Grace

Grace

New York

The JD/MBA

Villanova

Client: GraceGrace is an appropriate name for this talented dancer. She comes from a family of entertainers and has danced, modeled, acted, and mentored other young performers most of her life. When it came to helping her pick a college, The Short List knew it would have to be a special place. Grace wasn’t certain she wanted a career in dance but did want a strong dance program. She also talked about other interests and her desire to run a business someday. Knowing a conservatory wouldn’t meet her needs, we started with a long list of schools ranging from large universities with multiple academic choices to small schools with more focused liberal arts programs. Grace knew she might want to dance outside of school, so we suggested she focus on schools in big cities.

Grace visited schools in other cities but always found herself missing New York. We could see her enthusiasm for schools closer to home, so we helped her focus her energies on New York City. The Short List suggested Grace visit Barnard College, a small women’s college that is part of Columbia University. The more she researched the school, the more her interest was piqued by Barnard’s liberal arts education, ability to empower women, and affiliation with the famed Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Grace also loved that students could enroll in classes at Columbia University and participate in activities on both campuses.

The Short List could see her enthusiasm for schools closer to home, so we helped her focus her energies on New York City.

The Short List discovered that Barnard was hosting a selective preview day to which students had to apply with an essay describing why the visit was right for them. Grace worked as hard on this application as she did on her college applications and was invited to the special two-day event. She met similar-minded women from all over the world and began to see that Barnard was a place where she could become a well-trained dancer and receive a broader, top-notch education.
Performing artists, like athletes, pursue a college on two tracks. Grace had the regular applications to complete, but also the auditions to attend. Early in her senior year, she decided to apply to Barnard Early Decision. She continued to attend auditions and work on applications for other schools, but waited eagerly for news from Barnard. Finally, word arrived that Barnard was excited to have her join their dance program.

For Grace, Barnard offered the best of all worlds. Her call to let us know of her acceptance attested to her excitement at enrolling at Barnard this fall.

Alexandra

Alexandra

Dominican Republic

Flag: Dominican Republic

The Triplet

Barnard College

Alexandra is a triplet, lives in the Dominican Republic, and has older siblings attending college and graduate school in the U.S. When she began working with The Short List at the start of her junior year, she was determined to carve her own path through the process. She knew she wanted to attend college in the U.S., but that was the extent of her certainty in the college search process. In working with Alexandra we were very impressed with her energy, her engagement in the community, and her passion for life.

Alexandra grew up participating in political rallies and events, and world affairs were a regular topic at family dinners. She helped edit and produce two award-winning films for an advocacy film festival. She attended a summer course in international relations at Brown University, returning home determined to continue exploring the subject in college. As we helped her research majors for college, it became clear she wanted to find a way to combine international relations with her political and film interests, so we encouraged her to consider Barnard, one of Columbia University’s four undergraduate colleges. Barnard offers exactly what she was looking for: a vibrant campus where she could study political science, international relations, film studies, and human rights in an empowering environment.

The Short List worked with Alex to craft an application that highlighted her strengths and the interests that set her apart.

Alexandra had some concerns about applying to Barnard. Her older sister attends Barnard and her family spends a lot of time in Manhattan. She wanted to be sure she would not miss the opportunity to break out on her own by staying too close to her family. Her test scores presented another concern—they were not as strong as she would have liked despite her solid academic record. The Short List recognized Alexandra is bright, accomplished, and very determined, and felt she would be able to overcome these concerns if she really wanted to attend Barnard. She just had to find a way to communicate her passion for the school and the unique qualities she would bring to their next matriculating class.

The Short List worked with her to craft an application that highlighted her strengths and the interests that set her apart. She had an impressive resume with a wide range of experiences. We helped her identify the themes that threaded all of her activities together to tell the school a cohesive, distinctive story. We also showed her how to develop a relationship with her colleges. It was exciting to see Alexandra’s confidence grow throughout the process.

Alexandra decided to apply Early Decision to Barnard and eagerly awaited their decision. December arrived, and she was thrilled to receive an early acceptance. We are confident she will continue to forge her own path as she pursues her passions over the next four years.