The College Search

Making the Match:It’s not about finding the best college…

It’s about finding the RIGHT college

The RIGHT college is where students can be happy and successful.

Successful students are happy and happy students are successful.

Remember: College is a place to learn, explore and grow as a scholar and an individual.

What is the first step?Self-Assessment, Discovery & Facing Reality

Who are you?

What do you want to do?

What have you done so far? How hard have you worked in high school?

How involved are you in the life of the school?

What makes you special?

Remember: Narrow the field … create a working list and a final list.

College Selection

There are more than 3300 colleges/universities in the U.S. alone

Students generally apply to between 4 and 8 colleges (a mixture of Safety, Match & Reach)

Research and guidance help students narrow their lists

WHAT FACTORS SHOULD YOU CONSIDER?

Geographic Location: proximity to home, weather and lifestyle

Size and Diversity: student body, average class size and dorm life

Academic Opportunities: what and how your will study

Personal Opportunities: activities, jobs, internships and friends

Reputation

Student Profile: do you have what they want?

Safety, Match & ReachSafety Match Reach

A safety school is one where your academic credentials fall above the school's range for the average freshman. You can be reasonably certain that you will be admitted to your safety schools.

A match school is one where your academic credentials fall well within (or even exceed) the school's range for the average freshman. There are no guarantees, but it's not unreasonable to be accepted to several of your match schools.

A reach school is one where your academic credentials fall below the school's range for the average freshman. Reach schools are long–shots, but they should still be possible. If you have a 2.0 GPA, Stanford is not a reach school–it's a dream.

Remember: There are no assurances or absolutes when it comes to college admissions. Shocking rejections and unexpected acceptances are all too common!

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Applied: 17,557 Admitted: 12,440Enrolled: 2,732 Admitted %: 71%

My GPA is 3.85, SAT is 1880… is this a Safety, Match or Reach?

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Applied: 27,645 Admitted: 17,643Enrolled: 3,290 Admitted %: 64%

My GPA is 3.85, SAT is 1880… is this a Safety, Match or Reach?

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Applied: 50,374 Admitted: 10,795Enrolled: 4,109 Admitted %: 21%

My GPA is 3.85, SAT is 1880… is this a Safety, Match or Reach?

Decision PlansEarly Decision: admit, deny or defer

Early Action Single Choice: admit, deny or defer

Early Action: admit, deny or defer

Early Decision II: admit, deny or defer

Regular Decision: admit, deny or wait list

Apply by Nov.1 or Nov. 15

Decision by mid-December

BINDING if admitted

Apply by Nov. 1 or Nov. 15 to one Early Action Single

Choice college or university and no other early action or early decision college or university.

Decision by mid-December

NON-BINDING

Apply by Nov.1 or Nov. 15

Decision by mid-December

NON-BINDING

Apply by Jan. 1

Decision by Feb. 1

BINDING if admitted

Deadlines can be as early as January 1

Many colleges and universities don’t use application deadlines

Owning the Process Students apply to college and students are admitted.

Students should take ownership of the process – right now.

Students should do their own research, make their own appointments and fill out their own applications

Remember: Every college and

university on your list should be a school the you would happily attend. There are more than 3000 choices in the US, so there is no reason to apply to a school you don’t want to attend.

University of California

• Stats:– 10 campuses– Research-based– Approximately $32,000 per year

for total fees• Basic admission requirements:– A-G coursework– 3.0 GPA– SAT or ACT– “Comprehensive/Holistic Review”• Important factors: personal statements,

extracurricular activities, leadership roles, community service, etc.

– Transfer Agreement Guarantee for CA Community College students

• Stats:– 23 campuses– Traditional university setting– Approximately $22,000 per

year for total fees• Basic admission

requirements:– A-G coursework– Meet minimum eligibility

index (a number derived from an equation that considers both GPA, usually 2.5, and SAT/ACT scores)

– SAT or ACT– Transfer Agreement

Guarantee for CA Community College students

California State University

California Community College• Stats:

