college applications

Grit and Success

March 30, 2021

Overhead view of two students studying on a bench indoors

Grit is a short word describing a tremendously valuable personality trait that educators and parents wish they could teach children and young adults.

What’s grit? It’s a lot of things:

It’s not giving up in the face of adversity.

It’s possessing strong moral values.

It’s having the courage to take on new challenges.

It’s the desire to do something well.

It’s putting passion into your work.

In other words, grit makes someone successful in a rapidly changing world, no matter their age, level of education, or profession.

So, that’s what grit is. But knowing what something is doesn’t mean you can do it. Not yet, anyway. In this article, we’ll look at ways you can build up the traits that define grit and prepare for a successful college application season and beyond.

Where Do I Start with Grit?

Well, there’s good news, and there’s not-so-good news.

The Not-So-Good News

The main characteristics that define grit involve picking yourself up after failing at something. Failing is an unpleasant experience, but one we’re all familiar with in one way or another. Maybe it’s struggling with personal relationships or performing poorly in school. Whatever it is, grit begins at or near the bottom.

The Good News

The good news is that when you encounter failure, you have a choice about how to react. Now, doing so is MUCH easier said than done. However, like any other skill, practice makes perfect.

Starting Small

Everyone has something they do that instills feelings of joy and frustration. Maybe it’s a video game, sport, hobby, or any other passion. The point is that you already have a starting place to begin incorporating more grit into your life.

The next time you do that activity, take a mental note of why you persisted despite negative outcomes or emotions. What is it that drives you to continue? Everyone’s answer will be unique, but whatever it is, use that information to push yourself a little bit harder next time. Your chances of failure or frustration may increase, but these experiences will allow you to practice the traits defining grit in a small and safe environment.

Applying Grit to School and Life

Okay, so you have some grit, at least when it comes to an activity you enjoy. That’s great news because you can now consider applying these positive traits to other parts of your life, namely education.

Now, if you already earn good grades, you may wonder how grit can help you. Remember that grit has a lot to do with failure and that as you start taking more advanced courses and applying to colleges, failure or frustration will occur more. And let’s not forget that many college freshmen, even those who earned top grades in high school, struggle to adapt to new academic and social expectations. Those with grit push forward and succeed.

A simple way you can apply grit to your education is by taking a proactive approach to roadblocks or problems you encounter in school. This approach starts with asking questions:

  • Am I responsible for this negative outcome?
    • If so, what did I do?
  • What result did I want to happen?
    • This question helps you set a future goal.
  • How can I turn my goal into reality?
    • Talk to a teacher/counselor.
    • Ask for tutoring.
    • Find study materials online.

These questions also apply to issues surrounding interpersonal relationships with teachers and peers. As a teacher, I saw firsthand the relationship between perceived social acceptance and academic performance.

Improving Your Grit with myKlovr

We at myKlovr developed the first virtual college counseling service to prepare students like you to succeed in the college admissions process and beyond. Our services can also help you become a student with grit and better your college and career choices. Here’s how:

  • Set goals.
    • MyKlovr allows users to set academic and personal goals. As you think about building your persistence, set 1-2 goals for the near future. If you cannot accomplish your goals, reflect on what happened and what you can do when giving yourself a second chance.
      • Remember, start small.
    • Connect with your myKlovr network.
      • We encourage all users to add trusted adults (e.g., parents, teachers, counselors) to their unique myKlovr network. Ask people in your network how you can improve your grit.
    • Take career assessments.
      • MyKlovr’s career assessments help users research potential career paths. Discovering one or more options gives you the chance to start setting goals and pushing yourself to achieve them.
        • Users who take career assessments use the results to research potential undergraduate majors and the colleges offering them.
        • Career assessments also reveal users’ personal strengths, such as action-taker, visionary, and mentor. This information helps them identify areas where they apply grit regularly, as well as explains why they struggle in others.

Final Thoughts

Like chess, it takes minutes to learn what grit is and years to master it. Yet if you set reasonable goals, reflect on failure, reach out to trusted adults, and use myKlovr’s ample resources, you’ll have a good start in applying grit in your education and personal life.

Good luck with grit. No matter your plans for the future, you’ll need it.

A Different Approach To Your College Application Essay

September 25, 2019

Colleges will receive thousands of applications every year and each application requires you to write an essay. This is the chance for colleges to get to know you better as a person. Are you the type of student that will thrive at their school and end up being a successful alumnus? Naturally, colleges only want the best students, and try their best to avoid accepting those who may not have the maturity, drive or character to represent the school in the best way possible.

