...Tips for a Great College Essay Why write an essay? The purpose of the essay is to convince admission officers whom you’ve never met, in less than ten minutes, that you would be a good match for their colleges. At the most basic level, it allows admission officers to evaluate your communication and writing skills. In addition, the essay allows admission officers to discover more about you as a person – a side of you not shown by statistics like grades and SATs. The essay gives information about your history, attitudes, interests and creativity; it gives a sense of your values and goals. What admission officers are doing is creating a community…looking to see how you would fit in that community, what would you bring to that community and what sets you apart. How the essay is evaluated • • • Is your writing mechanically sound? Is your writing style comfortable? Can you write a good sentence? Can you write a good paragraph? Do you address the question asked? Can you form a thesis? Can you discuss a theme? Is your argument logical? Can you get in and out of the essay with some finesse? Do you write with style, nuance and creativity? Do you write with a distinctive voice? Choosing a topic Choose the essay topic that appeals to you most. The topic is less important than your delivery Remember: there is no right or wrong answer. The college just wants to know who you are and how your mind works. Bad essay topics - there are bad essays, not bad topics; but be...
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...for a Great College Essay Why write an essay? The purpose of the essay is to convince admission officers whom you’ve never met, in less than ten minutes, that you would be a good match for their colleges. At the most basic level, it allows admission officers to evaluate your communication and writing skills. In addition, the essay allows admission officers to discover more about you as a person – a side of you not shown by statistics like grades and SATs. The essay gives information about your history, attitudes, interests and creativity; it gives a sense of your values and goals. What admission officers are doing is creating a community…looking to see how you would fit in that community, what would you bring to that community and what sets you apart. How the essay is evaluated • • • Is your writing mechanically sound? Is your writing style comfortable? Can you write a good sentence? Can you write a good paragraph? Do you address the question asked? Can you form a thesis? Can you discuss a theme? Is your argument logical? Can you get in and out of the essay with some finesse? Do you write with style, nuance and creativity? Do you write with a distinctive voice? Choosing a topic Choose the essay topic that appeals to you most. The topic is less important than your delivery Remember: there is no right or wrong answer. The college just wants to know who you are and how your mind works. Bad essay topics - there are bad essays, not bad topics; but be careful about the following:...
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...I try to draw an analogy with the process of reading application essays. The bad. Ninety percent of the applications I read contain what I call McEssays - usually five-paragraph essays that consist primarily of abstractions and unsupported generalization. They are technically correct in that they are organized and have the correct sentence structure and spelling, but they are boring. Sort of like a Big Mac. I have nothing against Big Macs, but the one I eat in Charlottesville is not going to be fundamentally different from the one I eat in Paris, Peoria or Palm Springs. I am not going to rave about the quality of a particular Big Mac. The same can be said about the generic essay. If an essay starts out: "I have been a member of the band and it has taught me leadership, perseverance and hard work," I can almost recite the rest of the essay without reading it. Each of the three middle paragraphs gives a bit of support to an abstraction, and the final paragraph restates what has already been said. A McEssay is not wrong, but it is not going to be a positive factor in the admission decision. It will not allow a student to stand out. A student who uses vague abstractions poured into a preset form will end up being interpreted as a vague series of abstractions. A student who uses cliché becomes, in effect, a cliché. If we are what we eat, we are also what we write. Not only does a preset form lead to a generic essay, so does a generic approach to what is perceived as the right topic...
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...I try to draw an analogy with the process of reading application essays. The bad. Ninety percent of the applications I read contain what I call McEssays - usually five-paragraph essays that consist primarily of abstractions and unsupported generalization. They are technically correct in that they are organized and have the correct sentence structure and spelling, but they are boring. Sort of like a Big Mac. I have nothing against Big Macs, but the one I eat in Charlottesville is not going to be fundamentally different from the one I eat in Paris, Peoria or Palm Springs. I am not going to rave about the quality of a particular Big Mac. The same can be said about the generic essay. If an essay starts out: "I have been a member of the band and it has taught me leadership, perseverance and hard work," I can almost recite the rest of the essay without reading it. Each of the three middle paragraphs gives a bit of support to an abstraction, and the final paragraph restates what has already been said. A McEssay is not wrong, but it is not going to be a positive factor in the admission decision. It will not allow a student to stand out. A student who uses vague abstractions poured into a preset form will end up being interpreted as a vague series of abstractions. A student who uses cliché becomes, in effect, a cliché. If we are what we eat, we are also what we write. Not only does a preset form lead to a generic essay, so does a generic approach to what is perceived as the right topic...
