Check out our “Making a College List” series:
Category: Applying to College
Beating procrastination with Goal Setting
Beating procrastination starts with YOU! Use this guide to set up goals for your semester. Committing to these goals means you are committing to a more successful future, a relaxing break, and a more exciting life!
Formula for creating SMART goals:
- Specific: Be clear about what you want to happen.
- Measurable: Track your goal by identifying tasks that need to be completed.
- Achievable: Be realistic.
- Relevant: Align the goal to your ambition.
- Time-based: Set a time-frame for your goal.
Step 1: Use the SMART guidelines to create goals for yourself at the start of each semester
Academic
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Professional
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Personal
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Step 2: Return to those original goals in the middle of the quarter to track your progress. Answer these questions to guide you:
- Have you accomplished any of your goals?
- Do you need to adjust any of your goals to accommodate a change?
- Are your goals still realistic and relevant given there is half a semester left?
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Professional
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Personal
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Step 3: Take a look at both your original goals and your adjustments from the middle of the quarter. How has the quarter been? Have you accomplished the goals you set for yourself? Fill out this chart to keep track of your quarter.
| Academic
Classes & grades:
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Professional
Activities & honors:
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Personal
Personal developments:
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| Extra space for other achievements or skills learned this semester: |
| Lessons learned this semester & what you want to change for next semester: |
YOU DID IT!! Congratulations on completing another semester. You should be proud of your accomplishments. Be sure to keep this sheet to fill out at the end of every semester and refer to it when filling out resumes, answering interview questions, or simply reflecting on your semester.
Internship Bootcamp
Beating procrastination starts with YOU! This is a 5 day internship bootcamp that will get you from square one to a great internship. Feel free to adapt this guide to fit your own time frame. Don’t get discouraged early, to find a good internship it takes: 50 applications for 20 considerations that will lead to 10 interviews which will leave you with 5 internships to choose from.
Day 1: Getting started can be difficult, schedule a Pollinate session to have someone keeping you motivated throughout your work.
TO DO:
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REFLECTION:
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Day 2: Keep going! You got through the hardest day, you got this.
TO DO:
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REFLECTION:
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Day 3: Almost there! You’re doing great.
TO DO:
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REFLECTION:
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Day 4: Wow!! Stay motivated, you’re killing it!
TO DO:
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REFLECTION:
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Day 5: Last day! Be proud of your work.
TO DO:
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REFLECTION:
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Congratulations! You made it to the end of the internship bootcamp week. You should be proud of the work you accomplished this week. But, your work doesn’t stop here! Book a Pollinate session to stay motivated and keep working to accomplish your goals.
Finalizing Your College List
The first step in the college application process is choosing which schools you want to apply to in the first place. There are a ton of factors to consider when compiling your college list:
What is a safety, target, and reach school?
The terms “safety,” “target,” and “reach” schools are big buzzwords in college applications. It simply means that there are schools that you feel like you are more or less likely to get into the schools you’re applying to. Safety schools would be schools that your GPA and SAT/ACT scores are far above the school’s 75th percentile, target schools are schools in which your grades and test scores are at or around the school’s 75th percentile, and reach schools are schools in which your grades and test scores are below the school’s 75th percentile or schools with very low acceptance rates. It is important to apply to schools in all of these different categories to make sure that you have options to choose from when it comes to deciding where to attend, and more importantly BACKUP options in case your reach and target school decisions don’t go as planned.
What schools will offer me the financial aid that I would need to attend?
When applying to college, it is important to keep cost of attendance in mind. All schools are required to have a Net Price Calculator on their websites. Filling this out will give you a relatively accurate estimate of how much your estimated family contribution will be to attend each of the schools. It is important to make sure that you include schools on your list that are within your budget.
How many schools should I apply to?
It is important to have a good ratio of safety, target, and reach schools. Typical is 2-3 schools in each of the three categories. However, you can apply to as many as you want to. It is also important to consider that the majority of colleges have an application fee, so before you submit your applications, budget out the amount of money that you are willing to put toward application fees.
What is “fit”?
“Fit” is the extent to which a school matches what you are looking for as a student. Things to look for when considering fit are size of the school, location, whether or not it’s liberal arts, the importance of greek life, financial aid generosity, average class size, etc. Make sure you do good research to decide what factors you are interested in, and choose to apply to schools that maintain your own personal requirements. It does students no good to apply to schools that they don’t have a good fit with, so research carefully!