There are a lot of pieces of content out there that speak about how to write your college application essay. However, that advice is only going to take you so far. You are a unique individual with a unique past and set of skills. You must look inside yourself and write an essay that tells your story. If you want your essay to stand out, you must take the right approach when writing your college application essay.

Describe What Type Of Person You Want To Become

The odds are pretty good that at some point in your life you have been asked: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”. The issue with this question is that it tends to hold you to one answer. You become stuck on one path, working towards one type of job and career. Furthermore, you are most likely picking that job because it’s one of the few careers you are aware of. Most of the graduates I have surveyed over the years never took the time to research all the different career paths that were open to them.

Before you start your college application process, take some time to ask yourself “What type of person do I want to become?’. When you ask yourself this question, you are no longer beholden to one job or one career path. Instead, you are opened up to a field of opportunities around the type of person you want to become and the impact you want to have on the people around you. Think about what you enjoy, what you are good at, and what you believe you want to spend the rest of your life working towards.

Then, talk about it in your essay. This will accomplish two important things. First, you will stand out. The person reading your essay is most likely in the middle of reading hundreds of essays in the coming weeks and months. Most of those essays will be very similar and talk about why they want to study a specific major. Your essay will cover a broad theme and give the reader an insight into why you are applying to college and what type of student you will be.

Second, this topic will showcase you as an intelligent thinker who is passionate and serious about their future. Remember, schools are using this essay as a way to get insight into you as a person. Anyone reading your essay will see that you have taken significant time out to map your future. You will begin to position yourself as someone who will be an excellent student that the school can be proud of.

Explain How That School Is Going To Help You Become That Person

This is where we get specific. Many students tend to write one essay and send it out to all of their college choices. While this is common practice, it also means that your essay will read like every other one that has been sent in. Your goal now, and always, is to stand out in a way that shows your value and tells your story.

Once you have determined your person, spend time researching the school. Make a list of the possible majors you could take that align with your desired path. See if there are certain faculty you will be working with. Learn about the career center, campus events, and any other opportunities that are going to help you along the way. Begin to tell the story of someone who is driven to become the best version of themselves, and has specifically chosen this school to do that.

Again, this technique helps to accomplish two key goals. First, it gives you a chance to do even more research about the school and confirm it is the right fit. Second, you are showing the reader how dedicated you are to your future. Instead of writing a generic essay, you took the time out to write a letter specifically for that one school. This allows you to show your passion and dedication which proves that you will become a valuable asset to the school if accepted.

Make The Reader Envision You Succeeding At That School

This is where we bring it all together. The individual reading your essay has been tasked with determining if you are the right fit for that school. They have been told to find the best students possible. Students who will come to campus, get good grades, participate in the community, and become successful alumni and proud representatives of the school.

The story you are telling them must be helping them envision you at the school. You want them to envision you going to class, walking around campus, and attending events. You are telling the story of a hardworking, driven student with a clear vision for success. You are showing them how their school, and all these wonderful resources, are going to help you become a valuable student and graduate.

Conclusion

By the time the reader is done with your essay, they should feel as if they need you at there school. That you are the type of student who will play an active role on campus and ultimately become a graduate that they can be proud of. Do not be afraid to be different and go against some of the advice you may read on the internet. Your essay is about telling your story and proving to that college that you are exactly what they are looking for in a student.

About Kyle

Kyle Grappone is an educational coach helping students prepare for the next steps in life.

How to Get the Most Out of College Fairs

February 19, 2019

By Kendell Shaffer

This time of year is College Fair season where representatives from colleges and universities around the globe visit high schools. Sometimes college fairs are organized by majors. For example, schools focusing on STEM programs might be in attendance one evening and schools focusing on Arts programs might be in attendance another. The Ivy’s travel together and have one big event usually at a central hotel. The events can be overwhelming. I suggest that you look ahead and mark the upcoming dates on your calendar. Then give yourselves some time study the schools. Learn as much as you can about them beforehand and narrow down the ones your student is most interested in. Time at the fairs will be limited, so it’s best to pick the top four or five. Popular schools may have lines, so familiarize yourself with some schools that are not so popular and visit those. 


At the event you and your student has a chance to talk to the representatives. This is the first impression your student will make. Most likely the rep will ask the student to fill out an info card with their name and address and email. This not only puts the student on the school’s mailing list, but begins a file on the interested student. The representative may make notes on the student’s info card. It’s best for your student to come prepared with specific questions for the rep. The more prepared, the better they will look. The rep will most likely then give the student their business card. If that happens, then make sure your student follows up with a thank you email, perhaps with another question. The rep will add the email to the student’s file and when it comes time to review the application, a relationship with that student has already been established. 


