Filed under: College Admission — Chioma @ 8:53 am

Today’s cutting edge phones are very smart machines- they can tell you what the best restaurant is and how to get there, they allow you constant access to your email, and they can even recognize your voice.

But, can they help you get into college?

There’s an app for that

In the proliferating world of Smartphone applications, there are many apps out there created specifically for college hopefuls.

Here is a short recap of some of the apps that are making news in college admissions:

• Peterson’s College Guide
  • Listed in Lee Beirer’s article about trends in college applications, the Peterson’s College Guide app offers a condensed version of the online college database. The app contains searchable data for thousands of institutions, and also offers information about selectivity, financial aid, and various majors.
    • How it helps:This app is good for finding out basic information about many colleges, and it also has a mapping function that can be useful for planning college tours.
    • Word of Caution:It is still best to get information directly from the colleges; do not rely exclusively on information given by this or any app.
• College Confidential Mobile App
  • Also listed in Beirer’s article, this application offers an on-the-go version of the College Confidential website, which supplies articles and discussion forums about college admissions. App users can access both the discussion forums and the website’s blogs.
    • How it helps:This app is useful for accessing college information when you are not near a computer, especially since it generates a lot of discussion about what is helpful and what is not in college admissions
    • Word of Caution:If you choose to participate in the discussion forums, realize that what other users are saying is not always the best or most accurate information.

• futureU SAT
  • This app provides students with games designed to help students with SAT prep. The app offers two reading games, two writing games, two math games, three quiz styles, and tips for taking the test itself, all culled from a Kaplan curriculum.
    • How it helps:This app supplies an interesting and fun way to supplement your SAT studying, and could also provide productive entertainment during those long road trips to various colleges.
    • Word of Caution:Obviously, the app should not constitute the entirety of your studying for the SAT.

• Bump:
  • This one is just pretty cool. Described in Sommer Saadi’s Business Week article, Bump allows Smartphone users to exchange phone numbers and other information simply by bumping their two smartphones together, or just by holding them close together. You can even link Bump to your Facebook account, automatically “friending” any person that you bump with.
    • How it helps: The app could be a more efficient way of navigating the overwhelming amount of people that you will meet during your first few weeks at college. Also, “bump,” could continue the trend of making technology into verbs, i.e. “tweet” and “Google”.
    • Word of Caution:There is something a little scary about being able to transfer so much information and access simply by holding out one’s phone.
• myHomework
  • Saadi also mentions myHomework, an app that helps students to organize their schedule for the semester and digitally plan out their assignments. The app even provides an alert system as deadlines get closer.
    • How it will help: Organization is key to success in college, and this app will give you constant access to your schedule and assignments. The alerts could also be a helpful reminder to avoid procrastination
    • Word of Caution: Having a hard copy of your homework schedule is never a bad idea, even the smartest of phones have been known to stop functioning at very inconvenient times.

So, will these apps be the sole factor in procuring the college experience of your dreams? Definitely not. However, they could provide some helpful tips and interesting diversions along the way.

Filed under: College Admission — Chioma @ 6:23 am

Having an actual college student lead you around their campus is a valuable experience that can give you a wealth of information about the school you are looking at. However, there are few things that you should keep in mind when touring with a student guide.

Remember the source

• Recognize that student guides are actively trying to present their school in the most favorable light. Most student tour guides have carefully thought about their answers to such questions as “What is your least favorite part of this school?” Though it is important to engage student tour guides on tough questions, recognize that the answers they give will try to deflect negative attention from their school.
• Recognize that many student tour organizations are tied to, and even paid by, the school’s admission’s office. This should not discredit the information that they give you, just remember that they have a bias.

Most student tour guides go through extensive training

• Tour associations are a prominent student activity on many campuses, and the application process is often very competitive. According to a Stanford Daily article, only 30 new guides were selected out of 200 applicants for 2010.
• The application and training process for the Princeton Orange Key Guide Service is typical for many student guide organizations. Student guide hopefuls complete a lengthy personal application, observe multiple campus tours, go on training tours, and lead their own tour while being evaluated by other guides.
• Most student tour guides are also required to study and memorize a huge variety of facts about the school. They are trained to interweave these facts with more personal anecdotes during the tour

A certain kind of student

• Because of this selection and training process, your tour guide might be more outgoing, passionate, and knowledgeable than the average student at that university.
• At the University of Virginia, the University Guide Service is both a tour organization and a social group. The guides are entirely selected by students and tend to share similar characteristics- a high level of involvement at the University, a more assertive and outgoing personality, and a passion for the school.
• Though student tour groups often contain students with a variety of backgrounds and interests, such organization inevitably select more outgoing students with strong communication skills.