– 112 campuses– Transfer, Associate’s Degree,

vocational, and certificate programs available

– Approximately $2,000 per year for total fees

– Transfer Agreement Guarantee for CA Community College students

– Some offer housing, check websites

• Basic admission requirements:– High school diploma or GED or 18 years

old

California Community Colleges

• Stats:– Many, many campuses (University of San Francisco, St. Mary’s

College, Holy Names University, Stanford University, etc.)– Campus settings/focuses vary widely– Costs vary widely

• Basic admission requirements:– Vary, but generally accept courses covered by the A-G curriculum– GPA varies, but generally selective– Testing requirements vary, but generally require SAT or ACT

• (SAT Subject exams may be required or recommended, depending on campus and major)

– Transfer requirements and programs vary– Generally practice Holistic Review

• Extracurricular activities, leadership roles, and community service considered

Private Colleges

The WesternUndergraduateExchange

Students who are residents of WUJE states

are eligible to request a reduced tuition

rate of 150% of resident tuition at

participating two- and four-year college programs outside of their home state.

The WUE reduced tuition rate is not automatically awarded to all eligible

candidates. Many institutions limit the

number of new WUE awards each academic year, so apply early!

15 States: Alaska, Arizona, California,

Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South

Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

Go online to find out more… http://wiche.edu/wue

Financial aid is money received to help pay for college. Cost of Attendance (COA) The total cost to attend a college/university for an academic

year. Includes: tuition, room and board, fees, transportation, meals,

books and supplies.

Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) The amount of money a family is expected to contribute to a student’s

education as calculated by US Federal Government.

Financial Need

COA - EFC = Financial Need

What is financial aid?

Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Free federal application

DO NOT PAY FOR FAFSA, EVER!

Bases on earnings for the prior year

Available January 1st of each year

Check with each college for their priority filing deadline.

USEFUL WEBSITESwww.fafsa.ed.gov

www.studentaid.ed.gov

https://student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile

What is FAFSA?

Types of Aid AvailableGrants Work

StudyGov

LoansPrivate Loans

Federal Grants (Pell)

Entitlement aid State Grants

(TAP) SEOG College/

University Grant

Work-study eligibility is noted on the award letter and generally used for living expenses.

Student obtains a job on campus and gets paid an hourly wage.

Subsidized: Gov pays the interest on loan during in-school and deferment periods

Unsubsidized: interest accrues during in-school, grace and deferment periods.

Offered to all students regardless of EFC

Repayment begins 6 months after graduation

Students are approved based on credit history

May need cosigner

Can borrow up to COA minus other aid

Rate is variable Colleges certify

the loan, receive the funds, then post to a student’s account.

CSU – Data Review (exceptions for impacted campuses)

UC & Private – Comprehensive Review

Application Review

COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW ENTAILS…• Grade-Point Average• Test Scores• Courses Completed/Planned• Honors Courses• Top 9% Local Context (ELC)• Quality of Senior-Year Program

of Study• Academic Opportunities in

California High Schools• Performance in Academic

Subject Areas• Achievements in Special Projects• Improvement in Academic

Performance

• Special Talents, Achievements, and Awards

• Participation in Educational Preparation Programs

• Academic Accomplishment Within Life Experiences

• Geographic Location• Personal Statements• Recommendation Letters (UC

only for specific programs or additional review)

• Interviews (private schools)

UC Personal Statement• Two Prompts• Must address both• 1,000 words total maximum

• View as a personal interview on paper• Compose outside of application• Request feedback• Paste responses in plain text

RELAX! This is one of many pieces of information UC considers in reviewing applications. An admissions decision will not be based on the personal statement alone.

Prompt One: Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

Tips from UC Admissions• Many applicants use the 750 word allotment for prompt #1. • Admission staff generally find this the most informative of the two

personal statements. • Be sure to provide specific examples to support the statements made. • Tell the reader what was done and why; what was learned; and how

the applicant took what was learned and applied it to aspects of their life.

•Applicants should avoid common mistakes like:• Generalities: Stick to facts and specifics they want us to know about

themselves• Stretching the truth: Just be honest. The truth is revealed as we review the full

application.• Inappropriate use of humor. • Creative writing (poems, scene setting, or clichés); and quotes, as usually

included in an essay, may not be informative about the applicant and uses up some to the limited words allows without providing substance.

Prompt Two: Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud, and how does it relate to the person you are?