Also make sure your student is open to looking at schools that might not have initially been on their radar. Smaller lesser known schools are represented at college fairs and will try to interest students with strong financial aid packages or majors that may not be offered at bigger schools. At a recent art school fair my son became interested in the Art Institute of Chicago, a place he never would have considered just reading about it. But the rep gave such a good pitch, and the program sounded remarkable, my son is now considering the school even with the recent -22 degree weather reports!


Be prepared, keep an open mind and follow up with the reps and your student will make the most of their upcoming college fairs. 

Tips for Filling Out the FAFSA

January 29, 2019

By Kendell Shaffer

When I set out to fill out my daughter’s FAFSA report last year, I gave myself the entire day. In reality, it takes about three to five hours, but I know if I have other things scheduled, I’ll never finish.

They design the FAFSA report for students to fill out, but since household financial information is usually handled by the parents, it’s best if the parents are hands on, or fill even out the forms for their students.
The FAFSA reports opens on October 1. I always like to apply for financial aid as early as possible. Getting the FAFSA report out of the way leaves your student and family more time to focus on applications. 

It’s very important when filling out the FAFSA report, that you use the correct report from www.fafsa.ed.gov. This report is free to submit. There are some misleading sites that charge the student to submit the FAFSA report, those are incorrect and please don’t get caught up in paying for a form that‘s intended to be free. 

Gather the documents you and your student will need prior to filling out the report. There is nothing more frustrating than being in the middle of a long form, having to get up and hunt for your files for a related document. These documents are needed:

  • Federal Student Aid ID
  • Student’s Social Security Number 
  • Student’s Driver’s License Number
  • Student’s Alien Registration Number, if not a US Citizen
  • Federal School Codes
  • Bank Statements (checking and savings for both students and parents)
  • Untaxed Income Records
  • Asset Records (including mortgage info and date of house purchase)
  • Federal Tax Returns (for both students and parents)

You might find that some private colleges will ask the student to fill out the College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile. The same documents are needed, so keep these documents nearby. Also, schools may need further information later on down the line, so it’s best to keep these docs handy. It’s no fun to dig back into your files with short notice for another item. 

The same documents are needed, so keep these documents nearby. Also, schools may need further information later on down the line, so it’s best to keep these docs handy. It’s no fun to dig back into your files with short notice for another item. 

And don’t be afraid to ask for help! There are folks standing by to answer questions. FAFSA has a great support line. Most college financial aid offices will help. Or talk to friends who are also filling out these forms, especially friends who have a student who applied to college a year ago. They are now experts and you will be too next year. I have also heard about FAFSA parties where several parents spend the day together filling out the FAFSA forms. That way if questions come up, others in the room can help. 

For me the form was easy to fill out but the reality of my daughter going to college was. The FAFSA report was the first step we took as a family to start the college application process which kicked off a very exciting time in our household.

Decisions, Decisions: Early Decision, Early Action, Instant Decision or Regular Decision

November 28, 2018

By Thomas Broderick

When it comes to your journey to college, you have to answer many important questions:

  • Public or private school?
  • Small or big school?
  • How much can I afford?
  • Which scholarships should I apply to?
  • And so on.

Answering each of these questions brings you one step closer to attending college. However, one of the final questions you must answer may have the most significant impact on where you go to school:

  • Should I apply early decision, early action, instant decision, or regular decision?

Yes, there are many choices of how you can apply to college, and each one comes with a unique set of rules and regulations. In this article, we’ll examine each type of application so you can choose those right for you.

Early Decision

 As the name implies, early decision requires you to decide where you want to go to college before most application deadlines. You apply to one school 1-2 months before regular decision, and you can expect a decision in about six weeks. You may already know the catch: if the school accepts you, you have to go there. No, they won’t drag you off to jail if you don’t attend, but when you send in your early decision application, you’re telling the college that, “Yes, I will 100% go here if you accept me.”

Students who apply early decision have a slightly higher chance of receiving an acceptance letter. Don’t be fooled; schools accept a higher percentage of early decision applicants because these applicants represent the cream of the crop. Finally, schools may decide to push some early decision applicants into the regular decision pile to review their applications again between January and April.

Who should apply early decision?

If you 100% know deep down – you feel it in your bones – that you want to attend a specific college, by all means, apply early decision. And if you get in, more power to you. With that significant weight off your shoulders, you can celebrate during winter break and have a less stressful spring semester.

And if you shouldn’t get in – it happened to me, too – take a moment to grieve before refocusing your energy on your remaining applications.  

Early Action

Want to know if a school will accept you early but not 100% sure you want to attend? Then early action is for you!

