College Admissions Consulting Borrowing for College, Essay Brainstorming, and Our Application Workshop Written by Lauren Randleon July 14th, 2016 I learned firsthand about the world of highly selective admissions as a former assistant director of admissions at Georgetown University. I traveled the United States, in and out of high schools and auditoriums, to eagerly educate students and their families about the application process, and then painstakingly reviewed thousands upon thousands of applications to fill our class. I reviewed applications for all four of Georgetown’s colleges (Georgetown College, McDonough School of Business, Walsh School of Foreign Service, and School of Nursing & Health Studies), and chaired the admissions committee for the School of Foreign Service. I experienced the nuances of the recruitment process as the admissions liaison to the Georgetown women’s soccer team, and also understood the significance of the admissions interview as the co-coordinator for Georgetown’s alumni interviewing process. I left admissions to pursue a master of education degree at the University of Virginia to broaden my knowledge of student development theories and current trends in higher education. There I decided that it was time to work more directly with students and families at the high school level, where my support and encouragement would have a more personal impact. That desire led me across the globe to Hong Kong, where I worked at a competitive international high school helping students with their college applications to the world's best universities. My international experience offered me the opportunity to work with extraordinary students and see extraordinary places. Learn More About Lauren college applications, common application help, essays, getting in, On the last episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, host Beth Heaton and guests discussed how much is too much to borrow when it comes to paying for college, reviewed essay brainstorming homework and discussed starting a college list in our School’s Out: College Application Workshop segment, and finally wrapped up with Office Hours to address listeners’ admissions questions. How Much is TOO Much? Financial aid expert, Jeanne Mahan, joined Beth to help listeners think through the logistics and realities of taking out loans to pay for college. Among the most important questions to answer is, “How much is too much to borrow?” The first step in addressing that question is to try to predict the student’s expected first year salary after graduation, and Jeanne offered several resources and things to think about when deriving a best estimate. Families must also decide who will do the borrowing for college. Will the student take out the loans for himself, will parents borrow, or will parents co-sign loans in their child’s name? In terms of impact upon one’s finances, these options each have their pros and their cons. Listen to the full segment to help make the best borrowing decisions for your family. School’s Out College Application Workshop: Building a College List For the second segment, college admissions expert, Ian Fisher, reviewed homework from the previous week’s School’s Out: College Application Workshop essay discussion. Ian and Beth covered next steps in your essay writing now that you’ve identified emerging topics that allow you to reflect a unique perspective. What will the admissions committee talk about when they review a one sentence summation of your essay? If you don’t feel like you’re anywhere close answering that question, then go back two weeks to review the homework assignment on essay brainstorming! The discussion and homework assignment for this week’s Workshop revolved around building a college list. Ian suggested identifying 7-10 schools that you really like. Don’t worry yet what is the best fit—just choose a good fit. This exercise will get you thinking about fit without getting stuck on one “dream” school. Ian and Beth also asked students to deeply research five schools with very different offerings (Ian guided listeners on where and how to pick those five colleges). Listen in for the full details of what to do after you know the ins and outs of those five colleges. Office Hours: Answering Listeners Admissions Questions The radio show wrapped up with Erica Braley joining to pose listeners’ questions on pressing issues in college admissions. Questions included: What are the top three strategies for college essay writing? What is the purpose of the Common App additional information section? What is the code to crack in terms of extracurricular activities? If these questions are also weighing on your mind, tune in to hear Beth’s responses! On the next episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, Beth will chat with a former colleague about how to accurately assess your chances at an Ivy League college. There will also be another School’s Out Application Workshop segment to check in on your homework and discuss how to factor finances into your college list. Finally, if you don’t think your child will qualify for the typical academic scholarship, listen in to hear a rundown of some of the quirkiest scholarships available. Related Resources Read | Posted on April 16th, 2024 Understanding Direct Admission: A Pathway to Success Read | Posted on April 10th, 2024 Acceptance by Emi Nietfeld; Why You Should Fill out the FAFSA Read | Posted on April 9th, 2024 Community Colleges with Campus Housing
