The year was 2019. My student Lena (not her real name) was upset. She felt that getting sober in high school was her most important story, but her parents didn't want her to write a personal statement about it. They felt that Lena should lead with her (mostly) good grades, her interest in science, and her athletic accomplishments.
As has happened many times in this work, I found myself sitting in the middle of a heated family dispute, with both groups looking to me to take their side.
And you may ask yourself, "Well, how did I get here?"
To find answers, we must ask the right questions
See, it took me some time to understand that this family wasn't asking the most useful question. They were focused on if Lena should write about addiction or not. As I saw it, the real question was, Which story would most memorably show schools the sort of student, the sort of researcher Lena could be?
Because of some harrowing high school experiences, Lena was wise beyond her years. She actually revealed this more by the fact she had started a hiking club with people of many generations than in her (impressive but fairly straightforward) story of getting sober. When she wrote about being in the woods with her neighbors, schools could better understand her unusual maturity. As a result, she basically got in everywhere she applied and went on to graduate cum laude from one of the world's top schools in science research.
Latest video — what to share (and not to share) on college applications
In this week's video, I offer some reframes on how to decide what to discuss and what not to discuss in a college application. Highlights include:
✅ What colleges are actually looking for in a student's essays
✅ The extremely helpful concept of the Rear View Mirror
✅ Why memorability is a clearer goal than authenticity
For families of high school juniors...
Now is an ideal time to start putting together an inspired college list. When you leave lots of time, the process can go from being stressful and chaotic to enlightening and fun. I promise!
Happy to help
I will be creating various workshops and courses in the coming months. If you have any specific feedback on what would be most helpful, please fill out my survey below! Big thanks to everyone who already given me some great ideas.
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