​As we are getting into college fair season we've had a number of student-athletes inquire as to questions that they should consider when meeting with representatives of the schools. When meeting with colleges - especially those that you have an interest in - you want to ask questions that touch on both the academic side as well as the athletic side, such as:

What are popular majors that student-athletes have?
What academic support exists for student athletes? 
Are there tutors for student-athletes? Team study halls? Student advisers?
What are the graduation rates for the school? And for your team?
What percentage of student-athletes graduate on time?
What does an athlete’s daily routine look like? 
How does the school accommodate for classes and exams that are in conflict with any practices, games, or team travel?
What are the living arrangements for athletes? (With follow-ups of: do the athletes all live together?)
What are the dining arrangements for athletes? 
What are the type of scholarships available to me? (Via either the team or the school.)  How many of these scholarships are available?


And always remember -- get the school representative's name and contact information so that you can send a follow up note to them thanking them for their time!

Other questions about college fairs or the admissions process? Don't hesitate to contact us today!

​ 
QuestBridge is a national non-profit program that connects intelligent, motivated students from low-income families with educational and scholarship opportunities at forty of the best colleges in the country.   Students are encouraged to apply to Questbridge to be selected as a finalist in the QuestBrige National College Match.  Finalists then have the option to rank a college of their interest in the QuestBridge National College Match program, or simply apply directly to that school.  Schools, such as Yale, have no preference on the application used by potential students.  The QuestBridge National College Application is perfectly acceptable.

Unlike the Common Application, which sees applications college-specific and costly to submit, and the Coalition Application, which has the main objectives to make the college application process easier and more affordable, the Questbridge application has features that are particularly advantageous for those students that come from low-income families.  The application asks questions that bring in aspects of a student’s life that may not otherwise make it into the application.  For example, the application has questions that make it so students can discuss their backgrounds.  The application is completely free, and the essays are not school-specific.  Those students that are named finalists can rank their top school through the Match program and can find out if they successfully matched with that school.  If not, students are considered again in that school’s regular admission process. Moreover, the QuestBridge application can help students land a full scholarship to any one of the 40 prestigious schools affiliated with it.

QuestBridge is a program that “aims to increase the percentage of talented low-income students attending the nation’s best universities,” according to the QuestBridge website.  And notably, Dartmouth has decided to consolidate its application platforms to the common application and Questbridge.
 
 
 
The 40 schools that utilize it:
Amherst College
Bowdoin College
Brown University
California Institute of Technology
Carleton College
Claremont McKenna College
Colby College
Colorado College
Columbia University
Dartmouth College
Davidson College
Duke University
Emory University
Grinnell College
Hamilton College
Haverford College
Macalester College
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Northwestern University
Oberlin College
Pomona College
Princeton University
Rice University
Scripps College
Stanford University
Swarthmore College
Tufts University
University of Chicago
University of Notre Dame
University of Pennsylvania
University of Southern California
University of Virginia
Vanderbilt University
Vassar College
Washington and Lee University
Washington University in St. Louis
Wellesley College
Wesleyan University
Williams College
Yale University
 
 

Do you have questions on the QuestBridge application? Or on the college admissions process? Do not hesitate to contact us today! 


References:
https://www.questbridge.org/
https://admissions.yale.edu/questbridge-application
http://www.browndailyherald.com/2019/02/27/university-strengthens-questbridge-partnership/
https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2019/05/06/dartmouth-and-university-virginia-drop-coalition-application
https://www.thedp.com/article/2017/10/penn-welcomes-the-coalition-app-an-admissions-platform-designed-to-increase-accessibility

The Common Application is officially open for the 2019-2020 application season!
​
There are a number of updates to their online resources for students, and - as it's used by 876 colleges - do not hesitate to reach out to the team here at LAC if you need guidance:

* exploring colleges of best fit
* completing the application
* or even drafting the essay!

Contact us today with any inquiries!

May 1st is College Decision Day!  We are so very proud of the work our students and student-athletes put in! 

Some of the schools these great individuals are headed to are (in no particular order):
​
University of Maryland
UConn
Bentley University
Loyola University Maryland
University of Vermont
Bryant University
Miami University
Elon University
University of Southern California
Chapman University
Marist College
Stony Brook University
Wagner College
Henderson State University
Assumption College
Stonehill College
Endicott College
UMass Dartmouth

How can the team here at LAC help you with the college prep and admissions process? From admissions information to athletic recruiting guidance, do not hesitate to contact us with questions!