Tips from UC Admissions• Some applicants choose to relate a “sports” or “music” story –

this is perfectly acceptable; however, applicants must be sure to go beyond the experience and spend more words on how the experience has “shaped” them.

• Focus on facts• Be concrete• Prove your points• Use vivid, specific details and examples• Help the reader gain a visual image• Explain how you felt• Show your passion!!

1. Answer the question succinctly. o Read directions carefully and do what they tell; don’t deviate. o Watch out for the words “or” and “and.”

2. Plan ahead; make use of the writing process.o Rough drafts are important – utilize editors of all kinds (friends,

parents, teachers, etc.).o Revise, revise, revise.

3. Write about something meaningful and describe your feelings, not necessarily your actions.

4. Portray yourself in a positive light.o You are trying to sell yourself – the best version of you!

5. Spend time on your introduction. Admissions officers spend 1 to 2 minutes reading your essay. You must grab their interest immediately.

6. Write about something that you know well.o If retell a story that your family has been telling you for years, it will

lack the details and emotions that a story you experienced personally will have.

College Essay Writing Tips - Dos

7. Show rather than tell. By giving examples and illustrating your topic, you bring it to life. o Use imagery that appeals to all five senses. o Consider including dialogue.

8. Write in your own voice and style. Be original.9. Use active voice10. Use Standard English. Your language needs to appeal to a broad

audience.o You do not know the age of your reader, but he/she is definitely

not a teenager – language (slang) 11. Use transitions. You must use them between paragraphs to

preserve the logical flow of your essay. Transitions are not limited to phrases like “as a result, in addition, while…, since…, etc.”

12. If applicable, emphasize what you have learned; don’t just narrate. 13. Conclusions are critical. They are your last chance to impact the

reader.

College Essay Writing Tips - Dos

College Essay Writing Tips – Don’ts1. Don’t “thesaurize” your composition. Big words are fine, but only if they are used in the appropriate context and are a part of your regular writing/speech pattern.

o Don’t use flowery or pretentious language. “My feet sought purchase on the macadam.”

2. Don’t force it. Don’t be too sad, too cute, or too silly. o Be careful with humor. You are either funny or you aren’t, and

you already know into which category you fall. Also, humor can be age specific – trust me when I say that

what you find funny, I do not (and I am closer to the age of your reader than you are).

3. Don’t summarize in your introduction. If you give away the whole story in the beginning, there is no reason to read the rest of your paper.4. Don’t write what you think others want to read. If you overthink this process, you will not be happy with the results.5. Only vividly describe things/events that you would want others to read about yourself. (Avoid T.M.I)6. No profanity …ever!

College Essay Writing Tips – Don’ts7. Don’t place blame or judge.

o This essay is not about others (those that did you wrong) – it is about your reaction and growth to those people/events.

o Don’t dwell on how you have suffered or how much of a victim you are.

o Avoid bad experiences, unless you only use them to illustrate growth.

8. Avoid “deadwood” and redundancies – repetition should only be used as a purposeful writing device.o Don’t ramble—say what you have to say and conclude.

9. Don’t neglect mechanics and sentence structure. PROOFREAD!o The readers are looking for WHAT you say as much as HOW you

say it and HOW you structure it.10. Avoid stock phrases like “in conclusion, in summary, to conclude,

etc.”11. There are topics that should be avoided – some because they are

overused, some because they are inappropriate.o Death of grandparents, divorce, boyfriends or girlfriends,

mission trips to build houses, religion

Prompt #1 (following the rules)As a child, my father read to me, the Lion King, Peter Pan, Dumbo, etc. I read each page and gazed at each picture that told a moral. I still remember the awe and utter joy when I sat on his lap and listened to him articulating the magic of words. He turned me into a dreamer. Without him showing me the value of education and mixing my delight with desire to learn, I wouldn’t be the student I am today. I live with my father in my heart; he lives with a heart condition, hypertension, in his.

The incident that hit on Saturday morning was one of those events that makes one treat life like each day is Thanksgiving. My little brothers were throwing the football around, and the atmosphere seemed to be one of leisure. Never would I expect a scenario flickering on the verge of life-and-death in my parents’ bedroom. I almost lost the most important person in my life. 

