! Make Youtube videos on how to dance! Do something, anything... but find something you're interested in, set a goal and then go for it. Don't be afraid. There's plenty of time to be scared when you're an adult (401k's, osteoporosis, etc.). Do something fun and challenging and set an awesome goal for the end of the summer. Yes, it demonstrates leadership, personality and all that stuff (blah, blah, blah) to colleges. But more importantly you'll have a great time and accomplish way more than you ever think you could. 

5. READ

You're thinking, "YUCK." But wait. Reading is the easiest way to build your English foundation for the SAT or ACT. The more you read, the easier it will be to fly through those reading comprehension passages. If you read good stuff, you'll pick up good vocabulary and you'll intuitively learn how to formulate good arguments. AND you might just fall in LOVE with reading (your English teacher's wildest dream!). Don't just read anything. Read good, classic literature. Read the New York Times. Read the New Yorker Magazine. Read about what's going on in the news right now and what's happening all over the world. Don't make it chore. Read on your smart phone when you're in the bathroom in the morning. Read on the way home from school. Read when you're waiting for mom to finish her manicure at the spa. It's OK to read what you like, but also read widely and deeply. Set a goal for reading 3 or 4 books over the summer and go for it. I promise you won't regret it. You'll do better on the SAT and you'll discover a world you may never have seen before.

I've got other suggestions including part-time jobs and internships. But that's another post for another time. Develop a plan and go for it. And make your summer both fun and productive. Questions? Comment below. Thanks!

Ilumin Blog Coming Soon!

We have a lot of helpful insight to share on the confusing world of college admissions. We're getting it organized and ready to share with you soon! We know you'll find it super helpful. In the mean time, feel free to share with us topics you'd like us to cover in our blog. Suggest a few topics in the comment box below and we'll get right on it. Thanks!