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Elizabeth ’21

Elizabeth ’21

USA

The Test Optional

St Andrews (Scotland)

Elizabeth '21Elizabeth spent her high school years in a Connecticut boarding school’s Global and Environmental Studies program. She studied French and Arabic and earned the Honors Tea Award for “Best Student in a Language Class.” She joined Model UN, became an officer in her school’s UNICEF club, and was awarded the “Norton Center Initiative — Charitable Blend.”

The Short List helped Elizabeth plan summer programs, including a dual-immersion French and Arabic trip to Morocco and a photojournalism trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. The crowning moment was a chance to study in Jordan her 2019 — 2020 junior year. Then COVID disrupted everything in the spring, and she quickly boarded one of Jordan’s last flights out of the country.
We hoped good test scores would offset Elizabeth’s incomplete transcript, so our test prep division worked closely with her. She improved with each mock test and was ready to perform well…before her test site cancelled the test, and each of the next five tests she registered for.

Once we knew Elizabeth would be applying test optional, we encouraged her to focus on her extracurricular activities senior year. She became an Environmental Proctor, UNICEF Club President, Residential Advisor, and Tour Guide, all of which showcased her desire to create community.

St Andrews in Scotland, with their dual program in Art and Middle East and Islamic Studies, became Elizabeth’s top choice. We brainstormed ways to share her international background and interests in her essays and interview. Thankfully, St Andrews accepted her after focusing less on a complete transcript or test scores and more on how Elizabeth viewed other cultures and communities. Her international journey continued when she moved to Scotland last fall.

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How The Short List is Assisting Families Impacted by COVID-19

HOW THE SHORT LIST IS
ASSISTING FAMILIES IMPACTED BY COVID-19 DISRUPTIONS

September 25, 2020

Many families are expressing concerns over the ways in which COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is impacting their child’s academic year now that most students have returned to school. Students are having to learn how to navigate their academic life amid a highly dynamic global health crisis.

During this extraordinary time, those students whose schools have gone virtual are not only adapting to learning while confined at home, but are also being challenged to reconceive their academic year. The Short List has been working remotely with families for 20 years and, no matter how difficult a student’s circumstances, we have always helped them find a way forward. However, we also recognize this way of working will be new for many other families.

We want to share with you some of the key ways in which we are currently assisting our students to help keep them engaged, excited and informed through the remainder of this academic year.

Seniors

We understand many senior families are concerned with how COVID-19 will impact the application season. Here are key ways in which The Short List is helping:

College Visits

We have assembled a dozen or more resources for students to research any college or university and have made them available to our clients in The Short List proprietary planner. These have become especially useful now that most schools have canceled visitation programs. We are connecting our students to former clients who are now current students or who have recently graduated from a college of interest. We are also introducing ways to build relationships with professors and admissions personnel, so students can become more educated about their college “short” list. Many of these resources are interactive and visually engaging as we seek to maintain each student’s interest.

Online Test Prep

Just as schools have made the adjustment to virtual classrooms, we are seeing testing boards for the SAT, ACT, SAT Subject, AP, IB, A-Level or any other standardized tests finding ways to uphold testing this year. We have a well-established academic tutoring and test prep division that employs innovative tools to guide students through online test prep programs with proven results. Our programs allow a student to continue learning from home, even as local tutors and test prep centers suspend operations. Our Director of Academic Tutoring & Test Prep, is a Harvard graduate with 20 years of test prep experience. He has assembled a team with expertise in subject areas well beyond the SAT and ACT, so students are well-prepared for any testing they take this year.

Academic Relationships

We recognize it may be difficult to maintain academic relationships with teachers and counselors while many high schools operate virtually or with a hybrid approach, so we are advising our students on ways to build relationships remotely so they can receive relevant and targeted recommendations as they prepare to apply to their colleges and universities.

