Saying Good-bye to High School

Hi everyone and Happy Friday! I don't know about you, but this week has truly been a whirl-wind for me (don't worry, I'll share an update soon). This weekend marks the graduation festivities for a lot of the high schools in my hometown area in upstate New York and I wanted to address that in my post for today!

Saying 'Good-bye' to High School can be a very profound experience for students as they embark on their next journey, so I wanted to share with you all my thoughts on overcoming the sadness and celebrating the joy! Cue Vitamin C's Graduation (Friends Forever) circa 2000.

For myself, I was not too sad to leave my high school when the time came around, actually I was moreso happy to be moving onto bigger and better things, that doesn't mean that I wasn't emotional as I said my last good-byes to teachers, and fellow students. What was important for me as I began that transition was that I stayed in contact with those friends who I knew I wanted to keep in my life. Now, with the use of social media it is pretty easy to see what others are doing in their lives, but I mean deciding that you are truly going to stay in contact with people will help with your transition.

High school was not meant to last forever ... true story, but that doesn't mean that you can't cherish your times there walking the halls, gossiping with friends, playing sports on the fields, or chatting with your favorite teacher. It will all stay with you as you move on and as you adapt to your next phase in life: college,work, family life ... etc.

But, there will come a day, maybe not next week, or next month, or even next year, that your favorite high school memories will be replaced by your favorite college memories and it will be more important to stay in touch with the group of guys from your basic training group than from your high school soccer team. While it is hard to recognize that life is changing and these moments won't stay the same forever; greater and better things are coming to you, as long as you welcome them! If you stay stuck in your high school years, you will never grow and you will never expand your mind past 12th grade, even if you get a Doctorate!

My challenge to all of you High School Graduates is this: when you're standing up on that stage getting your diploma, shaking your principal's hand, and turning your tassel, think about your favorite memory from high school - a slow dance with your sweetheart, a game-winning hit in Softball, the last paragraph of your favorite speech from Debate Team - and then think about the one experience you want to have in college - saving someone's life as a student nurse, hanging out with your brothers at your fraternity house, or carrying a championship trophy on your shoulder. Both of these moments are connected and cannot happen without the other. High school is important to us because that is where we have been the most vulnerable, the most intelligent, the most excited, and the most feared in our entire life. Well my friends, you are 17-18 years old, life is just beginning and you have plenty more to learn, experience, and fear!

So, when you are up on stage this weekend thinking of your memories and goals for the future, don't forget that the best is yet to come ....

congratulations and enjoy the chase,

skylar

Reminding your Recommenders

Hi everyone and Happy Saturday and Happy Thanksgiving Break to all of the college students who have next week off! (Something to look forward to high schoolers!!) Today I thought I'd give you some ideas on how to remind your recommenders to fill out your college evaluations and write your letters. This can be tricky because you don't want your teachers to feel like you're hounding them or that you're not grateful, but at the same time you want to make sure that all of your items are in before the deadline!

Here are some of my tips:

1. If you are bold and feel like it is not an issue, then just remind them like it is no big deal! You can stop in on their lunch hour, at the end of the day, or during a study lab to talk to them about it. Just be honest with them and remind them of the deadline. They may have a plan to complete it soon, but just haven't because they've been so busy.

2. You can "thank them in advance," as a way to remind your teachers to complete their evaluations and letters. Teachers are busy and may have a lot of letters to write, so a soft reminder like this will make them grateful. They honestly may have forgotten or lost track of time, so a "Hi, Mrs. Jones. I just wanted to thank you for writing my letter of recommendation and doing my evaluation, please let me know if you need anything else from me to complete it."

3. If you don't want to confront them face to face, then send them a professional e-mail with a reminder of the deadlines for each college they are evaluating you for. Much like above, reiterate how thankful you are for them writing your evaluations and helping you towards your dream of attending college. You can also say how they have helped you choose the institution or program you are going to pursue and why they are important to your schooling career.

4. If you've reminded your recommenders already and they still haven't completed your evaluation then I would enlist in the help of your guidance counselor to reach out to your teacher and reiterate the importance of their timely completion of the letter of recommendation and evaluation. Your guidance counselor may also be able to contact the Admissions Office of the universities to which you're applying about the delay in the recommendation.

Ultimately, do whatever feels naturally to you and your personality when you are reminding your teachers to complete the evaluations and if you think you need to change your recommenders, then do what is right for you and your college applications. I would definitely talk it over with your parents and your guidance counselor before you ultimately choose to change who your recommenders are.

If you are facing this issue, I hope this post has helped you determine your plan of navigation for reminding your teacher. If you have other questions or concerns along this line, please let me know and I would be happy to do a post about them and give you my recommendations!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

Writing your Admissions Essay

For those of you who have yet to write your admissions essay, you are in luck! Tonight I am sharing with you my tips for writing a great admissions essay and sharing my experience with writing my undergraduate and graduate admissions essay!

• Picking your Topic -  The Common App has published their 2015-2016 essay prompts for those students who will be applying through the Common Application. (This will most likely be the only way you apply to your colleges. Some schools still have their own applications, but this universal application makes it easier on you!) If you click on this you can find the essay prompts that you can write about! When you pick your topic, choose something that you can write about, something that makes you excited but that you can easily articulate why it excites you. **If you can't put into words why babysitting your sister while your mom was going back to school helped you transition from a child to an adult, then don't choose that as a topic. Write about something that you can easily discuss and get your point across. 