What else can you do?

• Pay particular attention to the personal stories that your tour guide shares. Historical or campus facts are important and interesting, but personal stories give you the most insight into what one student’s life is like at that school.
• Always ask questions. Ask anything you can think of, even if it seems trivial to you. If your guide cannot answer your question, ask them to put you in contact with someone who can. Make sure you are the one asking the questions not your parents. Schools do not like helicopter parents who take over their children’s campus visit.
• Try to engage with as many students as possible. As discussed, your guide is only one voice, a voice that is hand-picked to represent the school in the most positive light. As such, talking with as many other students as you can will give you a well-rounded picture of the school. Take a detour and find some students who are not the “official” voice of the school and engage them about their experiences. If you are in a dining hall, ask students what they think of the food. If you visit a library, ask students about the course load at the school, or their favorite classes. For the most part, students will be happy to talk with you, and their attitude can reveal their feelings about the school and their satisfaction with it.

Filed under: College Admission — Chioma @ 5:54 am

You have convinced the school of your choice that they should let you in and you have received that hard-earned acceptance letter. Congratulations! Now, it is their turn to convince you that you should choose them. For most universities, accepted student days are an opportunity to set themselves above the competition and to convince talented students to come to their school.

Why go?

Even if a school has been your top choice since childhood, it is important to attend the admitted student days if at all possible.

Yes, going can be time-consuming and rather expensive- you will have to take a weekend out of your senior year, and you will have to pay for either the gas or the airline fees to get you there.

However, consider the potential cost of enrolling at an institution that you are not completely sure of- emotional uncertainty, the potential of transferring schools, and the financial costs of paying tens of thousands of dollars in tuition. It is important to be as certain about your college choice as you can, and the admitted student days can be an important factor in achieving that certainty.

Even if you have seen the school multiple times, your status as an admitted student will give you a fresh set of eyes. You know that you have the chance to go here, now the question is, should you take that chance?

What to expect

Most admitted student days offer a calendar of events for both students and their parents. Typically, events include speeches from deans and professors, activity fairs, student performances, information sessions on financial aid, student life, and various academic programs, and the opportunity to sit in on a class of your choice. To view a sample listing of events at Yale admitted student days click here.

Many schools, such as the University of Virginia, offer the opportunity to schedule meals with current students. These students volunteer to get meals with accepted students and are usually excited to share their school and happy to answer your questions.

Most schools, such as Princeton, offer admitted students the chance to stay overnight with a student host. Take advantage of this opportunity if possible- you will be able to see the less formal side of the school, the side that its students see every day.

Make the most of it

Often, schools with provide you with many options and give you the freedom to choose which activities you would like to pursue and which talks you would like to attend.

Consider making a list of priorities before you arrive on campus. Is there something that is still troubling you about the school? What is the top consideration in your choice to attend that school? Try to pinpoint any remaining questions or concerns you have about the school and target your visit to addressing those areas.

• Are you worried about financial aid? Make a point to schedule a meeting with financial aid officers, and to attend any talks on financial aid.
• Do you need a better picture of the academic environment? Attend a class. If possible try to attend different types of classes- one larger lecture and one smaller discussion. This will give you a good sense of the different teaching styles available at the school. If you know what you might like to major in, try to attend a class in that field. Talk to the students about their major; ask them about their experience with the department, their favorite classes. Approach the professor afterwards, tell them you are interested in that major, and ask any questions that you might have.
• Do you want further opportunities to explore the school’s extracurricular activities?Attend an activities fair. Make a list of organizations you are interested in and email student officers in those organizations to see if they could meet with you. Most of the time, they will be thrilled with your interest and happy to answer your questions.

Whatever area most interests or concerns you, try to experience that aspect of the school during the admitted student days. Your experiences on those days can be an important part of your college decision, so you want to make sure that all of your questions have been answered. Take advantage of your time as an admitted student- this is your time to ask questions, to express doubts, and to really explore if this school is the right fit for your future.