On the bed, my father’s eyes shot wide open with fear in them. Struggling noises escaped his aging body. He tensed and looked like he was fighting for his life. And there we were, four brothers, standing above my father, panicking. “I’m calling 911!” I stuttered my address, tripping over words and pacing meaninglessly. Dad relaxed and his eyes rolled back. His breathing slowed drastically; I felt like I was in a movie, screaming “No! Wake up!” My adrenaline was pumping and this moment of life or death was so realistic enveloped in a period of chaos.

Prompt #1 Cont. (following the rules)I diverted my attention from the phone to my greatest hero. His eyelids slowly opened up. My jaw dropped. I could see his soft, exhausted face now. I heard his voice. He said our names. I became reassured and finally caught my breath; I told the operator it’s okay, still shocked and confused. My dad opened his arms and all four brothers ran into them crying tears of joy and fear.  I always pictured myself as Simba and he as Mufasa. Unfortunately, you can lose somebody special when you least expect it. Life is unpredictable so it’s important to show your love to your loved ones all the time because you don’t know when they won’t be there anymore. My dad is here with me today and I’m extremely thankful; but his attack was a wakeup call. I aspire to be an ER physician, providing care for people who need it most in desperate times. The thrilling field amazes me, and the respect I give healthcare professionals, who are up early in the morning and late at night, is infinite. I want to be one of them. I’m aware that although my dad is well, he will pass eventually. But his legacy to me is undying and I’m compelled to pursue my education and dedicate my life to the service of others who have similar emergencies.

What was done well? What could have been improved upon? Did he answer the question?

Prompt #2 (following the rules)He was the quintessential nerd. Frankly, nobody liked him. I always saw him alone. All I knew about him was that, and he was an intellectual genius. National Geographic, Time, and Popular Science were his best friends. While everyone in my class repelled him, and his negative energy kept others away too, I wanted to know him. I knew he had a story.

It's in me to listen to people, hear them out, and learn their story. This boy was fierce, and he fired repulsive remarks that radiated as condescending to those he directed them to. Gradually, I exposed myself to him more. I took bullets from him, but maintained poise because something must have happened to make him so unsociable, and I started to sense the pain he harbored. Time passed and he became accustomed to me, I was the only one who would make an effort to converse with him, sometimes facing sad attempts that were not fluid at all. However, talking to him became routine and he slowly opened up.

When he spoke about something personal, it always released as a vent to me, or "catharsis," as he would state. It sparked empathy. It turned out he was bullied viciously from elementary through eighth grade, emotionally and physically. He'd been falsely called "gay," plus his classmates acted disgusted and moved away from him at such an early age. High school was a place he could escape his past because the bullies didn't follow him, but starting anew was difficult.

Prompt #2 Cont. (following the rules)We got closer overtime. People didn't see him the way I did. They were surprised a “Homecoming King" would associate with him. I remembered little things about him like his birth date, and fed it back in a conversation and the look of happiness for being acknowledged shone on his face and was fulfilling. He hasn't had a real birthday party since kindergarten. He invited his whole class and not one person showed up to Roller Haven. It killed him inside, and it touched me. I had a plan.

His birthday inched forward, and I quietly rallied all my friends to bring balloons or simply make a card, just to recognize him. I let them know why we were doing this. When that day came, he was a star. Girls were even singing happy birthday and showering him with balloons. For the first time in eleven years, Connor had a birthday party and felt welcomed.

On September 2, I was in for a surprise. Connor handed me a card and I truly was dumbfounded. He anticipated his absence on September 5, my birthday, so he gave me the gift then. "Thank you for listening and understanding when I needed it most. Thank you for everything you've done for me, for which I am eternally grateful," signed by "Your friend, Connor James Patton." My eyes watered. I used to be extremely shy; I can never forget the feeling of isolation. Item number thirty-three on my bucket list reads: "Understand somebody who is often misunderstood."

What was done well? What could have been improved upon? Did he answer the question?