Pick a topic that you are excited about and can easily discuss!

• What to Cover - This essays tells a story about your life; about what's important to you. This gives the admissions committee a glimpse into your life that they can't see from your transcripts and resume. Because of this, it is important to portray the best, authentic version of yourself, but don't lie or over-exaggerate to prove a point. You may also want to consider explaining in terms of the writing prompt how your experience will help you in college. Most importantly, make it interesting and fun to read for the committee ... after all they have thousands of essays to read!

Don't be like Brick Tamland! 
Pick your essay topic and let the spirit move you!

• Proofread, Proofread, Proofread!! - I cannot emphasize enough about how important and necessary it is to read, reread, and re-reread your essay! Check for spelling and grammar errors. Check for weird sentences that just don't sound right. A great way to check your essay is to read it out loud to a parent, sibling, or a close friend; someone who is going to be honest but supportive. You may also consider having a mentor look over it to get their advice on it. Your essay should be well-written and representative of the type of work that you will produce in college. If you want to produce A+ work in college, then take the time to look it over, proofread, and make sure your essay is as perfect as it will get!
  

For my undergraduate admissions essay, I wrote about my community service hours at a local arts festival. I knew I wouldn't be able to articulate why my dad is my hero, nor could I explain how important dance was to me; so I chose a topic I was passionate about but could still discuss. I wrote it creatively like a narrative, but also with the intention that I planned to continue my volunteerism into college. (Sidenote: in my acceptance packet, the Director of Admissions at my alma mater added a hand-written note about how my experiences at the art festival would fit well with the Community Service and Internship requirements at the college.)  

For my graduate admissions essay, I discussed how important door tags were to my experience in college and in why I chose to pursue a Master's degree in Higher Education. (Door tags are things with your name that RAs put on your college room door.) I basically just analyzed how important they are for creating a community atmosphere in a residence hall, but it was also through my experience as an RA that I chose to pursue a career in Student Affairs at the college level. I individualized the essays for each university I applied to, while discussing their Mission and Values. I worked for a month to perfect it and had it read over by Career Advisers on campus, my mentor, and my boyfriend to ensure that it was the best it could be!

These are the door tags I made for my
last Winter term as an RA!!

No matter what, make your essay something you are proud of and excited to share with others. This is the first ticket to your future in college, so make sure it is a First Class with air conditioning and free WiFi ticket!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

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Who should write my recommendations?

As you begin your college applications, you will eventually come to the major question of "Who is going to write my letters of recommendations?" This is a question that will plague your mind from the moment you select those references until after you've received your admissions decision from the colleges to which you applied. Here are some things you may want to consider before selecting the teachers, administrators, and mentors to write your letters of recommendation!

1. Look at the application requirements - For certain universities, they will require specific letters depending on the major/academic program you hope to enter. Oftentimes, if you are entering a science or mathematics program, the university will require a letter from a science or mathematics teacher. The same can be said for a prestigious English or Foreign Language program.

2. Think about the classes you excelled in - This is a no-brainer; you will want a letter of recommendation from someone who can speak highly of your scholastic ability, your desire to challenge yourself academically, and your general personality. Typically the classes you did well in in high school will be those same classes whose teachers' you are in good standing with. Consider these teachers first as possible references.

3. Think about the classes you didn't excel in - Also a no-brainer, a teacher who genuinely did not enjoy having you in class nor seeing you in the hallway will not write a great letter of recommendation for you. Unless you absolutely need their letter (Look at Tip #1), do not even consider using these teachers as references. ** Sometimes a teacher whose class you did not perform well in, but you challenged yourself in, can write a good letter of recommendation. But, use your judgement carefully.

4. Bosses, Coaches, and Clergy work too - Some universities offer options besides just two teachers for letters of recommendations, ie: one academic reference and one personal reference. These letters are just as great at supporting an application. Typically a coach, boss, or pastor can provide more details about your personality traits and what attributes you may bring to a college campus. If you feel that their observations of you will better support your application, then definitely add a letter of recommendation from them into your application!

5. No family members - Family members do not hold much credibility as a writer for a letter of recommendation. Even if you work under an aunt/uncle or your dad was your baseball coach, this should be your last resort for a letter of recommendation. Use an assistant manager or an athletic trainer who can still attest to your ability and your leadership skills. * If it is a real issue, such as your mother was your only upper level math teacher and you need a math recommendation for the Physics program, then I would call the admissions office at the universities where you plan to apply and inform them of this "conflict." They may allow this letter or may provide you with an alternative option.

Now that you have decided who will write your letters of recommendation, be sure to ask them with plenty of time before the deadline. I suggest asking each reference and giving them about a month and a half to complete their recommendations. Some of the teachers, especially those who are well-liked by your classmates, could have ten to twenty letters to write for your Senior class. You will need to provide them with the information about how the evaluation form will be coming. Common App recommendations will be delivered to the teacher electronically, however if it is a physical letter that the reference will be sending, be sure to provide them with an addressed, stamped envelope so that they can simply send the letter out without any hassle. Finally, send a thank you card to those people who write your letters of recommendation to thank them for their time and effort.

Who are you asking to write your letters of recommendation and why?
Leave it in the comments section below!

enjoy the chase,

skylar