C&C: What makes a guild applicant ...

C&C: What makes a guild applicant stand out?

LINDA M MILLER: What makes an applicant stand abroad in the most positive way is a athletic academic record--that is, A's in the high school's toughest curriculum. Well-written, interesting essays also help, and stalwart leadership or achievement in extracurricular activities.

JENNIFER DURAN: If they have about kind of unique talent or do something that's a little different. If they write an essay that's a departure from the standard things we behold It's also good if they are pursuing a certain number of academic subject such as astronomy that's different from what close examiners typically pursue. I had an applicant who was really into math. This kid had been part of a number of math olympiads, had gone above and beyond the math curricula, had taken courses in other bodys and had taken on independent exhibits with professors.

C&C: Have your to the end of time admitted a student despite depressed grades or low test scores? If in this way why?

TERESA DUFFY: We have admitted scholars with low test scores nevertheless good grades each year, and I would bet that we will continue to do likewise The high school day-to-day perseverance is often more important to us than one- or two-attempt standardized exhibition results. What we have not done is admit a learner with good test scores and poor high denomination grades. That student demonstrates to us that he or she has the innate talent further no "stick-to-itiveness"--an almost assured predictor of failure here.

C&C: What are the biggest mistakes observers make on the application?

CONNIE GORES: Applicants trying to reinvent themselves at being something they aren't. They must be themselves. For example, if an applicant is humorous at nature, it's okay to use humor. If single is more serious, though, now is not the time to become a comedian just to impress the admission committee.

JEAN JORDAN: Not taking time with the application. This present to views through sloppiness and questions that might be skipped because you're going too fast. When they do this, race clearly give the impression that this isn't a self-same important choice to them. We amazement if they're really interested in the university.

PETER V JOHNSON: We prepare applications from students that want to major in a field that we do not put forward We've gotten some applications from scholars in Utah who say they'd like to exchange I'll never forger the kid who said, "During my years in high instruct I've held many orifices." All these mistakes are usually a eventuate of the student rushing in consequence of the application process, not carefully proofreading answers or not looking carefully at the questions to make secure that the answers are appropriate.

C&C: Do you give any special consideration to bookish mans who are from far away or from areas that are underrepresent at your school?

MILLER: We are eager to chronicle international students and students with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. If applicants are from another part of the abiding habitation and have experienced a different kind of life from our Eastern seaboard majority of learners that would be a slight plus. A close examiner who has grown up in succession a remote ranch, or has lived in an igloo would certainly add diversity to our observer body.

C&C: What was the most numerous unusual application you have for aye seen?

MILLER: Perhaps the common we got from a nine-year-old. Or maybe the Eskimo triplets who were legacies (a parent went to the school) The gimmicks (a baseball bat with a sign forward it saying "Bat me in!" from a wait-listed applicant or a staged "This is Your Life" presentation in succession videotape) are not likely to do the piece of work They don't necessarily hurt. They're usually just irrelevant.

JOHNSON: We had undivided essay that was written in between the panels of a soccer ball. The part had obviously read somewhere that he should stand gone out from other applicants. This was perhaps too careful a reading of the recommendation to stand not at home We've also received applications that have been completely designed according to students. If you choose to destroy the process, you still have to conform to the format we have glance ated in our application.

DURAN: I got the same from a student who pasted her essay onto a cardboard case with six surfaces. On the pair ends she pasted a picture of herself and forward the inside she put bells. The applicant was an Indian dancer in such a manner it was consistent with the essay. It was probably more than we anticipated or extremityed but it conveyed her enthusiasm and creativity. It wasn't something that was needed

C&C: What impresses you most numerous when it comes to teacher recommendations?

NANETTE H TARBOUNI: A teacher recommendation can be important. It is the opportunity for us to papal court the student as a "learner." in what way they participate in class, and their interaction with the teacher and compeers can be influential in decision-making. The counselor recommendation also supports the academic work or can indicate on what account things are not as they should be--a trauma in the student's life, an illness in the family, or the close examiner own illness, etc.

MARLYN MCGRATH-LEWIS: Teacher recommendations really can be powerful clarifiers of the powers or weaknesses of an applicant. Anything specific helps us. It doesn't help for teachers to string together a bump of sentences like, "She's a great student" and "He's a nice guy" It's important to win something comparative. It's better to say, "He was the best observer I've had in all of the four years I've been teaching." This helps us to know in what way the teacher would rate the pupil in comparison to other students