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...MBA Admissions Essay Powerful Tips for Improving Your Odds of Gaining Admission to the MBA Program of Your Choice Admissions essays are easily the most challenging part of the MBA application process, and it’s no wonder. Most people don’t like to write, and even those of us who do enjoy writing can come up blank when called upon to write about ourselves, especially when so much is at stake. The fact remains: If you want to go to business school, you have to be able to generate one or two thousand carefully chosen words that sum up your background and experience, your career goals, your reasons for seeking the MBA, and why you’ve chosen the program to which you’re applying. Step one: Relax. Writing admissions essays is stressful—it’s supposed to be stressful— but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Everyone who has ever applied to business school has written admissions essays, and so can you. All you have to do is submit essays that are a little bit better than most of the others, and if you follow the advice we’ll cover in the following pages, it will be a lot less painful. How to Write a Successful Most MBA essays are mediocre The good news is that most MBA admissions essays are mediocre at best. If you can at least come up with a marginally compelling narrative, and if you can spell and punctuate everything correctly—or know someone who can—you’ll automatically have an advantage over much of the competition. This guide is designed to help you get started (the hardest...
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...Shellenberg Jordan Bohuslavsky November 10, 12 Acceptance Kids today are so excited about enrolling into a university after graduating from high school. But, today the admission requirements are a bit absurd. I feel that the requirements that they are setting for students are bringing applicants down. Requirements vary widely from country to country and sometimes from institution to institutions. The common criteria requirements, that they are looking at is GPA, sat and act scores, and the general college admission essay. GPA is the number one looked at requirement for enrollment of colleges. During this admission process, GPA is one of the most confusing topics for students. It’s and issue of translation. If every high school utilized the same grading system, it would be a lot less trouble comparing grade point averages from different schools. Different schools grades totally different from any other schools some schools give extra “points” to honors, accelerated, and AP classes, there are many different method of calculating a cumulative GPA. Independent and boarding schools use the grading system based on a 6-10, or 11-point scale, there are many different grading systems such as: the 4.0 scale, percentile system, and the letter grade methods (Pererson’s, 2012). The minimum GPA that colleges are expecting is B+ average. Students that take course in high school that are tougher have more of an advantage of being accepted. They want to reward you...
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...For Entrance in Fall 2013 Application Supplement Office of Admissions and Financial Aid 86 Brattle Street Cambridge, MA 02138 Please indicate under which timetable you are applying: Restrictive Early Action Please return this form to us as soon as possible, and by October 15, if possible. Final deadline is November 1. Valid for entrance in September 2013 only. Please submit this form as well as the Common Application or the Universal College Application as soon as possible. Regular Decision Please return this form to us as soon as possible, and by December 15 if at all possible. Final deadline is January 1. A completed application includes all portions of the Common Application or the Universal College Application, as well as the Harvard Application Supplement, required official testing results, a Secondary School Report, two Teacher Evaluations and a $75 application fee or fee waiver request. Full legal name Goswami Last/Family IE Arunesh First Apt./Unit W Middle Jr., etc. Prefer to be called Date of Birth 02/02/1994 (MM/DD/YYYY) Address 324-D TYPE-2 BLOCK-6 NEYVELI No. and Street CUDDALORE DISTRICT PR EV NEYVELI City State/Province India Country 607803 Zip/Postal Code Telephone Number (home) 091041422683 (cell) 091809813561 Secondary School JAWAHAR HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL CEEB/ACT code 000004 If you can be reached by fax or e-mail, please provide a fax number or e-mail address and name of the contact person...