Check out this spreadsheet to help you organize your college list!
Asking for a Letter of Recommendation
By: Yara Oliveira
Writing an email to teachers or professionals can be scary, especially asking for a favor, but don’t worry with this guide, you’ll crush any email you have to send. When applying to colleges through the Common App or any individual school application system, they will ask for at least 2 letters of recommendations. These are crucial for your admissions counselor to see another perspective of you that can’t be conveyed through your own essays. When picking who to ask, make sure it is a trusted professional who knows you well. The first two required letters will usually have to be from core teachers (English, Math, Science, or Social Studies). Make sure who you’re asking knows your work ethic and can speak to some of your accomplishments and goals. If you don’t know the teacher well enough, consider also attaching your resume and a statement about your goals to the email. Teachers are often eager to write these letters so you don’t have to be scared! There is also an optional third letter that the Common App and Coalition Application allows for. This can be for your boss, mentor, or any professional in your life that can speak to your values and personality. The third letter is by no means necessary, but it can’t hurt so if you have someone in mind, go ahead and send them an email asking for one! If possible, you can also ask your recommender in person. You can follow this template either way.
Now that you’ve picked who you’re going to ask, let’s get to the email! When writing, remember that your recommender is a busy person so keep it short, kind, and to the point.
| Part of email | Example |
| Subject – your last name, topic | Smith, letter of recommendation |
| Greeting – time of day and their title (Ms., Mr., Dr.) with last name | Good afternoon Ms.Hall,
[press enter] |
| Topic you are talking about (if they do not know you, introduce yourself) | I’m Jane Smith and I was in your history class last year. (add details about what you found challenging in the class, why you’re interested in that course, why you chose them) |
| Ask the question | I loved being in your class and learning more about US history so much that I was wondering if you could write me a letter of recommendation for college. |
| Wrap up the topic: mention you won’t be reading the letter, give them a way out, and thank them for their time | The letter is uploaded directly on Common App so I won’t see it, I would just like you to be truthful about my work ethic and goals. I know you’re busy so if you can’t write this letter, I understand. Thank you so much for your time, I appreciate it.
[press enter] |
| Farewell
Thanks for your time, sincerely, cordially, |
Sincerely,
Jane Smith |
BAM you just mastered the email. Of course it depends on who you are emailing and what it is about but the more you practice, the better you’ll be. If they agree to write the letter of recommendation, send a follow up email with the logistical details (date its due, where to submit) so the teacher is aware. Remember to give teachers plenty of time to write the letter so it is beautifully crafted and they aren’t rushed. Good luck and have fun!
College Application Planning: A Four Year Look
By: Yara Oliveira
For me, as a freshman, I didn’t even know I had the possibility of going to college. While this process may feel so far away for you, the earlier you prepare, the more time you have to adjust your plan. If you’re a sophomore or junior, don’t worry you can still you this checklist! As a first generation college student, I was lost when it came to figuring out what I should aim to accomplish each year. I wish a had a plan like this to guide me while deciding which activities to join or which classes to take. While none of these items are necessary, take this four year plan as a starting off point and customize it to fit your style. Everyone’s process will be different, and you’re not expected to be an expert so: ask questions!
Freshman year
- Join different clubs explore what you might like and get leadership experience
- Join the band, play sports, or start volunteering/a job to get a sense of long term commitments
- Try your best to get good grades and take challenging courses
Summer
- Do something meaningful (ex: volunteering/community service)
- Do something productive (ex: take an interesting class online)
- Do something lucrative (ex: get a job)
Sophomore year
- Run for leadership positions in clubs you really love; if you do not find a club you like – start it!
