United Kingdom – The Short List

Phoebe

England

The Lacrosse Player

Duke

Phoebe attended one of our fall UK presentations at her boarding school in England. We outlined the opportunities of US education, but Phoebe mostly heard that she could be a scholar- athlete and continue playing lacrosse at the college level. Phoebe is an outstanding student and a gifted athlete. In addition to playing lacrosse for her school, Phoebe also plays for her county team, a UK regional team, and, most impressively, England’s U19 National Team.
Phoebe was well known in England but not in the United States. Whenever her national team competed in international tournaments, she saw that all the great players attended or graduated from US colleges. Phoebe became determined to do the same.

Our first effort was to help Phoebe raise her visibility with US coaches. The Short List showed her how to begin building relationships. We suggested putting together a recruiting video for her top schools. We also stressed the importance of campus visits and meeting one-on-one with coaches. We then helped her put together a weeklong college tour.

The Short List showed her how to begin building relationships.

On her first day, she visited the Duke campus. The coach and players were away at a tournament, but Phoebe was able to evaluate Duke’s academics. She went on to visit several other schools and meet with their coaches but kept returning to Duke academics as the standard against which she measured all the other schools. Phoebe wanted to return to Duke for another visit to meet the coach. We looked at the various summer recruiting camps and, as luck would have it, her national team was scheduled to compete in the US at the same time Duke was scheduled to hold their summer camp. She ended up spending two days at Duke, meeting with the coaches and players. The head coach pulled Phoebe aside at the end of the camp and told her how impressed the staff was with her. Phoebe was thrilled to receive these words of encouragement from a coach whose team is ranked among the best in the country.

Phoebe spent the fall semester considering her options. The Duke coach did not make it easy. She told Phoebe she would have to get into Duke on her own merit but, if accepted, she would have a place on the team. Duke had a binding Early Decision program, which meant that Phoebe would have to commit without having something in writing from the coach. Phoebe and her parents decided it was worth the gamble because of Duke’s strong academic programs. She was clearly excited six weeks later when she emailed The Short List: “The dream has come true! Thank you for all your help; I couldn’t have gotten this without you! (A rather excited and over- the-moon) Phoebe.” A day later, the coach sent Phoebe a note welcoming her to Duke’s nationally ranked team.

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.