College essays give you an opportunity to make your application stand out, but do your essays make you stand out in a negative way? 

They might if they include these "red flags": 


1. Generic “Why Us?” essays
If a university asks why you want to attend their school and you write an essay that can be used for multiple schools, you did not do your job. This question implies that you should either visit the school or research it (website, videos, talk to former students, etc). Your response should be planned and thoughtfully consider how you’ll fit on their campus.


Admissions officers have stated that they sometimes receive essays that have another school’s name in it. “I’d love to go to Brown University because I think Harvard’s library is awe-inspiring., and I'm an avid reader. Face-palm.


Instead, look for specific details about the school AND why you like them. Instead of flattering the school, really envision yourself there. Perhaps you want to join the Mahjong club because you played with your grandma every Sunday, or maybe you’re excited to join the crew team because you want to challenge yourself to wake up early.


2. Overtly trying to impress
I always laugh when someone sends me the satirical college essay by Hugh Gallagher who thought it was ridiculous that a college would request an essay on the accomplishments of someone barely 17. He initially wrote it for a writing competition but later said he sent it to colleges as a writing sample.


He starts with, 


“I am a dynamic figure, often seen scaling walls and crushing ice. I have been known to remodel train stations on my lunch breaks, making them more efficient in the area of heat retention. I translate ethnic slurs for Cuban refugees, I write award-winning operas, I manage time efficiently. Occasionally, I tread water for three days in a row."


The essay continues to include more outlandish accomplishments (read full essay here) and concludes with,


“I have won bullfights in San Juan, cliff-diving competitions in Sri Lanka, and spelling bees at the Kremlin. I have played Hamlet, I have performed open-heart surgery, and I have spoken with Elvis.


But I have not yet gone to college.”


This brilliantly captures a predicament for college applicants: how can I impress admissions teams and make myself stand out and also still be a teenager?


The simple answer is to stop trying to impress them so much. Most of the college essay prompts request a personal narrative, a personal story. Most admissions teams are not expecting you to have cured cancer and have scaled Mount Everest (although you could probably have done both and still not get into Stanford; I kid, I kid). They are looking for an authentic, well-told story from your life that tells them something likeable about you. It’s your self-awareness and storytelling that really captures their attention. It’s the student who shows he’s trying to be a better friend rather than the student who writes about how he never leaves the library who is more likeable. Admissions counselors are not only looking for students who will perform well at their school, they’re looking for students who will make someone a nice roommate or who will contribute to the school culture in some way.


Let the rest of your application help you shine as an academic; use the essays to show aspects of your personality that the admissions team can get elsewhere on your application. Own who you are; be excited about who you are, and watch admissions teams feel the same way.


3.  Your parents wrote your essay (or played a major role)
“Can admissions teams really tell if my mom wrote my essay?”


“Yes.”


If you want to immediately send a message to admissions teams that you lack integrity, then have an adult write your essay for you.


Parents often think that admissions teams want you to impress them like the section above discusses. It’s readily apparent to anyone who’s reading your essay that an adult wrote it: it typically includes different syntax and diction than a 17-year-old would use.


Also, it’s quite easy to fall into the “too many cooks in the kitchen” trap. Only allow one or two people to give you an honest opinion of your essay to guide you. If you ask 5 people to edit it, the voice and style will be inconsistent, and it will sound like 5 people wrote it.  


So, what do you do if your parents are trying to hijack your essay?


First, recognize that they are a) trying to help and b) want you to succeed; at the same time, recognize that a) it lacks integrity and b) it will cause disagreements.


It’s better to do it on your own, ask an English teacher or guidance counselor for help, or get coaching from a professional.


4. You’re a complainer
I remember my guidance counselor told me that my college essay could be about why my grades dipped in my junior year. I wrote about how getting my learner’s permit coincided with my mom’s undiagnosed illness that prevented her from driving. I had missed a lot of school to take her to doctor’s appointments, and I had a hard time keeping up with chemistry and math. My focus was on being grateful to be able to help my mom and how I learned to juggle my home and school responsibilities.


Although you do have the opportunity to “explain,” make sure your essay’s purpose isn’t to “complain.”


Some students have written essays about switching schools and cite “bad teachers” or “not a good school” as their reason. It shows that you look for what’s wrong instead of what’s right; problems instead of solutions. A better focus would be on how felt the new school was a better fit for you and how the environment (and your appreciation for it) helped you to thrive.