- Get involved in school (ex: a student government position)
- Get the best grades you can, take challenging courses
- Take a practice test for the PSAT
Summer
- Do something meaningful (ex: volunteering/community service)
- Do something productive (ex: apply for a summer program in a subject you’re interested in)
- Do something lucrative (ex: get a job)
Junior year
- Take challenging courses and get the best grades you can
- Run for leadership positions in clubs you enjoy (be consistent with your commitment)
- Wintertime: take ACT and SAT for the first time to see which you like best
- Springtime: take the test you did better on again (ACT or SAT)
- Pick 20 colleges you like and write them down and research them a little (attend college fairs/events)
- Find two close teachers you want to ask for letters of recommendations
- Start applying for scholarships (essays and local ones are best because less people apply to them)
Summer
- Plan college visits or do online tours
- Start narrowing down college list
- Take ACT or SAT again if needed
- Take SAT subject tests in 2 subjects
- Look at Common app and write rough drafts for essays
- Start applying for scholarships
Senior year
- Take challenging courses and get the best grades you can
- Run for leadership positions in clubs you enjoy (be consistent with your commitment)
- Request letters of recommendations, transcripts, and test scores
- Apply for scholarships
- Finish college essays and supplements
- October 1st: Complete financial aid forms
A Quick Look: College Applications
By: Yara Oliveira
College applications may seem like something out of this world, but don’t worry, you got this! As a first generation college student, I had to do a lot of research on the application process. This meant more than just figuring out which colleges to apply to, but also learning how to clearly tell my story and trying out different organizational methods until I found one that worked. Now, I help mentor high school students who are going through the same process. The best piece of advice I got while applying came from my mom, she told me that it didn’t matter where I went to college, it mattered what I did once I got there. Applications can seem overwhelming and difficult to manage, but if you work hard and share your story, you’ll end up where you’re meant to be. These are some of my favorite tips to help you conquer the college application season.
- Start your applications early: Before college application season begins and the essay questions are released, you can create a common app or coalition account to fill in logistical details like activities and testing information. This way, when the applications open on August 1, you’re able to focus on the essays to make sure you’re sharing your story the best you can. I found that as time went on and I wrote more essays, I got better at them. For me, a strategy of several drafts is what worked best. You can also brainstorm for essays that typically appear on applications, like expanding on an extracurricular activity or talking about your greatest achievement, early on. Starting your applications, or at least brainstorming ideas for your essays as soon as you can, allows time to make mistakes and get better before the deadline.
- Get feedback on your essays, but also make sure to stay true to your voice: Having someone (or multiple people) look over your essays is a great idea. Sometimes it’s difficult to articulate your story and having an outsider point of view can help you understand what an admissions officer would get from reading your essay. However, you need to remember that it’s you applying to the school, not your teacher who’s reading over your essay. After having someone revise your essay, read over it and make sure it still sounds like you. It’s important that you don’t lose those quirks in your writing that make you unique, so accept constructive critism but don’t change your voice!
- Keep a notebook with all of the activities you did each year to make it easier when filling out the college application: This tip was the most useful when preparing for college applications! I kept a notebook (or you can keep a doc online) for all the activities I did during the school year and over the summer. This was so helpful when I started applying and was able to refer to that notebook instead of having to spend hours contemplating which activities I did freshman year. You can update this notebook as frequently as you would like (every semester worked well for me). Other great things to keep in this notebook are: organizations you created, jobs you’ve had, volunteer positions you’ve held, and some brainstorming ideas for college essays.
- Take advantage of opportunities given by your high school: My highschool had events in which admissions officers or representatives from the college visited to talk more about the school. As a low income first generation college student, this was one of the main ways I got to learn about different colleges. During a visit at my school, an admissions officer talked about some of UChicago’s traditions like milkshake Wednesdays. I later ended up writing about those traditions in my “Why UChicago?” as they were one of the reasons I chose to apply. If your school doesn’t already have visits with admissions officers, talk to your guidance counselor, they can get in touch with colleges to hold information sessions.
- Be organized: This is crucial for a seamless application season. You have to find what works for you, for me, I kept a folder on google docs for all my college applications. Within the folder I organized by schools that were finished, drafting, or needed to start. I also kept a spreadsheet for all the schools and what I liked about them (bonus points for color coding!). Doing this made it so easy to keep up with the schools and my essays. I also kept a binder full of school brochures and information I had in paper so that it would all be in one location. Staying organized can be difficult but I promise, it makes everything easier in the long run!
I know right now this process may seem overwhelming and scary, trust me I’ve been there. But remember there are always resources to help you out. For me, the college application process was a time of so much growth and self reflection. I was able to look back at the most important times in my life and share my story. I can only hope the same for you. Don’t worry, you’ll end up at the school you are meant to be in. Have fun and work hard, best of luck in the college process!
