A Positive Choice

The stress is increasing and the stakes are high. Colleges say they are looking for well-rounded students, with good academics in a challenging curriculum, extracurricular activities that support their passions, and volunteer experiences in their local and global communities.  In addition to taking challenging curriculums, such as IB programs, AP courses, and pre-college post-secondary programs, many students are finding other ways to enhance their high school transcripts. Some participate in summer internships, volunteer in global service projects, or travel abroad to gain experience in the world, while others do it all.

But what happens to those students who can’t do any of it, for financial reasons, academic struggles, social shortcomings, or logistical difficulties?  Many of my clients have learning disabilities or ADHD, and have struggles beyond what the average student is juggling. Some are striving to keep up with a challenging curriculum, in order to maintain a good grade point average (GPA), which often results in little or no participation in extracurricular activities.  Others are taking summer classes, in order to keep their yearlong classes to a minimum, resulting in the inability to travel, participate in a summer internship, or join a volunteer project.  And others are being tutored over the summer, have summer jobs to earn needed money, or are participating in local programs. Not to mention that many students, with or without learning issues, just cannot afford time away from home or need the finances for more mundane necessities.

A recent article in the NY Times entitled “How to Make That College Essay Special” (August 6, 2011), talked about the essay as being more than a showcase of overseas trips and unpaid internships.  The emphasis was on taking whatever experiences a student has had and making it into a catchy essay, by writing about the ordinary in an extraordinary style.  With a little thought and creativity, an ordinary experience can make great reading material. 

I tell my students not to worry about what they are unable to do, but what they have done.  When it comes to writing an essay, preparing for an admissions interview, or writing a personal statement on a college application, the college reps want to know more than your what your GPA, transcript, or college entrance exams say.  This is a student’s sales pitch about how he overcame obstacles, stayed on a steady path, reached out to others, worked to fill a need at home, been influenced by interesting people, or made the best of a difficult situation. It’s not the experience, as much as it is how the experience has impacted the student.  An ordinary experience can be an amazing story, told with a positive spin, a creative style, and a personal touch.