This week we want to focus on finding your niche. This is one of
the best pieces of advice we give students who ask us how they
can set themselves apart in the college admissions process. Do
you have an interest that is on the unusual side? Pursue it! We
help our students develop their interests and find their academic
niche for their own growth, but also because colleges are seeking
a diverse, well-rounded class. One of the ways to demonstrate a
passion for something is to dedicate your summer to delving
further into it. Use our summer guide to lead you in the right
direction!

FIND YOUR NICHE                              

You may have heard that colleges don’t look for “well-rounded”
students, but rather a well-rounded class. That is true at all
competitive colleges. When top colleges look at similar
applicants, they often ask themselves, “What is the student’s
prospective major?” Obviously if they admitted all government
majors or English majors, the campus would be pretty dull. So
they are always on the lookout for mathematicians, classicists,
chemists, linguists, etc…, rather than the same group of
“pre-med” or biology majors. So if you have more than one
interest, lead with the one that will give you an edge in the
process. If you’re a girl and you’ve always liked math, full
steam ahead! That is a more appealing applicant than yet another
political science major as far as colleges are concerned. Do your
homework and compare departments in all the schools to which
you’re applying. Take the time to visit particular departments,
talk to professors, speak with research librarians about their
collections, etc…. The more focused, and serious you are, the
better. You’ll find this makes a big difference, especially for
applicants who might otherwise be “on the fence.” But, follow
your OWN deepest interests, rather than change yourself just to
appear unusual. We always work with our students, beginning their
freshman year, to help them identify what it is that makes their
hearts sing. Then, we support them as they take that interest to
a higher level.

 
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO TOP HIGH SCHOOL
CONTESTS AND AWARDS

Another way to hone your niche is to participate in contests in
that area. We have compiled a guide with the best and most
prestigious contests and awards available to high school
students. Click here to get yours today!

 February is the month for likely letters. Likely letters may come
from top colleges under a set of special circumstances, as we
discuss below. Since we know many of our students receive these
letters, we wanted to shed some light on what they mean and how
to handle them – or handle NOT getting one! One thing is for
sure: even if you receive a likely letter, it is extremely
important to keep your grades up for the remainder of the year!
While it is mostly true that a likely letter is the same thing as
an acceptance letter, this will not be the case if you let your
grades slip! Getting behind in a class? Check out our ABC
Academic Tutoring package to get your grades back on track!

LIKELY LETTERS
 
As you know by now from reading these newsletters, college
admissions is not transparent. Likely letters, for instance, are
a bit on the gray side. Many top colleges will send out a “likely”
letter in February—often to recruited athletes, minority applicants,
superacademic stars and other special cases—saying that although
they can’t tell you officially, it is “likely” that you will be accepted in
April. YES, that IS the same as an acceptance letter as long as your
grades don’t drop or anything. Some things to keep in mind though
about likely letters:

1. Not all schools send them, so if you don’t get one, it may not
mean anything

2. There is a timing issue — colleges are not allowed to send
likely letters after a specific date (usually late February) so
if they haven’t had a chance to read your application two or
three times, you won’t get one EVEN IF YOU QUALIFY.

3. Colleges use some kind of ranking scale for likely letters.
For instance, Dartmouth uses a 1-9 scale, and usually only 8’s
and 9’s (or the equivalent) get likely letters.

4. Keep in mind that certain targeted groups like African
Americans and Hispanics can get a likely even if they are slightly lower on the scale, say 6-7. Every school is a bit different.
In short, you should not panic if you do NOT receive a likely
letter. In actual fact, only a small percentage of apps ever get
one (usually 10% or less). But if you do get one, relax and be
happy! Some of the pressure from regular decision should be
melting away….

Do read this article in the Harvard Crimson about 2008 Likely Letters.

 SAMPLE LIKELY LETTER

Here is a copy of a REAL likely letter:
 
Dear X: 

Your application to Cornell University has been reviewed by the
admissions selection committee, and I am writing to let you know
that you are very likely to be admitted to Cornell. Although the
Ivy League schools won’t officially notify students of their
admission decisions until later this month, we wanted to share
this good news with you now.

