This document provides guidance and instructions for students preparing to apply to college. It discusses resume guidelines, interview preparation tips, sample interview questions, characteristics to look for in colleges, the importance of practicing writing college essays, common essay prompts, and timelines for high school freshman through junior years to stay on track for the college application process. Students are encouraged to visit schools, research academics and extracurricular opportunities, and get help from mentors throughout their high school years.

1. Heather M. Butts, J.D., M.P.H., M.A.

2. Quick Resume Review show them
 If you have your resumes with you, please
to me so we can go over them!

3. Resume Guidelines – Remember!
 Limit your resume to ONE typed page!
 12 point font
 8.5 x 11, high quality paper

4. Interview Prep
 Make notes about why I want to attend this college.
 Make notes about my academic background and high
school experiences.
 Make notes about my life outside the classroom,
including activities, community service and hobbies.

5. More Interview Prep
 Research the college by checking out its website,
brochure and course catalog.
 Choose appropriate clothes to wear for the interview.
 Create a folder to take to the interview with
appropriate information (resume, business card, other
pertinent information)

6. In Class Exercise #1
 I will select a volunteer to role play the interview process
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with. We will role play the following questions:
1. Tell me about yourself?
2. What courses have you taken that will prepare you for
school work in college?
3. Name one strength and one weakness about yourself?
4. Tell me about a time when you handled a challenge
effectively?
5. Why should a college accept you over other applicants?

7. Class Exercise #2
 List out 5 characteristics that you would like to see in a
college that you go to?

8. Review: Questions to ask when you
visit a school!
 You can ask these questions of the individuals doing the tours,
financial aid, admissions, professors you meet with. . . .
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Academics
—How much time do students typically spend on homework?
—How much writing and reading are expected?
—What is the average class size of introductory classes?
—How widely used are teaching assistants on your campus?
—What is the average class size of upper-division courses?
—What opportunities are there for undergraduate research?
—How many students participate in undergraduate research?
—Is there a culminating senior year experience?
—Do you have an honors college?
—Do you have a learning community or other freshman experience?

9. The College Essay
 Practice, Practice, Practice!!!!
 Critical that you do a great job on the college essay!
 The Common Application College Essays are already
out – so you can get a jump start!

10. The College Essay
 Distinguish between short answers, direct questions
and general essay/personal statement
 What does the school want from you – make sure you
give them what they want!

11. College Essay Tips
 Think about what you want to write about
 Do you have a resume? If so take a look at it to refresh
your memory about what you’ve done. What have you
accomplished?
 What makes you unique or different?
 Do you have a favorite book or movie that has had
particular importance in your life?

12. Tips continued
 Other topic areas:
 A trying time in your life that you’ve overcome?
 Very substantial extracurricular activities that you have
or are participating in?
 Someone who has a great deal of meaning for you and
has been a great influence on your life
 Discuss why you want to go to this particular school and
how the school will help you reach your goals/dreams
(and discuss what THOSE are!)

13. Tips continued
 You’re stuck! You need more help deciding what to
write about:
 Talk with friends, teachers, family members, trusted
mentors (don’t forget about your mentors!)
 Keep thinking! As long as you’ve started early enough
you’ll have enough time to come up with a topic

14. Essay Writing Tips
 Start early!
 Write your first draft and the continue to write drafts.
You’ll need several drafts before you can finalize the
essay
 Have someone else read it to make sure it conveys what
you want it to convey
 No typos!
 Read it once more before considering it final

15. Take-aways (make sure you do
this!)
 Make your essay consistent with the rest of your
application (if you have a 2400 SATs and 4.0 average
you’re not struggling in school so don’t write an essay
that says that)
 You can use your essay to explain certain parts of your
application, just don’t repeat what’s already in your
application
 Diversity is great – discuss this if it applies to you

16. Take-aways continued
 Remember – your essay topic says a lot about who you
are and what you care about so choose wisely

17. Pitfalls to avoid
 Don’t try for tricks or something for shock value
 The essay should tell your reader something that the
rest of the application does not tell them
 Don’t go over the word limit (part of this is to test can
you follow directions)
 Don’t make up stories (honesty is the best policy)

18. Class Exercise #3
 We will go over in class common application essay #3:
Indicate a person who has had a significant influence
on you, and describe that influence.

19. Class Exercise #4
 You are going to practice writing an essay!
Common Application Question #2: Discuss some issue
of personal, local, national or international concern and
its important to you.

20. Introducing the timeline and
checklist (much more to come!)
 Today we will just go over the timeline from freshman-
junior year in high school.
 When we deal with the timeline and checklist we will
go MUCH more in-depth and include senior year!

21. Timeline Freshman-Junior Years
 Do well in school
 Cultivate relationships with mentors
 Begin to visit schools
 Do well in school!!
 Start to research scholarships and grant programs
 Create your resume

22. Timeline Freshman-Junior Years
continued
 Get involved in extracurricular activities you actually
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enjoy
Review your timeline and make sure you’re on
schedule
Create a checklist of “to do” items
Having trouble in a particular area – get help from
teachers, after school programs and mentors
Surround yourself with supportive friends. If your
friends aren’t supporting you then they’re not your
true friends!

23. Junior Year/Summer before
Senior Year
 Review your resume
 Visit as many prospective colleges as possible and
make appointments with admissions counselors and
other counselors (is community college an option?)
 List all the colleges you want to apply to
 Register for SATs
 Take an SAT prep course (I.E.S of course!)

24. Questions?