pre-college – Page 4 – The Short List

January 27, 2018June 12, 2018

Jake

Ohio

The Ensign

US Naval Academy

Client: Jake When The Short List met Jake during his sophomore year, he had one school in mind: the United States Naval Academy. Jake’s parents clearly had their concerns. We discussed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Jake listened but felt it was both a privilege and a duty to serve his country. He also knew the Academy was a long shot because all of the service academies look for tremendous leadership and top-tier academic achievement.

We encouraged Jake to take those requirements as a motivator, so he worked hard on his academics, studied for the SATs, and watched his GPA and SAT scores climb. He became a leader on his high school lacrosse team and attended camps to improve his skills.

Jake was appointed to Ohio’s Buckeye Boys State, a program that stresses leadership and honor. He also applied and was accepted to the U.S. House of Representatives Page Program. He says those two experiences changed his life forever.

It took nearly a year from start to finish, but Jake says his acceptance was worth the wait. Jake visited many schools during the process and several interested him, but he remained focused on the Naval Academy. He visited it several times and began to envision himself as an Ensign. The Academy has a complex application process that requires the applicant to receive a nomination from a U.S. Senator. Jake was able to secure that nomination, went through several grueling interviews, and then was asked to pass the physical.

It took nearly a year from start to finish, but Jake says his acceptance was worth the wait.

Recently his government teacher asked the class if they approved of the U.S. government. Many said “no.” She responded, “In a government run for the people and by the people, only you, the people, can change that.” Jake shares that belief, and one of his goals is to choose the best way to serve his country. Jake showed all of us that when a student has a plan and is willing to follow that plan, the results speak for themselves. We have no doubt that Jake will serve the United States proudly.

January 27, 2018June 12, 2018

Jackson

Ohio

The Golfer

Williams

Client: Jackson We met Jackson and his family two years ago at one of our Columbus, Ohio, presentations. Jackson was an academically gifted student, had legacy at two highly ranked schools, and was a top-rated golfer. His family was unsure how to go about the search process: Should they go for a school strictly for academics? Was it smarter to take advantage of his legacy status? Or should he pursue his dream of playing golf in college?

This was not the first time we had experienced such a conflict, and we knew the real answer lay within Jackson. He just needed to find a way to uncover it. Jackson is very organized, decisive, and clear-thinking. While he was prepared for every session with The Short List, his process was more streamlined than some of our clients. He was determined not to waste time. Jackson wanted only to pursue those schools where he could truly envision being happy. He decided early on that any college he attended had to have top- notch academics and an opportunity to play golf.

We helped Jackson research several schools, register with the NCAA Clearing House, design a golf resume, reach out to coaches, and start the recruiting dialog. He planned college visits to tour campuses, meet coaches, and attend admissions sessions. He narrowed his list down to just a few schools. We held a family meeting to discuss his application strategy, including concerns that he did not have enough schools on his list and might need to broaden his choices and accept that he might never play golf in college. Jackson listened but determined he wouldn’t change his list because it included only schools where he knew he would be happy, even if they ended up being his only option.

Jackson spent the fall continuing his dialogue with the coaches at each school, working on his essays, and keeping up with his schoolwork. All of the schools expressed interest in having him join their golf team. Jackson didn’t want to leave them in limbo, so he chose one school and applied Early Decision. In December, Jackson called to tell us he had been accepted to Williams College, the number one liberal arts college in the country. He said that the golf coach was as excited as he was to have Jackson join their nationally ranked team.

January 27, 2018June 12, 2018

Gwyneth

Hong Kong

The Researcher

Johns Hopkins University

Client: Gwyneth Gwyneth was in 9th grade and living in Hong Kong when we worked with her older sister. She developed an interest in attending boarding school because she felt her local high school lacked the curriculum to support her growing scientific interests. We helped her apply to a handful of U.S. boarding schools, while also researching opportunities to explore her interests in summer programs.

Gwyneth spent the summer after 9th grade at Brown University in a course titled “Exploring Infectious Diseases: Are We Safe?” This one course would change the direction of her life. She made the transfer to an elite East Coast boarding school at the start of 10th grade so she could pursue the beginning of a career in biomedical research.

She joined Science Club for Girls and the Psychology Club. These two clubs motivated her to look for other science programs to support her growing interests. The Short List helped her find two selective summer programs. She spent part of the summer at Emory University studying “Infectious Diseases: Causes and Cures” and the other half on an eco-service trip to Fiji.