I hope this advance notice will encourage you to learn more about
Cornell. I invite you to visit the campus in the near future if
you have not already done so. In addition, we will be inviting
accepted international students to a Web chat in early April.
Current international students and members of the admissions
staff will be on hand for several hours to answer questions
online. An e-mail invitation with the time and date of the chat
will be sent later. Another great way to explore Cornell is
through our Web site: http://www.cornell.edu/.
 
And speaking of visiting, please mark your calendar with the
dates of our annual Cornell Days program, which begins on
Thursday, April 5, and runs on selected dates through Monday,
April 16. The Cornell Days program is an opportunity for you to
meet faculty and students, have lunch in one of our outstanding
dining facilities, tour the campus, and ask all the questions you
may have about Cornell. Details can be found at
http://www.xxx.com. In addition, Ithaca itself is a charming
college town offering much to do and see. If you are unavailable
during the dates listed, you can arrange to visit at a time that
is convenient for you and your family.
 
Detailed information on housing and dining options will be sent
with admission letters. In the meantime, you can begin to
explore residential living and dining options via the Web at
http://www.xxx.com.
 
For international students, The International Students and
Scholars Office (ISSO) provides programming and advice on a
variety of topics. Detailed information concerning visas,
financial matters, and orientation for international students
will also be sent with admission letters, but an introduction to
the ISSO staff and services can be found at their Web site:
http://www.xxx.com. 

If you have any questions about Cornell, we would love to hear
from you. Call 607-xxx-xxxx or e-mail us at X if we can be of
assistance.

Please accept my congratulations on your many achievements! I
wish you the very best as you complete your final school year,
and I look forward to the possibility of welcoming you to the
campus as a future Cornellian.

Sincerely,
Associate Provost
Admissions and Enrollment

To answer your questions, the primary difference between our GRE program and the programs
of companies like Kaplan and Princeton Review is that our approach focuses on the design of the
test rather than on the supposed subject matter of the test. For example, rather than ask you to
memorize thousands of words for the analogies, we show you how to use the words you already
know and the rules of the test to figure out which answer choices are correct without
necessarily knowing the meanings of all the words in the question; we take similar approaches
to all the other question types.

We also address the idiosyncrasies of the CAT format, of course. Unfortunately, the CAT format
is such that a person can easily end up with a much lower score than he deserves if he doesn’t
know to exploit the weaknesses in the format. The situation is further complicated by the fact
that the ETS only provides us with two sample tests to practice on, so we have to make sure we
use them wisely.

Please let me know if you have any other questions or anything, and I wish you the best of luck
with your GRE preparation!

Best,
Mike

Learn More about our GRE Tutoring Program.

Even a student who is No. 1 in a top public school will not be
accepted to top colleges if he or she has low scores on the SAT
and SAT Subject Tests. Another thing to consider is the
competition: at top private schools like Andover and Exeter, only
the top students get into the very top colleges. It’s actually
harder to be in the top 5-10% of the class at a place where
almost everyone is qualified versus a big public school with some
“dead weight.” In short, you should make this decision based on
the options, comfort level, course offerings, sports and
specialty offerings for your child rather than trying to outwit
college admissions officers who will not be impressed just by a
big name private school.

Most importantly, students will perform better — and be
happier — at a school where they feel most comfortable. If a
student truly loves Andover, and the family believes that the
expense is warranted, then Andover is the right choice.  If the
local public school has great teachers, neighborhood friends, a
full line up of AP courses, and a safe environment, then it may
be worth more to a student than any of the famous prep schools.

We also want to take this opportunity to remind current juniors that there are still spots open in Application Boot Camp® 2010 in Cambridge, MA. This could be you at this time next year! Click here for more information or call us at 978-369-7479.
 
For current seniors trying to finish their applications for January 1 or 15 deadlines we still have our Self Guided Program, as well as our Essay Package with Josh Stephens, who has a few spots left for his five-hour package editing last-minute essays.
 
If you haven’t finished your applications, now is the time to kick it up a notch! If you are a current junior, plan ahead! Early applications were up by 22% this year so the regular round will be brutal. Stand out with a well thought out application package!