AXS Companion for Common App!

If you are new to the college application process and have a graduating senior, you'll want to visit the AXS Companion from Oregon State.

This resource is a free, online (open) resource designed by professionals to be used side-by-side with Common App as you work through your application. Each section includes explanatory videos, helpful tips, a glossary of application terms, and links to resources mentioned in the videos.

AXS is especially helpful for first-generation students and families new to the college application process. The tool is available in English and Spanish and has been shared with high school counselors across the nation.

One of the things that my students have found to be most useful is the tracker. There is a fun & colorful pencil graphic at the top of each page. This pencil shows how much progress the student has made filling out the application and includes the high points like: education, activities and the writing or essay portion.

All schools using the Common App have loaded their essays and supplemental essays and students can begin working on their application now. The AXS companion can be opened in a second device to be used alongside the Common App and includes a searchable contents, a vocabulary and terms resource as well as a search function for college majors.

If you have not created your Common App profile yet, I highly recommend class of 2025 seniors start there. Next, set up your AXS Companion and use it to get started filling out the sections of your Common App. The Common App autosaves information and you can return to complete at a later time...as many times as needed.

It is application season and some schools or special programs have already opened their early action/early decision windows. Keep in mind, the deadline for the majority of schools falls between October 15 and November 1 for early action. If you are wondering about your school, check the school admission website.

Need help with your personal statement, application essay or supplemental essays? Give me a call or send a message to schedule a consultation. Now taking appointments for October 2024!

Common App Essay Season!

As we get ready to send our freshies off to their first year of college, it is also time to engage with our 2025 seniors. If you have not already done so, hop over to the Common Application website and review the essay questions for the 2024-2025 season. These questions remain unchanged from last year so if you drafted an essay or two over the summer, they will rollover on August 1, 2024.

If you have not started on your essays, now is the time! For my Indiana folks, school starts in early August so you may need to push the first few "suggestions" back a week or two.

Here are my suggestions for writing Common Application Essays for early admit:

First 2-3 weeks of August: brainstorm and do some free writing with the prompts. The purpose is to see what works best with your academic, extracurricular and personal interests.

End of August: have at least two draft essays and some notes available. Keep it messy! Nothing has to be formal or include intros, hooks and conclusions just yet.

First 2 weeks in September (keep in mind Labor Day weekend!): Complete a first draft of personal statement. Consider the answer to a Common App question from your personal attributes/perspective.

Weeks 2-3 of September: Complete a revision of the first essay. Focus on qualifyting statements. For example, "I am proficient..." may become "I have excelled in...through club/award/distinction." Be careful not to repeat the awards listed in other places of the application, but instead, seek to clarify and qualify what that means for your future achievements.

End of September: Complete third and fourth drafts of the same essay. Add detail! Remove excess words like "that." I find it beneficial to CTRL-F for "that" and read the sentence without the word. If it makes sense, delete. Also, read for passive voice and revise to active voice.

Beginning of October: Seek feedback and request reviews from teachers, advisors and especially people who do not know you or your story. A complete stranger will read and identify missing details where those who know you, may miss. Admissions advisors may be swamped with senior audits or other workload responsibilities so have grace when requesting a review.

Middle of October: Finalize your essay and prepare for submission. Take a week off from looking at it...come back and make minor revisions as necessary.

If your goal is a November 1 submission date, the schedule above works well. If you start later, just modify and shorten the time between to accomplish a strong revision period. I also encourage students to apply to schools with December and January deadlines. These are the most popular "regular decision" schools and round out a strong application portfolio.

Need help with your essay reviews? Schedule a consultation and get on my calendar! My schedule for fall 2024 is filling up quickly.

AP Scores Released!

It's time!

AP scores are available and if you are wondering how this may impact your admission to college...consider these as opportunities to demonstrate academic achievement and future potential.

Your admissions package will include some, if not all, of the following:

• Unweighted GPA and perhaps class standing

• Rigor of course load throughout high school

• AP Scores (and courses taken)

• Standardized test scores (PSAT for early applications, ACT & SAT)

• Extracurricular activities (athletics, clubs, service)

• Personal essays and statements (necessary for Honors colleges)

• Letters of Recommendation

• The whole person...
  

Generally speaking, AP scores are an indicator of future academic success. Earning a 4" or a "5" demonstrates the ability to succeed at college-level work. Bonus: take classes that fill criteria for your intended major.

In line with demonstrating ability, AP scores are indicative of personal strengths as well as interests. Consider self-submitting AP scores to highlight your program/discipline interest. For example, if you are interested in pursuing medical school after your Bachelor's degree, earning high scores in Biology and Chemistry during high school as evidence of long-term planning and interest.

Many schools will consider AP scores in place of a standardized test score. Using standardized test scores as a measure for academic ability and potential has been scrutinized in recent years and with the onset of AI "scoring" these exams, schools are adjusting. AP courses demonstrate a "real world" learning experience and validate a student's aptitude.

Stay tuned for more this week on AP scores and how they may or may not be accepted at the college's you are investigating!

Need a consult or have some questions about planning your high school curriculum to transfer? Contact me!