When she returned to boarding school for her junior year, Gwyneth decided to join the BioEthics Club to further explore the issues she had been researching over the summer. We spent a good part of the year exploring colleges with great science research programs. She used her breaks to visit schools, speak with faculty, and meet with staff who could tell her about their research initiatives. As a result of this discovery process, she applied to the University of California’s Rosetta Institute of Biomedical Research where she took a fascinating summer course on immunology working in labs alongside grad students and professors researching infectious diseases.

Gwyneth worked hard to earn top grades and test scores that would allow her to apply to any school in the country. It was clear to Gwyneth no other school could match Johns Hopkins University for exactly what she wanted to do with her life, so she applied through their binding Early Decision program. We weren’t surprised when Gwyneth was offered a coveted spot in the Class of 2021. We have no doubt we will be reading about Gwyneth and her amazing scientific discoveries some day.

January 27, 2018June 12, 2018

Greg

New York

The Natural Leader

Skidmore

Client: Greg Greg attends a small private K-12 school in Buffalo. The Short List worked with Greg’s two older sisters and profiled Maddie when she started Harvard in 2011. Greg’s parents contacted The Short List early in Greg’s high school years to help him prepare for the college admissions process.
We recognized Greg’s leadership potential right away. He was a three-sport athlete who knew everyone in his grade, but he was frustrated his class was “made up of cliques and no one would step outside of their comfort zone.” We encouraged him to run for sophomore class vice president to help create the united school community he envisioned. Rather than taking the traditional fall class field trip, Greg requested sophomores stay on campus to participate in activities he designed to help them expand beyond their friend groups. Later in the year, they worked together on walk-a-thons and school fundraising events. He got them to agree to donate the $2,000 raised to the maintenance workers who worked tirelessly to keep the school running during one of Buffalo’s roughest winters.

We helped Greg continue to explore opportunities that would develop his natural abilities in bringing people together. He was elected Spirit Captain his junior year, led pep rallies, organized holiday celebrations, and motivated students to attend sporting events. The school had stopped including the younger classes in these events, but Greg decided to invite them again, going against the student government’s vote initially but winning them over as they began to see the entire school come together. Senior year, the student government designated Greg its “Member at Large,” the officer who most represents the students’ opinions. Greg organized weekly lunches with different groups of students to hear their concerns and ideas. He suggested revisions to the school charter to increase the student voice, recommended lockers be organized by class to create unity, and proposed student advisories change every year to help minimize the influence of cliques.

Greg wanted to find a college that would similarly encourage his leadership. One of the first schools he visited was Skidmore College, where his sister Caroline is now a sophomore. Despite other schools we recommended, he kept returning to Skidmore in our conversations.

We helped him put together an Early Decision application that highlighted his many contributions, and his effort was rewarded with an acceptance letter six weeks later. We have no doubt Greg will flourish as a leader at Skidmore, particularly when the school’s tagline is “Creative Thought Matters.”

January 27, 2018June 12, 2018

Grace

New York

The JD/MBA

Villanova

Client: Grace Grace 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.

January 27, 2018June 12, 2018

Curtis

Hong Kong

The Swimmer

Claremont McKenna

Client: Curtis

When we first met Curtis, he defined himself as a swimmer. He swam for his school, swam for a club program, competed in international swim meets, and became an assistant coach to younger swimmers. He tested his skills by traveling to San Francisco to compete with the elite Terrapin Swim Team.

The competition made Curtis a stronger swimmer every day. He returned to Hong Kong with incredible confidence and a desire to swim in college. His father had attended schools in New England while his mother had familiarity with the West Coast, so Curtis pursued schools on both coasts. All seemed fine until Curtis started coming up short of breath in his practices and was eventually diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma. As a result, Curtis felt that he had to make a decision to pursue a college swim program or pursue a college. The Short List saw things differently and began suggesting schools where he might be able to do both. Curtis eventually found Claremont McKenna, a Division III school where he might be able to swim if he felt the desire, but where, more importantly, he would receive a great education. He would also have access to four other nationally ranked schools in the Claremont system.