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...A Former Harvard Business School Admissions Board Member Reveals the Insider Keys to Getting In • Prepare your resume and professional record • Discover the differences between business schools • Top essay and interview strategies • Behind the scenes of the admissions process • Qualitative factors that can make you stand out • Application insights from insiders Chioma isiadinso, M.ed. former Admissions Board Member of Harvard Business School The Best Business Schools’ Admissions Secrets A Former Harvard Business School Admissions Board Member Reveals the Insider Keys to Getting In Chioma Isiadinso, M.ED. © 2008 by Chioma Isiadinso Cover and internal design © 2008 by Sourcebooks, Inc. Cover photo © Punchstock Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. —From...
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...Summary: “Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission?” by Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus, presents proposals “that might begin to set things right’ (TSIS, 180) in education. Both professors, Hacker and Dreifus, studied institutions and interviewed higher education leaders, policy makers, and students across the country (180). According to their voluntary assignment, they acknowledged at first, their belief that “all Americans can do college work,” which basically provided a thesis for every proposal to follow within their article. Suggestions, such as persuading students to liberate their imagination instead of just focusing on a financial goal after graduating, or “replacing tenure with multi-year contracts” (181) so that all professors begin to take more initiative to improve, gave way to a deeper analysis of specific colleges and their priorities. My Response: In the article, “Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission?” by Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus, both professors maintains a perspective that is convincing, to a degree. “We believe all Americans can do college work, so universal enrollment should be our nation’s goal” (180). In making this comment, Hacker and Dreifus urge us to do the obvious. Of course everyone should have the same opportunity to be accepted at the collegiate level, but there are several problems that have to be addressed and taken care of prior to the suggestion of this desire for all. If there was universal enrollment, will that lead to...
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...her talent and have long been impressed by her diligence and work ethic. I understand that Cheri is applying to the undergraduate business program at your school. I would like to recommend her for admission. Cheri has outstanding organizational skills. She is able to successfully complete multiple tasks with favorable results despite deadline pressure. As part of a semester project, she developed an innovative collaborative novel with her classmates. This book is now being considered for publication. Cheri not only headed the project, she ensured its success by demonstrating leadership abilities that her classmates both admired and respected. I must also make note of Cheri's exceptional academic performance. Out of a class of 150 students, Cheri graduated with honors in the top 10. Her above-average performance is a direct result of her hard work and strong focus. If your undergraduate business program is seeking superior candidates with a record of achievement, Cheri is an excellent choice. She has consistently demonstrated an ability to rise to any challenge that she must face. To conclude, I would like to restate my strong recommendation for Cheri Jackson. If you have any further questions regarding Cheri's ability or this recommendation, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information on this...
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...application and give you an admission decision. Step 1: print thiS packet and keep it for your recordS. This packet contains this checklist, the Counselor and Teacher Evaluation forms and your application as submitted. Step 2: pay your application fee. You may submit your fee online or by mail. To submit your fee by mail, send your check or money order made payable to TCU to this address: Office of Admission Texas Christian University TCU Box 297013 Fort Worth, Texas 76129 Step 3: have your official tranScript and teSt ScoreS Submitted. Your guidance counselor can include your scores on your transcript. Or you can ask ACT to send us your scores at www.actstudent.org (our ACT code is 4206). If you’d prefer to submit your SAT scores, go to www.collegeboard.com (our SAT code is 6820). We look forward to reviewing your application! Raymond A. Brown Dean of Admission Texas Christian University P.S. If you haven’t already, please visit TCU soon. To schedule a visit or to ask any further questions, please call 800-828-3764. Texas Christian University • TCU Box 297013 • Fort Worth, Texas 76129 COUNSELOR EVALUATION FOR UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSION & SCHOLARSHIP CONSIDERATION Required for all freshmen – not required for transfers. The student's application file is not complete until this evaluation is returned to TCU. This document does not become part of the applicant's permanent record at TCU. By submitting this evaluation, the applicant waives all access to the information contained...