Filed under: Uncategorized — Chioma @ 4:25 am

Applicants turn to the EXPARTUS blog as a source of reliable information and valuable advice on the MBA admissions process.  As a member of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants, we are conducting a survey to help us better understand our readers’ goals and needs.  We’d like to invite all of our readers to share their school selection priorities and views on the MBA application process.

This online survey should take just 10 minutes to complete.  We would love to receive as many responses as possible before the closing date of Wednesday, March 30^th – and will be giving away an iPod Touch and two iPod Shuffles as a token of our gratitude!  We’ll also be sharing the results of the survey this spring to help candidates better understand the nature of today’s applicant pool.

Thanks in advance for your participation!

Simply click here to begin.

Filed under: Interviews — Chioma @ 6:00 am

In the past, getting invited for an interview was not necessary for admission to business school.  Today, however, more and more top business schools make it a point to interview every candidate to whom they expect to extend an acceptance letter.  So if you’ve received an interview invitation, pat yourself on the back.  You’ve reached a milestone.   That said, blowing the interview can negatively affect your chances of getting into b-school.  As such, it should be taken just as seriously as every other part of the b-school application and considered yet another data point for the board of admissions.  This is your chance to show them that you are the real deal….that the person you showed them on paper is the same person sitting in front of them the day of the interview.  Here are some tips on preparing for your interview:

1. Know your material cold.  Nothing is worse than an interviewer who makes reference to any part of your application that you don’t remember writing!
2. Be prepared to address any inconsistencies, gaps, or red flags in your application.  This includes time off from work, low grades, low GMAT scores, a lay-off.  Take accountability and be prepared to demonstrate how you’ve attempted to mitigate any blemishes on your application.
3. Allow me to state the obvious: Get there early, wear a suit, look impeccable.
4. Do any preliminary research on the interviewer, if possible.  At the very least, it will put you at ease for the interview if you feel you have a sense of who will be asking the questions.
5. Have several questions prepared for the interviewer…questions for which you truly want to know the answer.
6. Interviewers really want to get to know you, so treat the interview more as a free-flowing conversation than as an interrogation.
7. You should be prepared to answer basic questions (e.g. Why an MBA, why now, why this particular school).  If you’ve spent quality time on your essays, answers to these questions should come easily to you.
8. Let me state another obvious: Check your posture, speak clearly, offer a firm handshake, maintain eye contact and pay attention to your body language; it is just as important as the words coming out of your mouth.
9. Provide examples where appropriate.  This helps solidify any statement about yourself that you make. Keep responses to less than 2 minutes and allow the interviewer to ask follow up questions.
10. Make sure you answer the question being asked.  If you are unclear of the question, offer to paraphrase/parrot it back to the interviewer so that you can answer appropriately.
11. Be prepared to answer questions about your industry or the industry in which you aspire to be, according to your application. So if you are a banker who wants to get into real estate development, not only should you be prepared to answer broad questions pertaining to banking, but you should also know about trends regarding the real estate market.
12. Here’s another obvious: Turn your cell phone off.
13. While it is important to prepare for your interview, make sure you don’t come across as having memorized the entire thing.  This will just make you look disingenous and/or as someone who is incapable of spontaneous conversation.
14. Shy away from negative comments about previous employers.
15. After the interview, follow up promptly with a thank you note/email to the interviewer.  Your thank you note should include something meaningful that transpired during your conversation.
16. Do NOT call the Admissions Committee post-interview to check on your status.  This will only annoy them and may give them a reason to ding you.

Filed under: Uncategorized — Chioma @ 5:49 am

We can dissect the data of who gets admitted into top MBA programs and we will see that the majority have strong academic backgrounds and work experiences. But what’s often interesting is to look at many of those, the more than 80% of the applicants, who are unsuccessful in their bid to land an admission offer at a top business school. On the surface many of the rejected candidates also have worked for similar firms and have strong academic records comprised of strong G.P.A. and GMAT/GRE scores. So what gives? There are key characteristics and behaviours that successful applicants exhibit that give them an edge in the competitive MBA admission process. Here are ten of the key ones:

Be Willing and Open to Learn. Bring an attitude of curiosity to everything you do both in the world of work and outside.Having a genuine desire to discover new things—how to improve processes or products or simply investing in growing your skill set and area of expertise—are all great examples that make for interesting essays that differentiate you to the adcom.

