Be proud of who you are and share that inner you with the reader. You will be surprised how astute admission committees are and how quickly they can decipher who has done their own application or if it was polished just enough.
As the admission season is in full swing nationwide, scratch that… worldwide, for both secondary and post-secondary education, it is important to remind applicants of all types and levels of the importance of a truthful application. This comes in many different forms, including truthfulness in one’s own abilities, activities, academic prowess, accomplishments, community service and extracurricular activities. With so much pressure today placed on where you or your child will attend, many seek the advice of a friend, service, educational agent, or family member to help or rewrite the applicant’s application. Of course, this is done with the best intentions to make the applicant stand out a bit, to ensure the second look of the reader, but certainly not to deceive the admission officer. In some countries, including right here in the United States, application submission has become a cottage industry. “We guarantee or something to the effect, that Johnny or Suzy will get in if you allow us to take over and complete the application and essay on their behalf.” In my 10 years working in admission, I have seen it almost each year when an application and the student sitting in front of me do not match up. My personal favorite is to read from the application during the interview and have the applicant stare at me with a blank expression or try to fumble for an answer.
So, my advice this season and every season, is please do your own application and essay. Save your money (or your parents) and do not let someone “consult, rewrite or complete” on your behalf. Be proud of who you are and share that inner you with the reader. You will be surprised how astute admission committees are and how quickly they can decipher who has done their own application or if it was polished just enough.
Two leading experts on this topic share their views on the topic below:
Can colleges revoke admissions offers? What behaviors can cause this, and how can students protect themselves?
Yes, yes, yes. I have seen it happen. Colleges do revoke admissions if you do something to break their faith in you. 1. A huge drop in grades senior year has led to colleges revoking admissions. 2. An arrest or a huge behavior problem at school can also lead to problems. 3. Lying on applications can lead to colleges taking back offers. Schools understand senioritis, but they don't understand kids who enter what I term "black holes" senior year. So PLEASE, please make sure you don't collapse. I have seen kids get offers revoked and then have no place to attend other than a community college. Don't let that happen to you.
Rebecca Joseph, Executive Director & Founder, getmetocollege.org
Can colleges revoke admissions offers? What behaviors can cause this, and how can students protect themselves?
Yes, they can and they will if a student’s behaviors are less than becoming academically or socially. Beyond letting grades slip, evidence of unlawful or unethical activities can cause a college to revoke an offer. Keeping your Facebook page private and not being deceptive in your application should protect most students.
Benjamin Caldarelli, Partner, Princeton College Consulting, LLC
One final thought: Make sure you sign your own application and submit it. Integrity, that is one of the first things this admission officer looks for in applicants.
On a related topic but not tied directly to the application: be mindful of your social media posts. Independent schools are naturally small and intimate settings. We certainly do not want to disrupt these positive microcosms with mean and hurt language found on a quick reply to a post. Here is an article that should remind you to be careful of your social media posting:
Good luck this season and if possible always spend a day at the schools on your list. It is always the best way to know if it will be the best fit for you.