Prompt #1 (breaking the rules)Never in a million years would I imagine myself married to a convicted murderer. I know, I know, but hear me out will you? I was aware of his “dangerous” past, but the chemistry we possess is phenomenal. Every time we’re together, I want to learn and explore the world! Fortunately for us, our parents and friends accepted our matrimony of love. There was no need for a wedding, or even a Facebook relationship status change; our marriage was a quick and spontaneous act. After watching the movie Roots, we were utterly amazed and inspired by Alex Haley’s success in tracing his ancestry back to a village in Africa. It was then when he popped the question: “Marry me?”

I was at a vulnerable point in life and I was just a person in this world with no sense of belonging. But then my husband, Curiosity, came along and satiated the void that I was missing. He was the catalyst of my idea, and the guide to the discovery of who I am and where I’d come from.

They say “you can’t know where you’re going, until you know where you’ve been.” So my husband and I embarked on a journey through my seemingly unknown family tree. There were so many holes in the roots of my tree that it took more than several days of Internet searches of “how to find African-American ancestry,” or “origin of the name Sims.” Unfortunately for me, I was working from the faulty memory of my 80-year old grandfather on my mother’s side, and my tight-lipped

Prompt #1 Cont. (breaking the rules)and selfish grandmother on my father’s side, who refused to reveal key information about her ex-lover. However, through the help of Ancestry.com and a free 28-day trial (it was Black History month), I scoured through countless archives of death records, social security indexes, and marriage certificates. Though I ran into copious speed-bumps, having to retrieve the government names of “Ham,” “Mo’ Baby,” and “Annie Mae,” decipher if the “Tommie Henderson” from Illinois or the one from North Carolina was an ancestor of mine, I was able date back to four generations… and the phone number of my long-lost grandfather!

“Um-uh, can I speak to Marvin Sims?” I heard my father say as his voice cracked with nervousness. After 47 years of never hearing or seeing the man, my father was finally speaking to his father. I couldn’t believe that I connected these two men together and filled a gap in my family tree simultaneously! My hard work was finally paying off and I started to feel a sense of belonging in this world.

Thanks to my husband, Curiosity, I was able to embark on a self-discovery and journey into my family tree. Despite his reputation of killing cats, Curiosity has brought out a side of me that I’d never seen before. Through my journey, I questioned myself, my ancestry, and the world around me, and he helped me discover the answers I was intrinsically motivated to find.

Prompt #2 (breaking the rules) “This is the end,” my mother proclaimed as we walked quickly through the Kaiser hospital parking lot, one night in 2007. It didn’t matter if it was pouring down, our tears blended with the raindrops. My mother, brother, and I walked through the automatic double doors, passed the gift shop, turned left, bypassed security checkpoints, and were finally greeted by familiar faces. “He’s in there,” my aunt blurted out as she fought back tears.

“Nahnee! Come over here and sat down yo report card so I can look at it,” my grandfather demanded every time I visited him. The oldest of twenty-four siblings, father of seven, grandfather of seventeen, and great-grandfather of twenty-two, education never made it into his agenda, and it surely showed when he opened his mouth. Even his strong Mississippi accent couldn’t mask his lack of attention to proper grammar. “This is good! I likes to see dat. I never went to school. My daddy had me in them cotton fields makin’ his money. You keep these grades up and you goin’ straight to college,” he said as he pulled out his wallet from his back pocket. I gratefully declined his generous offer, but he never wanted my hard work to go unnoticed, so I always left his house with Washington, Lincoln, and sometimes Hamilton.

By the time I was in the 4th grade, I was deemed the university-bound representative for the Craig/Sims family. At that time, I continually got straight As

Prompt #2 Cont. (breaking the rules)because I didn’t want my grandfather to award the money to anyone else. Grade level was never taken into account, as long as you were enrolled in school and a grandchild of Mr. Craig, you were eligible to partake in, what I entitled “The Competition.” The thought of my cousins (and there were many!) having a better report card than I kept me motivated. It’s not that I wanted money. I just wanted to win!

To say the least…I won all the time. Over the years, my cousins dropped out the “Competition.” Some lived paycheck-to-paycheck. Some found a fertilized egg in their ovaries. Some found death. Some found solace in a crack pipe. None ever found college! In the end, I competed with myself. Being the youngest, my endurance seemed to surpass everyone. Now the last person standing in this “Competition”, my grandfather encouraged me even more, channeling his entire penchant for education into me.