Keep Your Ego in Check. Nothing rubs the admissions board the wrong way as arrogance. It doesn’t matter how successful a candidate is, if he/she comes across as having an over-inflated sense of self, the admission outcome is likely to be a rejection. So when writing your essays avoid exaggerating your achievements, stick to the facts, and ideally have your recommenders (brand champions) do the raving about how much of a rock star you are.

Be Self Aware and Reflective. All top business schools request a resume and your resume paints the first layer of your story. But the resume is inefficient in transforming your stories into the full-dimensional and interesting individual that you are. This is where your essays, recommendations, and interviews come in. These three components enable the admissions board to understand who you really are, your motivations. The more effective you are with showing the Why and How of your experiences the more likely you are to stand out from your competition. Vivid examples are always more powerful than broad and vague statements. Make sure that your recommenders also use specific anecdotes to reinforce the key traits you want the adcom to know about you.

Have a Detailed Game Plan. It’s not enough to plan to go to business school. You have to be very specific about your goals. Which type of business school is the best fit for you? Why do you want an MBA? What do you plan to accomplish with the MBA? How will you achieve your objectives? Applicants who have thoroughly thought through these questions and have very specific and well-reasoned goals are more likely to be credible when they apply. A general plan is “I want to get an MBA in the future for career advancement”. A more specific plan is something more along the lines of “I intend to pursue an MBA with a focus in General Management in the next year and want a program that will give me more flexibility to broaden my international experience through a term abroad as well as an international internship. I aim to complete my GMAT preparation by May of this year which will allow me two opportunities to take the GMAT exam in June and possibly in August if I’m not happy with my first score. I intend to apply in round one. I have already contacted all my recommenders and they are on board. We will meet the first week in June to discuss my school plans, revisit my work with them and…..”. This latter example has specific periods for action you intend to take allowing you to be accountable for the delivery of those things.

Execute Your Game Plan. Don’t procrastinate; this is a recipe for disaster. Successful applicants work off of their detailed MBA plan and strategically follow through with each aspect of the application. They invest in the resources that may be required, whether it is a test prep course/tutor or leveraging a friend who is an English major to proof-read their essays or a professional consultant to help with their overall strategy. Knowing when each deliverable is due and following through helps manage the stress of the application and ensures that you don’t run out of time or turn in mediocre quality applications.

Be Realistic. Successful applicants tend to not overshoot when targeting schools. It is important to cast a broad net when targeting schools given the competitive nature of the application process. Simply saying you want to get into only one school because it is the best in the world is not being realistic about your chances. You should aim for three or four schools in a given round. That way you can focus all your efforts and not spread yourself too thin. Also do your research to see how successful or unsuccessful previous applicants with your similar profile performed.

Follow Your Passion. Be authentic. This trait is highly valued by the business school adcom. They are looking for that spark that reveals what drives you. For many accomplished candidates who are denied admission this can be a missing ingredient in their application.

Take Some Risks and Show Tenacity. Look for ways to take the “road less traveled”. It doesn’t mean you have to jump out of airplanes or live in Timbuktu to impress the admissions board of your grit. You could have a regular job but you have examples where you have stepped up and seized opportunities to lead a challenging aspect of the project or you initiated something new that has created significant value for your group….these are all examples that successful candidates often have in common. By the way, you don’t have to win in every instance. There could be very interesting stories about taking a risk that didn’t result in the outcome you wished but yet demonstrates strong character and lessons learned.  

Deliver Results. This is related to the above point. Ultimately the adcom is looking for evidence of impact. Quantify the impact you had when possible. Evidence of tangible achievement signals to the adcom that you are likely to repeat such involvement/achievement in the future.

Start Early and Leave No Room for Excuses. Ideally you should start early. I’m always impressed with people who approach me two or more years before they plan to apply to assess their backgrounds and identify any potential holes. This proactive approach gives them a huge head start that can often yield a positive admission outcome. 

Filed under: College Admission — Chioma @ 8:37 am

For many parents, there is a twinge of fear when their child comes running to them with an acceptance letter from an elite private university. That twinge is usually accompanied by some form of the question: “How much is this going to cost?”

That question becomes increasingly daunting as tuition at elite private schools continues to rise.

So, What does college cost?

According to a NY Daily News article by Alice Murphy, the average cost for a year of private college is $36, 993 for the year 2010-11. Columbia University’s figures are at a whopping $43,304 for the 2010-11 year and Columbia isn’t the only one with such huge price tags. Stanford’s tuition and fees of $39,201 offers little financial relief.

