Getting to the Self in a World of Selfies: Strategies to Help Applicants Write Powerful Application EssaysWACAC 2016 Thursday, June 2 Session E 2:10 Seaver 200 http://tinyurl.com/wacac2016applicationessays

Your Presenters

• Rebecca Joseph, Professor, California State University, Los Angeles; and College Access Expert, Get Me To College

• Sylvia Juarez, Juarez Consulting - Educational Services

• Ellen Susan Perlmutter - Assistant Director of Admissions, Cornell University

http://tinyurl.com/wacac2016applicationessays

What Colleges Look For…

What Students Often Provide…

Different College Application Essay Landscape in 2016

Current Common Application 2015-2017 Prompts

250-650 Words (2015-2016 percentages)

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. (49%)

2. The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? (17%)

3. Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again. (4%)

4. Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma-anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution. (10%)

5. Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family. (22%)

New Coalition Application Essays

• Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

• Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.

• Has there been a time when you’ve had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs?

• What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What’s the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?

• Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.

Cornell University

Don’t Underestimate the Power of the SupplementCornell 2016 SupplementsRequired for first and second choice colleges 250-650 words range for each choice, Paste in or Type in.College of Agriculture and Life Sciences:How have your interests and related experiences influenced the major you have selected in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences? (Please limit your response to 650 words.)College of Architecture, Art, and Planning:Why are you excited to pursue your chosen major in AAP? What specifically about AAP and Cornell University will help you fulfill your academic and creative interests and long-term goals? (Please limit your response to 650 words.) (See portfolio requirements below)College of Arts and Sciences:Describe two or three of your current intellectual interests and why they are exciting to you. Why will Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences be the right environment in which to pursue your interests. (Please limit your response to 650 words.)

College of Engineering: Tell us about an engineering idea you have, or about your interest in engineering. Describe how your ideas and interests may be realized by "and linked to" specific resources within the College of Engineering. Finally, explain what a Cornell Engineering education will enable you to accomplish. (Please limit your response to 650 words.)

School of Hotel Administration:The global hospitality industry includes hotel and foodservice management, real estate, finance, entrepreneurship, marketing, and law. Describe what has influenced your decision to make the business of hospitality your academic focus. What personal qualities make you a good fit for SHA? (Please limit your response to 650 words.)College of Human Ecology:How have your experiences influenced you to consider the College of Human Ecology and how will your choice of major(s) impact your goals and plans for the future? (Please limit your response to 650 words.) There is design challenge for design and environmental analysis applicants. See belowSchool of Industrial and Labor Relations:Tell us about your intellectual interests, how they sprung from your course, service, work or life experiences, and what makes them exciting to you. Describe how these interests may be realized and linked to the ILR curriculum. (Please limit your response to 650 words.)

University of California

POINTS TO CONSIDER: UC Comprehensive Review

Grade Point Average Test Scores Courses

Completed/Planned Honors Courses Top 9% Local Context (ELC) Quality of Senior Year

Program of Study Academic Opportunities in

CA High Schools Performance in Academic

Subject Areas

Achievements in Special Projects

Improvement in Academic Performance

Special Talents, Achievements & Awards

Participation in Education Preparation Programs

Academic Accomplishment Within Life Experiences

Geographic Location

UC Insight (Personal) Questions

• 1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.

• 2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

• 3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?

• 4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

• 5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

• 6. Describe your favorite academic subject and explain how it has influenced you.

• 7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

• 8. What is the one thing that you think sets you apart from other candidates applying to the University of California?

Respond to only 4 of the 8 questions. Each response is limited to a maximum of 350

words.

Strategies To Help Applicants Communicate Their Stories

Supporting the sharing process

Brainstorming: Strategies for writing:

Supporting the sharing process

Brainstorming • Difficult process to begin• Responses that allow

you to express: your personality, Background, Interests, Achievements

• Understand the question & select a narrative that provides clear answer

• The power to construct an image via the words & style of writing.

Strategy for writing • Use your unique voice • Use vocabulary that is

specific, academic, and used accurately

• Use dates & themes to set the tone

• Being comfortable with producing drafts & using edit/feedback process

• Reflect, analyze, and come to conclusions about experiences

Editing without a pen

verbal feedback - question – reflect - discover

Contact Us

Rebecca Joseph rjoseph@calstatela.edu

Sylvia Juarezjuarezconsulting@gmail.com

Ellen Susan Perlmutteresp23@cornell.edu

http://tinyurl.com/wacac2016applicationessays