Curtis knew Claremont McKenna was among the most selective liberal arts colleges in the U.S. He traveled to the school to attend an information session and take a tour, met the admissions rep when she visited his high school, and developed an email dialogue with the admissions staff. His efforts paid off: When The Short List spoke with the Claremont McKenna representative at a national college counseling conference and mentioned an interested student from Hong Kong, the admissions rep interjected, “Oh, you mean Curtis!” Curtis had made an impression in person, but now needed to do the same in his application.

He wrote about his love for swimming, the challenges he encountered, and the many lessons he learned along the way. He discussed other activities that rounded out his life and his love for learning. The Short List could see this was no longer just about his college application, but a true celebration of the young man Curtis had become. He applied Early Decision to CMC because he felt certain it was his school.

The Short List encouraged Curtis to have other applications ready…just in case. In the end, he didn’t need them. Curtis is now happily settling in at Claremont McKenna, and may yet join their swim team someday.

January 27, 2018June 12, 2018

Connor

Ohio

The Golfer

Emory

Connor

Connor began his college journey with The Short List focused on academics. A senior from Ohio, he had excelled as a student and was also captain of the golf team two years in a row. He was passionate about golf, but academics was the driving force behind his college list. Connor’s busy schedule with golf had not left much time for college visits, so he had only taken a few campus tours. The Short List helped Connor realize that looking at college websites was fine, but nothing would beat seeing the campus in person.

Connor planned to pursue engineering or pre-med in college. The Short List suggested he consider a few schools he had not previously, one of which was Emory University in Atlanta. We believed the 3-2 engineering program Emory offers in conjunction with Georgia Tech, as well as Emory’s strong pre-med program, would each be an equally great fit for Connor.

During the fall of his senior year, The Short List helped Connor prepare for a weekend visit to the school and encouraged him to reach out to the golf coach prior to arriving on campus. Connor knew of Emory’s competitive golf program and grew increasingly excited about the prospect of playing for the team. He reached out to the coach and was able to spend time with the coach and members of the team during his visit.

The Short List worked quickly to help Connor produce a quality application in order to meet the Early Decision deadline. Following what he called a very successful trip, Connor moved Emory to the top of his list. We helped Connor continue building a relationship with the coach, and it was through this communication that the Emory golf coach encouraged Connor to apply Early Decision. Connor realized Emory offered an opportunity for a great academic school, but also one where he could play golf, so he jumped at the opportunity.

The Short List worked quickly to help Connor produce a quality application in order to meet the Early Decision deadline.

During the weeks Connor waited to hear back from Emory, The Short List continued working with him on other applications, but it turned out he would not need them. Connor was accepted Early Decision to Emory University and will join the golf team next fall. The Short List is proud to have helped Connor realize his dream of attending a strong academic university as a scholar-athlete.

January 27, 2018June 12, 2018

Cameron

Washington DC

The Music Producer

New York University

Client: Cameron

Cameron was certain about two things when he contacted The Short List in the fall of his senior year: he wanted to pursue his passion for music production and he wanted to attend an urban university. Having grown up in Hong Kong, with family in France and Spain, Cameron felt it was important to study on a multicultural campus with access to a bustling city. As an accomplished musician, Cameron also wanted a university with a vibrant music scene both on and off campus. Music technology is such a unique program that Cameron was having trouble finding schools that met all his criteria.

The Short List knew Cameron had to be strategic in his approach. He had a full schedule between his International Baccalaureate curriculum and extracurricular activities, including his DJ work and performing. Cameron was finding it difficult to devote the necessary time to preparing for the SAT or ACT, so we connected him with The Short List Test Prep Division, which introduced him to strategic tools for taking the test.

The Short List knew Cameron had to be strategic in his approach.

Cameron was unable to travel from Hong Kong to the US to visit college campuses, so he began to doubt whether he would be accepted. The Short List looked for other ways he could make connections that would demonstrate his interest. We coached Cameron on how to reach out to admissions staff and relevant academic departments. We also helped him identify admissions receptions being held locally, and prepped him to speak with each area representative. One college very quickly stood out: New York University. Cameron was certain NYU was his school. The Short List helped Cameron prepare and submit his Early Decision application and required materials to NYU while also preparing applications for other schools on his list. He was overjoyed when he received an Early Decision acceptance to NYU’s prestigious music technology program; he emailed The Short List to say, “I can’t wait to attend NYU! I just want to say thank you for the whole process and the time you spent with me. I was stressed out, and I ‘over-thought’ a lot. Thank you for calming me down every single time. I wouldn’t be accepted to NYU without you!”

