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In the United States about 40% of undergraduate students drop out of college; a staggering 30% of those are freshmen. While there are multiple reasons for that number, many educators are concerned about the rising lack of student academic success and retention rate. To combat that, more and more colleges are implementing academic coaching as part of their student services programs.
What is academic coaching?
Academic coaching is based on a proactive relationship between…
Ildi Szekely has extensive experience in teaching, advising, and helping students transition into the rigorous academic collegiate environment. For more than a decade, Ildi has been a teacher, academic advisor, academic coach, and learning disability specialist. Ildi’s passion is education; she thrives around students both as an educator and as a person. Throughout her career in education, Ildi has learned the importance of fostering a culture that is caring, inclusive,…
Write thank you letters to the teachers, counselor, and others who wrote recommendations on your behalf. They spend a great deal of time writing your recommendation so showing your appreciation is essential.
Plan to submit all your applications prior to the December vacation so you can enjoy some well-deserved time off. This means you should be working on your supplemental essays this month.
Continue to schedule and prepare for virtual or campus interviews (if offered,
Finalize your main essay and complete your common application so you may begin focusing on your supplementary essays.
Schedule interviews where available on campus or in your community.
If you are applying early by November 1 or to a rolling admissions college, complete the following by October 1st: if you are submitting scores, send your official test scores via College Board or ACT, request transcripts and confirm that your recommendations will be sent by deadline.
For the second year in a row, the Common Application includes a prompt on the impact of Covid-19: Community disruptions such as COVID-19 and natural disasters can have deep and long-lasting impacts. If you need it, this space is yours to describe those impacts. Colleges care about the effects on your health and well-being, safety, family circumstances, future plans, and education, including access to reliable technology and quiet study spaces.Do you wish to share anything…
Set a goal to complete the main section of either the Common Application (available August 1) or the Coalition Application before school starts including your personal essay.
Work with your consultant on a strategy for each supplemental essay and a timeline to complete them.
If you think you will need any additional testing—SAT or ACT, register now for the September or October administrations.
Remember your senior year grades are very important. Even if
Identify which of your colleges are offering online or in-person interviews this summer and begin scheduling them.
Book a meeting with your consultant to rehearse key messages about yourself, prepare questions and do a mock interview before the first interview.
Set a goal to complete the main section of the Common Application, including the personal essay, before school starts. You should plan to complete your personal essay by the end of July unless you made
Katie Bacon joined the Educational Advocates team this month and will be working as an essay specialist. She is an experienced writer, editor, and interviewer who worked for The Atlantic in Boston for ten years before the magazine moved to Washington, DC. She has written everything from profiles to personal essays to reviews to scientific critiques, and her work has appeared in The Atlantic, TheBoston Globe, The New York Times, and Harvard’s Ed. magazine, among other places.…
Respond to materials you are getting from your intended college in a timely manner. Take advantage of pre-orientation programs if offered.
Prepare well for orientation by reviewing your course options and developing a list of questions for your advisor.
Shore up skills such as time management by determining your planning strategies in college (planner, calendars). Put in place a “toolbox” of stress-busting strategies such as meditation apps for your smart phone,
Katie Bacon joined the Educational Advocates team this month and will be working as an