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...movement, growing out of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which outlawed discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or gender. It was the 1978 Supreme Court decision, The Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, which allowed for the use of race-based preferences as a means of fostering diversity, allowing affirmative action to be used in admissions policies. It was created with the intention to provide equal opportunities for members of minority groups in education and employment. Initially affirmative action focused on improving opportunities for African Americans. Colleges and universities used Affirmative action in their admission process, with the hopes of increasing their enrollment of African Americans and later Hispanic students, two minorities that were falling behind in college acceptance rates. According to data from the National Center on Education Statistics (NCES), in 2007, 70 percent of white high school graduates immediately enrolled in college, compared to 56 percent of African American graduates and 61 percent of Hispanic graduates. As more and more educational institutions began using affirmative action policies in their admissions process, it became a target of great debate. With Americans taking sides as affirmative action supporters, opponents and “reformers”, the use affirmative action has become, and continues to be, a largely debated topic in American society. In today’s society, affirmative action supporters find themselves amongst a midst of criticisms...
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...with action can change the world!" distinguishes an entrepreneur from others. An entrepreneur acts to bring visions to reality. I have longed to be one and have learnt from my reading that modern entrepreneurs have all worked to use technology for the betterment of our lives. Therefore, I decided long ago to study engineering and did not miss any opportunities to learn how the machines in our everyday life worked. In my school days, I used to listen to audio cassettes on a tape recorder. When I learnt the difference between mono and stereo recording, I thought of converting two mono recorded audio cassettes into a single stereo cassette, recorded in mono mode using the cassette's LEFT and RIGHT channels as a separate channels, to be heard in sequence, not together. To my delight, the idea worked and resulted in compacting two cassettes into a single mono cassette. With good scores in the science subjects, I could choose the engineering stream to take up for Bachelors. I chose Electronics & Telecommunication, because of its wide, interdisciplinary span and the ever increasing use of electronics in every branch of modern science, from Astrophysics to Medicine. It is a field rich with opportunities for an entrepreneur. The curriculum of University of Pune introduced me to the basics of several subjects, such as Digital Signal Processing, Integrated Circuit Application, Computer Networks, Digital Communication, System Programming and Operating Systems and application of theories...
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...W. P. Carey MBA Admissions Essay Questions – Evening MBA and Online MBA MBA Applicants are required to submit answers to essay questions during the online application process. Essays may be typed in the document below, saved and uploaded in one document when requested during the online application. Responses to each essay question should be no more than two pages using 1.5 line spacing. Please begin each question on a new page. Essay Question #1 Explain how your past accomplishments have prepared you for the W. P. Carey MBA. “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” A famous saying from the movie Forrest Gump pretty much describes my situation. In my earlier life, I never thought I would come to US for my master of engineering, work as an electrical engineer at Force10networks (it was acquired by DELL recently), and now pursue an MBA. My past accomplishments that have prepared me for the W.P. Carey MBA include teaching mathematics in Taiwan, coming to US to improve myself, earning my engineering masters at the University of Arizona, and working as electrical design engineer at force10networks. Before I came to US, I had taught mathematics from high school level to college calculus for seven years. The reason that I like teaching is I like to sense students’ issues of learning mathematics. I like to communicate with them, and to help them succeed in achieving...
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...Why do colleges rely heavily on the S.A.T & A.C.T. scores? The SAT is essentially a reasoning test used to evaluate potential college students in an unbiased way. The SAT, unlike high school academic tests, is not a place to demonstrate accumulated knowledge, and high school alone does not prepare a student for a good score on the SAT. The SAT is neither an IQ test nor a measure of academic potential. Higher scores on the SAT significantly increase a student’s college options, learning about and preparing to take the SAT is an extremely important part of the college process. Some students have a high g.p.a. but can be bad test takers regardless if they study or not. We all know that many college admissions offices imbue SAT and ACT scores with importance. At schools that are deluged with tens of thousands of applications, numbers matter, so these scores can play an outsized role in admission decisions. That means these scores can affect where individual students get to go to school. Through my High School experience, teachers told me the SAT would determine a lot of my potential in life. Having been told this, I still feel the ways that it has affected me, and I still remember all of the years it took to undo the feeling of having a test define the rest of your life. Having to apply for fee waivers and the worry related to not scoring "high enough." because of this experience, I didn’t apply to the schools I didn’t think would accept me (based on my grade), and I didn’t...
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