What I Learned on College Night

While some of my friends said they didn't find out anything new about college admissions at Scarsdale High School's Annual College Night on May 15, reflecting on what I heard, I was reminded of some important information. Admissions counselors from Tufts University; Ursinus College; SUNY Binghamton; Sacred Heart University; Hamilton College; Yale University; Indiana University, Bloomington; Washington University in St. Louis; and University of Rochester came to talk to parents and students about standardized testing; essays and supplements; resumes; and many other aspects of the college admissions process.

Since not everyone is fortunate enough to visit every college to which they want to apply, it was good to have the admissions officers come to us and consolidate much of what we needed to know into a one-night session.

So even though you may feel you know everything, it is nice to have it all reiterated to you by the people that matter most ... the admissions officers who have the final say. Here is a list of some important aspects of what the admissions counselors (re)taught the audience at College Night ... Attention juniors who couldn't make it, parents who want to offer some advice to your sons and daughters, and underclassmen who are looking ahead to college:

1. You are NOT your test scores. This cannot be emphasized enough, especially in Scarsdale where there pressure to get high scores, and peer pressure to equal or better your friends test performance. The admissions counselors understand that on any given day the test might have been especially hard or the flu might have been going around. However, they also know that there are many great things about you that make up for "bad" test scores.

2. College admissions offices love seeing upward trends on your standardized tests and on your transcript. Junior year is the last full year that your grades truly matter, so focus on keeping your grades high throughout the year.

3. For all the athletes out there: if you are being recruited to a school (or hope to be recruited) make sure you spend as much time talking to the schools' admissions office as you do with the coaches. While a college coach may like you and advocate for your admission to the school, the Admissions Office ­ not the Athletics Department ­ has the final say regarding your acceptance.

4. We all know that extra-curriculars are a major aspect of your resume, but most colleges value your participation in just one club in which you hold a major position rather than seven different clubs in which you have no ranking and minimal participation. Your years in high school give you time to pursue your interests, so find what it is that you enjoy doing and stick with it.

5. Your essay can make or break your admission to a college. When writing your essay, be as creative as you wish, but be sure that it has underlying meaning. Also keep in mind that you never know who will be reading your essay so make it appealing to a wide range of readers.

6. If a college offers evaluative interviews ­ and you feel that you are personable ­ schedule one. Interviews are a great way for an admissions counselor or a representative from the college (alumni, etc.) to get to know you off paper.

7. When picking what colleges you want to apply to, remember to keep an open mind ­ you may be surprised.

8. Visit as many college campuses as you can. Seeing a college and the people who attend it as well as the clubs and programs offered there is a totally different experience from reading about the college in a guide. At some (but not many) colleges, such as Sacred Heart University, you cannot even apply unless you have visited the campus, so keep this in mind. While most colleges are very forgiving and will not usually count it against you if you did not have the opportunity to visit (if it is far away, etc.), schools you apply to that are much closer (for example Hamilton, since Hamilton's representative specifically mentioned this fact) would definitely prefer if you visited.

And finally...

9. Remember to take time to de-stress from this pressured process. Junior year is undoubtedly a tough one, but it is important to allow yourself to take some time to forget the stress and relax.

While I am only a junior in high school and definitely not an expert, I have learned a lot this year regarding the college process through researching the schools, attending college panels and visiting to a significant number of campuses. I hope this advice helps. Good luck in your search.

Megan Shelton is a junior at Scarsdale High School who loves to write. She spends her free time writing, reading, exercising, hanging out with friends, and doing work for the Epilepsy Foundation Club, the American Red Cross Club and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Club.