College Admissions Consulting University of California Essay Prompts & the Pros & Cons of NOT Applying for Financial Aid Written by Lauren Randleon November 16th, 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 essay prompts, fafsa, financial aid, getting in, In the latest episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, Ian Fisher stepped in for Beth Heaton as host. Ian spent the hour covering two big topics with the help of guest experts. The show kicked off with the weekly “School’s In! Application Workshop” session, focusing on the new University of California essay prompts, helping students understand and successfully navigate the changes. The show wrapped with an important discussion of whether or not to apply for financial aid when applying for admission. School's In! Application Workshop: New University of California Essay Prompts The University of California system has changed its essay prompts this year in a significant way. With a choice of four out of eight shorter “personal insight” questions to respond to, many students are wondering how to tackle this writing challenge. Colleagues Becky Leichtling and Steve Brennan joined Ian to flesh out the UC questions, one by one. Why the change? What does this mean for the student’s application review? Is the quality of writing the most important consideration for the UCs … or are they looking for something else? Can a student reuse their Common App essay for the UCs, and if so, how? Find out the answers to these questions (and many more!) by tuning in to the full recorded show well before the November 30th UC application deadline! The Pros and Cons of Not Applying for Financial Aid When Applying to College Former college financial aid officer, Shannon Vasconcelos, helped Ian and listeners unravel the important decision of whether to apply for financial aid when applying for acceptance. This is a particularly timely issue as the FAFSA and CSS Profile opened earlier than ever this year on October 1st. But should you apply if you are pretty sure your family won’t qualify for need-based aid? First, Shannon offers advice and tools to help families figure out if they will or won’t qualify for aid, and explains why there may still be reasons to fill out the FAFSA regardless of income. There are many factors to consider here that may seem confusing, but tuning in to this segment should help address your financial aid concerns! The next episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation will look ahead to regular decision application deadlines, helping students plan now so they can enjoy their winter break! 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
