Reveal Your Gifts
In preparing your applications for admission, it is important to remember that the application you are submitting is a personal statement. You are saying to the admission committee, “This is who I am and what I have to offer.” In a tight competition, your ability to make a compelling statement in this regard can make all the difference. The following excerpt from Chapter 8 “Reveal Your Talents” of Winning the College Admission Game: Strategies for Students provides additional insight that will be helpful as you contemplate the messages you want to send to colleges in your “personal statement.”
“If you have a clear sense as to what you do well and have discovered colleges that are likely to value you for the things you have to offer, the next step is to make a strong connection with these colleges. This is especially true at colleges that must make fine distinctions between hundreds of talented students. You need to make your gifts and talents known so when they ask the question, “What do we get if we admit you?” the answer is clear.
Bring your talent to life. If you are a musician, make a studio quality recording (tape or CD). Audition if you can. If you are an artist, attend portfolio days or assemble a slide collection of your work to submit with your application. This demonstration of talent will be required for entry into highly selective conservatory or specialty programs in the arts. It can also make the difference for you at schools that value the arts but are not pre-professionally oriented. You do not need to have professional aspirations as an artist, musician, actor or dancer in order for your talent to give you a competitive edge in the selective admission process.
By demonstrating your talents in this way, you go beyond the listing of activities and achievements on your application to reveal the nuances of tone and texture that distinguish your performance from the rest of the competition. Just as athletic coaches want to see game tapes to determine who will be competitive, music directors, drama coaches and art instructors observe closely to identify those who will contribute to their programs.
Consider also how evidence of your gift(s) might give flavor to the overall presentation of your application. Take advantage of an interview or email exchange with the recruiter in your area to talk about the things that excite you. Use the personal statement or mini-essays to expound upon them. Make sure the people who write on your behalf can bear witness to your personal growth and commitment through your passions.
You do need to be convincing, though. It is one thing to present an application that includes activities you have pursued extensively with listings of honors, awards and positions held. That type of presentation is important in validating your commitment. It is quite another when you list every club for which you have attended at least one meeting! Students who do that are not unlike the kids who were somehow able to sneak into all the group photos that appear in your yearbook. It’s clear they don’t belong. Admission officers look for substantive involvement over time that is marked by achievement and leadership. It is up to you, then, to reveal your gifts in such a way that those who read your application are easily persuaded that your passion and commitment are real.
Between the Lines: Win An Advocate
When you present evidence of your performance, you put those who view it in the position of imagining what it would be like to have you in their programs. If you can convince them that you would make a difference–that you would add value to their existing efforts–you will win them over as advocates. While having a talent advocate does not mean you are sure to be admitted, it can make a big difference in a tight competition.”
Important Reminder: The Straight Talk About College Admission teleseminar series features two programs in November. Join Sam Barnett and me on November 20 for “How to Find the Best College Fit” (8 PM ET) and “To ED or Not ED: The Pluses and Minuses of Early Decision” (9 PM ET). Go to http://www.TheAdmissionGame.com/teleseminar_schedule.php for more information about how to register.
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