When considering your admissions packets you will also need to make sure that you factor other costs besides tuition and room and board. Some of these additional costs include:

*        Books and school supplies

*        Clothes

*        Food- meal plans, but also, grocery store trips and the occasional restaurant dinner

*        Cost of living in the town or city where your school is- For example, New York City usually has a higher cost of living than more rural locations.

According to Murphy, the College Board estimates that students pay an average of between $1,133 to $1,181 for books and supplies each year; $7,259 to $9,700 for dorms or off-campus housing, and $1,440 to $2,356 for other expenses.

Despite these costs, higher education unquestionably provides long-term value, both in monetary terms and in terms of personal memories and experiences.

Keeping down costs in the short term:

*        Always apply for financial aid, even if you think you do not qualify. Fill out the FAFSA early and as thoroughly as you can.

*        Secondly, look into as many scholarships as you can. In addition to exploring scholarships offered by particular schools, look for scholarships localized to your area or consider using free scholarship generators such as Scholarship Search or Fastweb.

*        Another option is to consider taking a job once you get to school. Many schools offer work-study programs, or hire students to work in various aspects of the university, such as admissions, dining, or student services. This will serve you well years later when you are applying for internships or even for graduate school since you can demonstrate your maturity as well as some practical skills that you learned from the experience.

*        There are also more unorthodox routes in the quest for a more cost-effective education. Also in the NY Daily News, Kim Clark reports that some international colleges offer much lower tuition. Clark reports that qualified students can complete degrees at elite international universities for a total cost of less than $70,000, a value equivalent to the cost less than two years of education at an American private school.

• There are both advantages and disadvantages to this option. Going to school abroad can create difficult logistics for travel or communication, and would entail being very far from home for a long time. Additionally, the transition to college could be more stressful when compounded with a move to a foreign country.
• However, there are also many advantages to an education abroad- you would have many opportunities to travel, and would gain a global perspective that would be both personally rewarding and advantageous in today’s global economy.

Regardless if you decide to study internationally, the rising cost of college and the effects of the recent recession make exploring different financial options a prudent move for the current college hopeful.

Filed under: Uncategorized — Chioma @ 8:16 am

Risk. A four letter word that has a major role this year in the application process. The admission climate is such today that candidates who remotely look too risky are likely not to be admitted to a top school. Everyone’s appetite for risk has been curtailed. Gone are the days when candidates with top scores and grades but sketchy career plan are admitted.

The same holds true for candidates who think they can slip in despite GMAT scores that are below the range published by the school. Even weak grades will get an additional scrutiny and candidates must have a reasonable and mature response for their poor grades and a clear set of steps they have taken to address them.

So what is the answer for candidates who have some blemish in their application that tags them as risky? Some practical steps are:

• Invest in GMAT help (classes, tutors, practice)…whatever you need to to make your score as close to 700+
• Take some business/Math classes if you don’t have a quantitative background to demonstrate your aptitude in that area
• Even if you have a blue chip firm on your resume and you come from a selective college, you need to look for projects or activities outside of work that shows that you have something “more” to contribute to the class
• For those with holes in their resume, leave nothing to the imagination of the admissions board. Explain why you took that job and stayed only 6 months. If it’s the result of your department getting laid off, not an issue. On the other hand if you jump around too much it can signal that you are flighty and unfocused. Overcoming this perception will be key to a successful admission outcome and you will need to demonstrate maturity in choice of essays as well as have your recommenders back you up on this point.

Filed under: College Admission — Chioma @ 5:35 am

As you consider the different colleges on your list, the campus visit may be the most extended glimpse you will get of a particular school prior to being accepted. As such, it is important that you make the most of this visit and explore as many aspects of your potential school as you can. Listed below are some tips for maximizing your time when visiting different campuses.

Before the visit: Do your research

Try to know as much as you can about the university before you make your visit. Visit the college’s homepage to learn about the logistics of dorm life, dining halls, etc. Look up the Chamber of Commerce for the town you will be visiting to see a list of popular area attractions. Doing a little background research can give you a fuller picture of the school before you even arrive on campus.

Make a list of things that you would especially like to see, based on your personal interests. If you are interested in music or theater, ask about visiting performing facilities on campus. If you are interested in athletics, spend some time looking at the different sports facilities and student gyms. Develop an agenda that will help you to explore places where you might spend a lot of time, if you chose to attend that school.

