Transcript Style Guide - LELAND BRIDGE

AHHHHHHHHHHHH
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August 9, 2009
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Meet Your Speakers
Academics – Junior and Senior Years
SAT and SAT II
Extracurricular Activities
College Applications
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Lydia Chow
Connie Ho
Steven Hu
Jennifer Zhu
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Attending Duke University
Undeclared, considering pre-med
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Attending University of Pennsylvania
(accepted early decision)
Undeclared in engineering, planning on
majoring in Bioengineering and minoring in
computer science
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Attending University of California, Berkeley
Undeclared, considering pre-business
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Attending Harvard College
Planning on concentrating in Economics,
minoring in law, government, or international
relations
Call her The Boss, ask questions later.
No autographs, please.
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Junior Year Stress =
Studying for SATs
 Studying for AP classes
 Taking SATs
 Taking AP exams
 Figuring who to go to Junior Prom with
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Don’t screw up your GPA
All-nighters = BAD IDEA
Study smart
Get to know your teachers
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*cough* letters of rec *cough*
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Senior Year Stress =
Filling out college applications
 Getting Letters of Recommendation
 Applying for financial aid
 Looking for scholarships
 Preparing for college interviews
 Avoid catching senioritis
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AP classes – check the AP credit policies for the
colleges you are considering before signing up
for AP exams in your senior year
Enjoy sleep while you can (don’t be like
Connie)
Procrastinate later = DON’T SLACK OFF
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Keep up your workload
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If you are a senior and have not taken your
SATs yet… YOU ARE DOOMED.
If you are a junior, pay attention:
Start early – STUDY!
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practice tests in prep books (10 Real SATs, blue
Collegeboard book, Princeton, Barron’s, Kaplan, etc.)
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Plan to take the October SAT I beginning of
Junior year; this way, you can retake it if you
are unhappy with your score
PSAT in Sophomore year as practice
Practice writing 25-minute essays
Think like the test-makers
Do PRACTICE TESTS over and over to get a
feel for the test
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Check the colleges you are considering for their
SAT II requirements – more require 2 (some
ask for 3, many specify subject areas)
Subject test categories:
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Math (most colleges only accept Level 2)
Chinese (use this as a back-up, not as one of your
main 2)
Science (Chemistry, Biology, Physics)
Foreign Language
History (U.S. History, World History)
Take the test after you take the class!
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One option: SAT prep classes over the summer
Prep centers emphasize repetition – practice
tests and essays (for SAT I) assigned each week
Save money and skip out on classes if you have
the self-discipline to set your own study
schedule
Popular SAT prep centers:
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Best SAT Review
FLEX
Elite
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Quality over quantity
Find what you are interested in and pursue it
School clubs (KEY Club, CSF, Red Cross)
 Sports teams
 School organizations (S/D, journalism, ASB)
 Music (instruments, orchestra)
 Outside organizations (Boy Scouts, hospital
volunteer, internships, community service)
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Don’t quit an activity in junior/senior year –
colleges like persistence (especially in sports)
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Out-of-state/Privates
UC/CSU
Community College
UC Application period: November 1 – 30
Most privates use the Common Application
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Commonapp.org
Check each college’s website for requirements –
some have specific applications or supplements
Early Action/Early Decision
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Consider applying to a college EA/ED
Check which colleges offer what
 If you are unsure, find a college that accepts EA
(non-binding)
 If you have a solid first choice, check if it accepts ED
(smaller pool of applicants to compete against, but
may also be tougher)
 EA – make changes on your application for regular
depending on acceptance/rejection
 Don’t be discouraged if you are deferred/rejected;
use this as a learning experience! (or a punching bag)
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College Confidential
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Online forum
Use this wisely
 Some helpful advice (best prep books, college
information)
 Some useless information (made-up stats, “chances”
that discourage you – just wait for colleges’ decisions,
not other students)
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Safety, Target, and Reach schools
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Be reasonable when applying
Have back-ups – you never know what can happen
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College Interviews
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“I applied to this school because my mother made me” is not a
proper answer
Research each school – know why you want to go to the school,
specific programs, etc.
If they ask you what schools you’re applying to, take out reach
schools
Show up early
Dress formally
Don’t be intimated by the interviewer or other interviewees
Google your interviewer beforehand
Just keep talking - Work your strong points into your answers
Don’t be nervous – interviews won’t make or break your
application; many are more informative than evaluative
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UC Essays
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1000 words total
Suggested minimum: 250 words
Prompt #1
 Describe the world you come from — for example, your
family, community or school — and tell us how your
world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.
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Prompt #2
 Tell us about a personal quality, talent,
accomplishment, contribution or experience that is
important to you. What about this quality or
accomplishment makes you proud and how does it
relate to the person you are?
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Essays
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Avoid cliches
Be succinct – just because Common App doesn’t have a
word limit doesn’t mean admissions officers want to read
pages and pages
Try to be original - everyone has a unique story to tell
Start early (start thinking of potential topics and begin
writing end of junior year and summer before senior
year)
Edit, revise, proofread!
Have peers, friends, older students, teachers, and adults
read and offer comments
Don’t copy or buy essays
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Letters of Recommendation
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Ask teachers at the end of junior year
Make sure to ask teachers you actually had, and
preferably ones who know you and like you
Many teachers will only write a certain number of recs
each year – ask early!
Talk to the teachers writing you recs often so they know
who you are
Constantly follow up and remind them of deadlines
Keep them updated on what you do and do not get into
Thank them afterwards! Write them a thank-you card or
letter and give them a small gift
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Letters of Recommendation
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If you know them well enough, tell them what you
want in your rec (esp. important extracurriculars,
defining moments or best essays/work in their class)
Make sure you follow Ms. Albers’ instructions on rec
packets
 Get this done early and to your teacher ASAP so they
have enough time to write your recs
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Ask preferably at least one english teacher (they tend
to write better recs)
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Procedure
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Common Application
“I don’t care where you go; I
just care that you go.”