Applications and Deadlines

Reports indicate that anywhere from 10-30% of the ’21 admissions slots have been filled by gap year deferrals from the class of ’20. This will certainly make this coming year the most selective year ever. We are helping students produce focused applications that highlight their strengths, have easily understood themes and will help the student standout in a highly competitive pool, particularly as the Wall Street Journal reports most admissions officers will spend just 7-8 minutes reading the entire application. This holds true when choosing an application deadlines because every opportunity also creates an opportunity cost. Striking the right balance will make all the difference.

Underclassmen

We continue to emphasize academics with all of our freshmen, sophomores and juniors, especially if they feel challenged by their altered learning environment. We are helping them explore ways to adapt their extracurricular activities given current situations, and plan for a meaningful summer. We learned the importance for students to have a Plan B this past year as circumstance changed and students had to quickly pivot to new opportunities. We believe this will become even more important this year as fewer programs are offered or students are asked to reimagine their summers. Finally, we are introducing students to colleges so they can begin the research process for better understanding what will be expected when it comes time to apply.

As the situation continues to evolve, we are monitoring information from the government, health agencies, colleges and universities and communicating our findings to families interested in staying up-to-date. Please write to us at info@theshortlist.org if you would like to be added to the list.

We are committed to helping our families in any way possible and to keeping our students motivated and focused during these uncertain times. For 20 years The Short List has worked remotely with the most up-to-date technological tools to deliver a high-quality personalized service that minimizes stress and maximizes opportunity. Please do not hesitate to email us with any questions or concerns, or to inquire how we can help you at info@theshortlist.org

Stay safe,

Bill Short
Founder & President

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Michael

Michael

Hong Kong

The Stand Out

Brown

Michael (2019)Parents typically contact us for guidance for their student. However, Mike reached out to us on his own. His parents empowered him to be the decision-maker. We provided updates, but never actually spoke to them.

Mike spent most of his early childhood in and around New York City, where he said everyone looked and acted just like him. “The key,” he said, “was not to stand out if you wanted to fit in.” Mike took challenging classes, but not too challenging. Got involved, but not too involved. Thought about college, but with little clarity. That would change the day Mike’s family moved to Hong Kong following Mike’s 9th grade year.

Mike was the only African-American student at his new international high school. His classmates worked hard to excel in their academics, got involved in activities both in and outside of school, and were already thinking about college. Mike wondered how he would survive in a place where he didn’t blend in.

Mike first joined the Entrepreneur Club because he liked business and math. His club created two small businesses and organized a case study competition for 13 international schools in Asia. He also got involved in MIT LaunchX, a club that teaches high school students how to develop and pitch new business ideas. He founded the Stock Market Initiative and organized a school-wide stock market competition.

Mike’s classmates took note of his leadership skills, electing him to student government and eventually to the executive committee, where he serves as Senator of Discipline.

Mike told us he wanted a school that encouraged independence and had a strong math program. The Short List helped organize a summer college tour that included Brown University. Brown stood out for its open curriculum and self-directed student body. Mike needed to connect his background and interests to the school, and, under our guidance, took a carefully measured approach to every step of the process, down to the last word of his essay.

Reflecting back on his three years in Hong Kong, Mike said, “It’s funny, but in trying to fit in, I somehow learned to stand out.” We believe Brown took notice: Mike was the only student from his school accepted Early Decision out of more than a dozen who applied.

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Oliver

Oliver

South Korea

The Game Designer

DigiPen

Oliver attends an international school in South Korea. He came to us somewhat lost as to what he wanted to study in college. The more The Short List learned about Oliver, the more we understood why.

Oliver was about to enter junior year and his school’s two-year International Baccalaureate (IB) program. His three higher-level courses—psychology, economics, and French—highlighted the breadth of his curiosity. His extracurricular activities demonstrated his creativity: He served as set designer for various school theater productions and participated in Tech Crusaders, a club that designed the school’s website and taught coding to middle schoolers. 

Oliver was slow to reveal his passion for video games, believing we wouldn’t understand. But we clearly saw how video games combined stagecraft, coding, and design. Once we validated his passion, Oliver took us deep into the world of video game production, storyline, and user experience.