During your visit: Explore as much as possible

Always take the official tour. It will provide the most information and best insight into the university. Make a point to get to know your student tour guide. Ask them about their own experiences at the school, why they chose it, and what they like about it. As you are visiting different locations around campus, try to picture yourself there as much as possible. Could you see yourself studying at that table in the library? Eating in that cafeteria? Kicking a soccer ball in those fields? It is important to remember that you are not just visiting to learn about the university, but to determine whether it could be a good fit for you.

Do not be afraid to take initiative, to question, investigate, and explore. If you go on a tour of the dorm areas, be aware that you are being taken to a room that has been prepared for visitors. Make sure to ask your tour guide if the dorm you are seeing is for first year students. If it is not, ask how you can view a room that is most similar to what you would be living in your first year.

Try to arrange to sit in on a class that you are interested in- it will give you better insight into the style of learning at a particular university. While you are in the class, take advantage of the opportunity to engage the professor and other students in discussion. Do not be afraid to approach students and ask them about their experience at the school. If they love the school, they will be happy to talk to you about it and the enthusiasm of the students and faculty can tell you a lot about a school.

While you are there, try to get to know the surrounding area as much as possible. If you do choose this university, you will be living in that city or town for four years of your life. Ask your tour guide for restaurant suggestions; they will likely be able to tell you many student and local favorites. Many college towns have a street or area that is frequented mostly by students- try to walk around that area as much as possible and picture yourself spending your free afternoons or evenings there. If you have time, try to visit local attractions, town centers, or malls. Each of these things will give you a feel for the area, and will help you decide if you could see yourself there.

After your visit: Take Notes

Try to write down as much as you can remember- not just facts, but what you felt as you walked around the campus and the surrounding area. What were your favorite things? What were your least favorite things? Try to think of a few adjectives to describe the atmosphere at the school: was it bustling? Academic? Laid-back? Welcoming? Talk with your family or friends about what they thought, and make sure to write down as much as possible so that you can refer to it when considering the school in the future.

Of course, do not read too much into one small instance, or one unfriendly student or professor. Instead, look for overall trends that might help you get a better feel for the school and how it could fit with your unique talents and personality.

Filed under: College Admission — Chioma @ 11:05 am

Current and future college applicants are facing down the rather daunting double threat of top schools becoming more selective even as the application pool increases.

This year, elite universities reported significant increases in the number of applications received, topping even last year’s record numbers.

Harvard reported nearly 35,000 applications for the class of 2015, which is about a 15% increase from last year’s record of 30, 489.  Yale received a record 27,230 applications, a 5% increase from last year.

Princeton, Brown, and Dartmouth also reported record numbers of applications this year, and overall increases from past years. Brown showed a 50% increase in applications over the past three years, and Princeton recorded an astounding 98% increase over the past seven years.

The increasing numbers of college applications this year reflect an overall population trend in the teenage demographic. From 2000 to 2009, U.S. population estimates show a growth of about 1,317, 947 people in the age group between 15 and 19.

Though the growing applicant pool is daunting in itself, college hopefuls must also contend with declining rates of admission to elite schools. Last year, many Ivy League acceptance rates descended into single digits, with Harvard admitting 6.9%, Yale admitting 7.5%, Princeton 8.2%, Columbia 9%, and Brown 9.3%. Even these acceptance rates are likely to hold steady or decline this year.

So what is a college hopeful to do when faced with these admittedly formidable statistics?

For one thing, it can never hurt to have some excellent backup options lined up. Though you might be convinced that one, and only one, elite university is the school of your dreams, it is never a bad idea to have a solid contingency plan. Consider applying to a few less competitive schools that offer some elements of what you are looking for in the college experience: a particular major that you are interested in, a town or city that attracts you, or promising scholarship options. Strive for that elite school of your dreams, but make sure you have some other options that you are excited about as well.

With other options in the background, apply to that elite school with all of the confidence that you can muster. Even in today’s large application pool, no one else has your exact dreams, passions, or talents. Be confident in who you are and market it to that elite school. Find activities that you love and dedicate yourself to them because of true passion, not because they will build your resume. In an application pool brimming with stuffed resumes, genuine passion will stand out.

Though the numbers can seem daunting, it is important to remember that, even among all those people, there is only one you. Believe in that and believe that there is a university that will appreciate that.