January 27, 2018June 12, 2018

Connie

Washington DC

The Equestrian

George Washington University

Client: Connie

Originally from England, Connie attended high school in the United States, just outside New York City, when her parents’ work moved them across the Atlantic. We had worked with Connie’s older brother, so she was somewhat familiar with the process. She liked the idea of the US liberal arts curriculum, but she also missed England, her extended family, and friends and wanted to explore schools in both the US and England.

Connie took a rigorous course load in high school; joined various activities, including her school’s championship field hockey team; and became a leader in a service organization working with homeless individuals in New Jersey and New York City. However, Connie’s true love is riding. She spent most afternoons and summer days at her local stable, which Connie affectionately calls “the barn.” During her junior year, Connie’s family helped her buy a 10-year-old horse named Homer that everyone believed could never be trained. Connie spent countless hours with Homer, showing him affection, grooming him, and building trust. Homer gradually allowed Connie to ride him, a feat that astonished everyone at the barn.

The Short List helped Connie research schools with flexible pre-veterinary or pre-medicine programs. She considered schools as far as away as California and as close as New York City. She knew she wanted an urban environment so she could secure internships at local hospitals and enjoy cultural offerings. She also wanted a school where she would either be able to come home to visit Homer or where she might eventually be able to board him close to the school. England slowly fell out of consideration as she narrowed her list down to urban schools on the East Coast in the US. We encouraged Connie to visit the schools to determine the right fit.

The Short List helped Connie research schools with flexible pre-veterinary or pre-medicine programs.

Connie’s last college visit was to The George Washington University in Washington, DC, a school mostly known for social sciences, including government, international relations, and political science. However, The George Washington University Hospital sits right next door, a real benefit for this urban school. The school is also on a direct train line to Connie’s hometown and Homer. None of this was lost on Connie when she sent The Short List a text that read, “I love this school, and think I want to apply Early Decision!”
The next weeks were spent writing essays, completing her supplement, and submitting all the required documents. We also showed Connie how to build a relationship with the school even before submitting her application. It all paid off when Connie received her Early Decision acceptance. She says she got the best of everything: an urban school, strong science programs, a nearby hospital, and an easy train ride back to Homer.

January 27, 2018June 12, 2018

Genesis

New York

The Pianist

Bryn Mawr College

Genesis

Genesis attends a public high school in New York City made famous by the TV movie From Homeless to Harvard. Her school does not have a college counseling office, so The Short List has been providing pro-bono services to her school for all of our 15 years. Each year, we help students research schools; take them on college tours; and provide help with test prep, applications, and filing for financial aid. Most of the students are children of low-income, immigrant single parents and will be the first in their family to attend college. Their families never ask where their child will go to college, but rather how they will ever be able to afford college. Genesis’ situation was no exception. Genesis will graduate at the top of her class. She is one of the most determined students we have come across, a personality trait that apparently was born in her. Genesis grew up loving church music. She begged her mother to buy a piano but was always told there was no money in the family budget. Imagine Genesis’ surprise when she opened her Christmas gift one year and discovered a keyboard. She learned how to play by watching YouTube artists until she finally felt confident enough to approach her church’s music director, who saw her potential and invited her to practice with the church band. Genesis worked hard to learn the music by ear. The church wanted to support her efforts and one day showed up at her home with a piano. Genesis now plays twice a week for her 1,400-member congregation.

The Short List took Genesis to visit 10 suburban schools. Genesis also took a local college psychology course during her junior year of high school, and she began to understand how music could be used in therapy. She wanted to find a school that would give her the chance to continue studying psychology but also to learn how to read and study music. Ultimately, she wanted to find a way to combine the two interests. Having grown up in New York, Genesis also wanted to experience life outside the big city but stay close enough that she could easily travel home to visit family.

The Short List took Genesis to visit 10 suburban schools.

We saw her incredible potential and pushed her to reach for the stars. She had fallen in love with Bryn Mawr College, one of the sister schools to the Ivy League. She loved the empowering all-women environment, the emphasis on the social sciences and arts, and partnership with other nearby elite colleges. She gambled and applied Early Decision. Six weeks later, Genesis sent a simple text: “OMG, I got in!” Bryn Mawr too saw her great potential by offering her a scholarship. It is not difficult to understand the burden the scholarship lifted and the opportunity that Genesis now has in front of her.