We traveled to Korea to meet with Oliver and his family, and we encouraged Oliver to consider summer game design programs, including one at the University of Washington. The Short List also researched both traditional universities and renowned game design schools for Oliver to visit while in the U.S. Finally, we brainstormed Oliver’s IB program extended essay. Oliver settled on researching how the gaming industry has influenced French culture, adding a twist by deciding to write the paper in French.

Oliver spent several weeks on the University of Washington campus collaborating with award-winning designers and passionate classmates on the design of a new video game. When he returned home, he poured his energy into his applications, highlighting how his academics, extracurricular activities, and summer program connected him to game design. 

After submitting his applications, Oliver turned his attention to completing his IB essay. He also organized an in-school Super Smash Bros charity video game tournament, with all proceeds supporting Compassion International, a charity that supports service work globally. Oliver was beginning to see how he could turn his passion into meaningful action. DigiPen Institute of Technology saw the same and, in December, accepted Oliver into their award-winning game design program.

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Léa

Léa

Bermuda

The Urban Islander

Northwestern

Léa grew up in Bermuda and attended one of the top international schools on the island. She believed she would be happiest attending college in the United States but knew nothing about the U.S. admissions process. Léa was a freshman, so we had plenty of time to help her explore and prepare.

Léa was a leading student in her school and community. At the end of her freshman year, she was recognized with the President’s Award for her top GPA, nominated for Bermuda’s Youth Volunteer Award for her work at an autism community center, and elected by her classmates to one of three prefect positions.

Léa was clearly talented and driven, so our goal was to keep her focused. She was a strong STEM student but also loved art. The Short List encouraged her to use the summer to explore her interests outside the classroom and helped her research summer programs. She was accepted to a photography program at NYU and boarded a plane with her Nikon D3400 ready to explore the city.

Manhattan is about the size of Bermuda, but couldn’t be more different. Léa was inspired and used every opportunity to photograph her new environment. She then returned to the U.S. the following summer for another photography course and to continue exploring colleges.

Léa was particularly drawn to city schools where she would face a high volume of competition in the admissions process. She needed to match her top GPA with top standardized test scores, and was not happy with her initial results. We paired her with one of our test prep division, and Léa saw her scores soar. Things were coming together nicely when she entered the application season.

Léa visited several schools over her three high school summers and felt she would be happiest at Northwestern with its strong STEM, art, and communication programs. She loved the easy access to Chicago and vibrant urban life. Léa says her first summer in New York turned her from an island girl into a city girl but also helped her realize she never wanted to venture too far from the beach. Northwestern, with its sandy Lake Michigan campus beach, providted the best of both worlds, and offered her admission in December.

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Emma

Emma

Pennsylvania

The Teacher

Duquesne

We often hear from students, “I would love to get as much done this summer as possible because I know senior year will be busy.” As we got to know, Emma, however, it became clear that “busy” was an understatement. Our first priority became reducing stress for her and  her family.

Emma was a cheerleader throughout high school and elected team captain. She was part of a three-year leadership academy that included teaching second-graders in Belize. She joined Kids Helping Kids and was twice selected to travel to the Dominican Republic. She progressed upward through the organization, serving first as a junior mentor, then one of seven super mentors training other mentors, before being elected a natural helper and finally to the executive board.

Emma thrived working with others, so we recommended she join The Short List’s first-ever summer group class for families looking to expedite the early application process. Emma’s group consisted of six students and two counselors. Each week they tackled another step in the process and collectively completed their common applications shortly after Labor Day. Weekly assignments kept the process moving forward in a manageable way so Emma could maintain a summer job as a lifeguard. She quickly stood out as the student who came to each call prepared, spoke up during the group sessions, offered feedback to others in her group, and welcomed their feedback in turn. 

At school, Emma served as a teacher’s aide and had long considered becoming a teacher herself. The Short List helped her research schools with strong academics, school spirit, and affordability. She visited several and took careful notes, comparing one school to the next. She was accepted to every school she applied, even one to which she hadn’t applied but that offered her an acceptance because her application was so outstanding.