As I entered the room, I glimpsed at my grandfather’s lifeless body. The man who I credit for who I am today. Without his acts of appreciation, without his motivation, without his lectures on the importance of education, without him… this essay wouldn’t have been written. Carrying three generations of dreams on my shoulders, I’ve made a vow to pave the way for a better tomorrow.

“Thank you for teaching me the principles of determination and ambition. Thank you…for you,” I said as I slipped my report card into the side of his casket, during our final goodbye at his funeral.

Decoding the Common App’s Essay Prompts 

All five of the essay options are designed to offer you, the college applicant, a chance to tell your own unique story. The five prompts offer five different paths, but all are intended to inspire reflection on your part – to “prompt” you to tell a detailed, specific, and thoughtful story that will reveal something to the reader about whom YOU are, beyond what can be communicated by your grades, your test scores, and your high school transcript.

Prompt #1: Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

CHOOSE THIS PROMPT IF……you have a unique story in your past that strongly defines your present. • Were you born in a different country? • Did you move often throughout your childhood?

Were you adopted? • Was your life touched by serious illness or an

injury? • Did you learn English as a second language?

Prompt #1: Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

 WATCH OUT FOR……Self-pity, or recounting tragedy for the sake of tragedy. It’s fine to talk about adversity or sadness or challenges you have faced, but it’s vital to discuss how past difficulties resulted in change and growth, and what you learned from them. Alternatively, if you’re sharing a positive story from the past, be sure to stress how the lessons learned can be applied to your present and future life.

Prompt #2: The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

  CHOOSE THIS PROMPT IF……You have experienced an instructive failure. And who hasn’t? There’s nothing very unique about not succeeding in every endeavor; what matters is what you took away from a situation where the outcome did not meet your expectations. • Did your team lose the championship game? • Were you defeated in a debate? • Were you defeated in a school election? • Miss out on a job or a part in a play? Great! What did you learn from that?

Prompt #2: The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

 WATCH OUT FOR……A lack of perspective. This essay can be a dangerous one for some students. If losing that playoff soccer game was “the worst pain” you’ve “ever felt in your life”, then you’ve had a pretty painless life so far. Similarly, if the lesson you learned from losing was to “make sure” you “never lose at anything ever again”, then you really haven’t learned anything from the experience of defeat and are not prepared to deal with similar situations in the future. It’s important to demonstrate maturity and a sense of perspective here. Some setbacks and failures are inevitable and unavoidable in life; we want to know what you learned from this one in particular that can be applied to future experiences.

Prompt #3: Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

Choose this prompt if……You had a memorable experience when challenging the views of a parent, teacher, sibling, or other authority figure, or if you made an important statement opposing a political, religious, or cultural belief. Note: It’s okay if in the end you decided that you were in the wrong! This prompt is a great opportunity to tell a story about a time you expressed yourself at some risk of punishment, opposition, or embarrassment because you felt it was important to do so.

Prompt #3: Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

Watch out for……Being disrespectful. This essay may prompt you to write about a time you strongly disagreed with someone or questioned a belief system that you saw as flawed but which others may highly value. Be sure that in your essay you treat the people with whom you disagree as human beings; demonstrate the ability to view the situation from their perspective, even if ultimately you conclude that that perspective is one that you oppose. The essay reader will appreciate your wisdom, maturity, and ability to examine multiple sides of an important issue on which you took a stand.

Prompt #4: Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma-anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

Sorry – this is a new question this year and I have had not had time to prep it!

Prompt #5: Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

 Choose this prompt if…

…You experienced an important milestone on the road to adulthood. This could take many forms – did you transition from camper to counselor? Get your first job? Act as a parent to a younger sibling? Were you called upon due to circumstances to accept adult responsibilities at a young age?

Prompt #5: Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

Watch out for……Transitioning before you transition. The truth is that many college applicants really haven’t fully transitioned from childhood to adulthood, and you can fall into a trap here by prematurely proclaiming yourself to be an adult. Before tackling this question, ask yourself honestly, “Is my childhood over?” If the answer is really “yes”, you probably have a very good essay for this prompt. If the answer is “I don’t know”, “sort of”, or “ask me that again in two years”, then you may want to select a different prompt.