One student spent half his essay discussing how bad his family member is at planning ahead and how it got them in a dangerous predicament. It came across as a 650-word complaint, and the reader learned nothing about the writer except that he finds his family member annoying. By switching his tone from complaining to appreciating the humor of the situation, the whole essay shifted in a positive direction.
​

When you read through your essay, look for any times in which you put others down (even inadvertently), and revise it.
Red flags stem from a lack of awareness of what admissions teams are truly looking for; quite simply, they want you to be yourself. Be authentic, lean toward positive interpretations, write the essay yourself, and really, don't try so hard, and you'll avoid these red flags. 

​If you are considering graduate or law school after undergrad and are looking for some advice, you've come to the right blog post. And we commend you - it is truly best not to rush these decisions, or make them without fully understanding what you are getting into and, possibly more importantly, what you want to get out of it.  Going back to school is a huge time and financial commitment. 

Time. Please do not underestimate this: graduate or law school will take up tremendous amounts of time.  The days of skimming the reading or studying the night before an exam will be long gone.  Students will need to study at length and engage in the material to fully understand it. 

Financial.  Tuition is going to be a big number.  And, yes, tuition rates will only continue to get higher.  However, this is only one aspect of the financial situation.  If you have undergrad loans, going back to school allows for payments to be deferred.  However, the interest on that money continues to accumulate.  The loans for graduate or law school loans may have even higher interest rates than undergrad loans.  Lastly, many students that attend graduate school go full-time, thereby further delaying their earning.

With this brief but important backdrop, please take some time to consider the following questions.  We hope they help you focus your thoughts and lead you to your determination.

1.      Why do I want to go?

2.      What is my goal or dream job?

3.      What type of program or concentration is best for me?

4.      How will this step help me achieve my goal(s)?

5.      Should I right after undergrad or wait a year or two?

6.      Do I need some job experience before going?

7.      How will I pay the tuition and living expenses?

8.      What, if anything, am I giving up?

9.      Which schools have an active alumni network?

10.   Do I really want to go back to school?

We at LAC wish you luck on your future endeavors, and - as always - never hesitate to contact us with any of your college prep or admissions needs!

Leonard Andrew Consulting is glad to showcase a tremendous non-profit out of Miami. Our Founder, Chad, and Juan Carlos Chediak Jr, the CEO of Motivation 4 Lyfe, have connected often over the last many months with a goal of continuing to bring the very best to student-athletes in Juan's local community and around the state of Florida. As mental health and wellness have become a larger focal point in today's world, Juan and Motivation 4 Lyfe have been working diligently for a tremendous cause: to raise awareness and gain support for those students and student-athletes that may be struggling with depression, anxiety, or any sort of mental health condition.  We are exceptionally glad to stand behind this tremendous program, and look forward to helping as many students and student-athletes in the Miami area as possible.

The inspiration behind Motivation4Lyfe stems from Juan's own personal struggles as well as his family and friends’ distress from the fact that he was suffering.

From Juan:

"My goal is to raise awareness in the local community not just for those who struggle with depression, anxiety, or any sort of mental health condition, but especially for those who are not aware, do not understand, and truly do not know what one going through these issues feels or comprehends on a day to day basis. In order to help promote my nonprofit organization I also created a club basketball team that allows us to host as well as participate in events that give us the opportunity to not only raise awareness for our cause, but to genuinely help those who may be in need of assistance with whatever issue he or she may be going through.


My club basketball team is a dream come true. We’re working hard towards our dreams, raising awareness for a great cause, and doing it all in proper fashion. We have a God given group of guys ready to represent not only our cause, but themselves, and one another. I’m inspired every day to give it my all. The club team and myself are ready and willing to provide services to those in sixth grade and above, such as motivational speaking, or pep talks to allow people to open up about how they truly feel, or at least react and respond to what it is that is being presented for a good learning lesson. We will also introduce, and intergrade basketball into the presentation in terms of how it can change people’s lives for the better, maybe even the best. And this concept can be applied to any sport, or attribute of life if done correctly. Mental health is indeed a real concern, and topic of conversation that is not spoken of or incorporated enough in today’s society. We will conclude our presentations with brief summaries of the information previously shown, and will open up the floor for questions from our audience with kindness, respect, and moral character. Please give us the opportunity to help, and make a legitimate difference for the best in our community."

For more on Motivation 4 Lyfe and their movement, please click here.

To learn more, or to learn how LAC of M4L can help you, contact us today by clicking here!