Emma was thrilled with her choices, but one school stood out from the rest because it based tuition rates on academic major and earning potential after graduation. That meant she could get the education she wanted without becoming burdened with student loan debt that would make teaching less feasible a profession.

Emma decided Duquesne University was the perfect school for her goals. She announced her decision at a family gathering toward the end of 2018, and then got back to her busy senior year.

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Gillian

Gillian

England

The Patent Lawyer

Columbia Law School

We first worked with Gillian when she was a high school student applying to college. She eventually attended Colby, a liberal arts college, to study both art and sociology. She contacted us again after graduating Colby for help planning her future.

Gillian shared how her interests in the sociological applications of art led her to intern at the Art Institute of Chicago prior to senior year. She worked closely with the photo editor in clearing reproduction rights for images and other copyrighted material.  She gained some understanding of the rules by which artistic knowledge was circulated and replicated, discovering in intellectual property (IP) laws a key aspect of the relationship between art  and society.  

During her senior year, Gillian met the Associate Director for Conservation at the Whitney Museum of American Art. The director showed her how new technologies and digitization were changing the understanding of how art should be conserved and replicated at an unprecedented rate.  The museum’s Rights and Reproduction Department faced complicated issues when it came to securing artists’ copyright protection given the new forms by which art was being produced and the proliferation of unmonitored online exchange.

Gillian came away from the discussion believing she was intersecting with a crucial moment in the history of art and law. She applied for an internship at a top law firm with a renowned IP practice. She read through case files and discovered IP law offered her the chance to grapple with the questions raised during her visit to the Whitney. After giving a presentation on artificial intelligence’s influence on redefining traditional practices of copyright authorship, Gillian knew she wanted to become an IP lawyer.

Gillian’s time at Colby made her aware an education in law would not be enough, so she applied for post graduate studies in sociology of media and culture at Cambridge University in England.  She believed the master’s program would provide her with theoretical and analytical skills to understand the impact of technology on both art and IP law.

We also worked with Gillian to identify the best law schools for her future practice area. She decided to apply Early Decision to Columbia because of its Kernochan Center for Law, Media, and the Arts. The Short List helped her craft her resume and work through her essays to highlight how Columbia would provide her a distinct opportunity to engage with issues of authorship, new forms of cultural production, and the dissemination of artistic knowledge. Gillian’s focus and commitment paid off when she received word just before the holidays she had been accepted and would soon be moving to New York City, one of the world’s artistic capitals.

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A Letter to Parents: The Short List Response to the College Admissions Scandal

Founder Bill Short Responds to the College Admissions Scandal

 

March 18, 2019

It has been a turbulent and upsetting week in College Admissions. We know that many of you have questions about the scandal, how it could have happened and what it means for independent college counselors in general, and your work with The Short List in particular.

More will be learned as the investigation unfolds. While we share in the frustration and disappointment that so many feel, we also recognize this is an important opportunity to examine the college admissions process and to clarify what we stand for at The Short List. However, it is equally important to clarify what this scandal represents because it goes well beyond a single independent college counselor.

The allegations include coordination with College Board proctors in cheating on college admissions exams, falsifying admissions documents and bribing college officials (mainly coaches) to endorse applicants as athletes in order to gain admission to select universities. We are talking about behavior that violates the ethics and principles, and goes beyond independent college counseling, not to mention criminal behavior. These practices go against everything we stand for at The Short List.

The Short List is an organization that has been around for 18 years. We provide counseling in accordance with the Code of Ethics and Professional Practices as put forth by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). We have developed procedures that provide quality advice to our students that adhere to our values and ethics, as put forth in our own Guiding Principles, the first of which is Client Empowerment. We believe this is a student-driven process and do not subscribe to the commodification of college admissions. When done properly, the college application process is an important opportunity for self-discovery and growth. The Short List continually strives to facilitate that process for our students.

We neither take your trust lightly nor for granted, and therefore we will continue to strive to provide service that adheres to the ethical and professional principles that The Short List and the broader college admissions community uphold.

We thank you for partnering with us on this wonderful journey and welcome your input at any time.

Sincerely,

Bill Short
Founder & President
The Short List