Schools that use early action typically have the same application deadlines as schools that use early decision. You receive a decision around the same time as if you had applied early decision, too. But unlike early decision, applying early action does not constitute an agreement to attend a school if it accepts you. Also, you have until May 1st to make your final decision.

Who should apply early action?

You should apply early action if there is a school you love, but you’re not entirely sure you want to attend. Also, consider early action if you want to see how your regular decision applications turn out.

Instant Decision

Don’t let the name fool you. Instant decision takes a little more time than a cup of instant ramen. It’s more like speed dating. Here’s how the process works for some schools:

  • You gather all application materials.
  • You take them to a college on its decision day, also known as D-Day.
  • The college makes an admission decision that same day.

Like with early action, you still have until May 1stto select a college or university. Compared to early decision, early action, and regular decision, instant decision is rare. None of the schools you apply to may use it.

Who should apply instant decision?

Consider instant decision a good choice you want to know your results as soon as possible. D-Day can feel like a gauntlet, however, especially for schools that use interviews, so be ready for the stress. 

Regular Decision

Regular decision represents the bulk of applications colleges and universities receive throughout December and into early January. Schools spend the spring curating their next year’s freshman class before sending out decisions around April 1st. Accepted students have until May 1stto accept an offer.  Schools put some regular decision applicants on a waitlist: these students may not find out until May or June if a school accepts them.

Who should apply regular decision? 

No matter who you are, you should plan to apply regular decision to at least three schools. It’s your best bet to receive one or more acceptances.

Final Thoughts

Applying to college has never been more competitive, and you may think that applying one way or another may give you an advantage. If I were you, I’d push these thoughts out of my mind. Apply early decision/action to your top choice and apply regular decision for the rest of the schools on your shortlist. After that, all you can do is sit back, wait, and continue doing your best in high school until graduation day.

What to Talk About With Your College-Bound Student in Preparation for Their College Applications

November 27, 2018

By Kendell Shaffer

My son is a high school junior and we talk about college in small increments. We are trying to balance his life and not make it all about college, because at some point we know he will be shifting his focus to “it’s all about college.”

So what can we talk about now to plant the seeds so we are not scrambling next fall when he officially begins his college application process?

At a recent high school meeting for parents of juniors, we learned that colleges look at what the student will be doing the summer between junior and senior year. The colleges want to see that the student is either working, enrolled in an academic class, or enrolled in some sort of program to enrich their education.

This is not the summer to hang out at the beach! Luckily our son has already thought this through and is looking into several summer programs.

I have already put the SAT and ACT test dates on the family calendar, so my son can look ahead at the entire year and see when the tests are coming up. Hopefully, this will allow him to pace himself with his test prep and his social activities.

We’ve printed his transcript and have gone over it together. He understands the difference between his GPA and his weighted GPA. He sees what classes he needs to bring his grades up and what classes he needs to maintain grades.

After winter break, we will meet with his college counselor. Since he is interested in perhaps going to art school or drama school, we have encouraged him to set up meetings with the head of the art and drama departments at his school.

He will be able to get their input on colleges which might be a good fit for him. I’m encouraging him to seek out their advice since they know his work better than his college counselor will, even though she did attend his school play this weekend!

As a family, we will determine if we are going to go on a college tour this spring break. This will be planned and booked over the Thanksgiving holiday.

After getting input from his art and drama teacher, he will start working on his art portfolio and select some audition pieces. I know from past experience that if he wants to apply to drama school, he will need a reel and a resume. These are pieces that will take time pull together and I want him to get started on them as soon as he can.

It helps to have gone through this college prep with my daughter. But even if you haven’t had that experience, it’s not too soon to educate yourselves and jump right in!

College Prep List:

  1.  Plan for your student’s educational based summer activity 
  2. Add SAT and ACT test dates to calendar
  3. Review your student’s transcript
  4. Meet with your student’s college counselor and department heads
  5. Think about what colleges to visit with your student during Spring break
  6. Help your student plan art portfolios or prepare audition materials

Top 10 Private Colleges in The United States

November 26, 2018

By Emma Lorenzo

Thinking about applying to college?  MyKlovr has provided a list of the top ten private colleges in the United States.

1. Harvard University

Medical School at Harvard University.

Location: Cambridge, MA

Total Enrollment: 20,324

Acceptance Rate: 5%

Fun Facts

Harvard University was founded on September 8, 1636, and named after its first benefactor, John Harvard.

The first graduation ceremony for Harvard University was in 1642, honoring nine graduates.

2. Stanford University

Overview of Stanford University campus.

Location: Bay Area, CA

Total Enrollment: 16,914

Acceptance Rate: 5%

Fun Facts

Standford University was founded on November 11, 1885.

Stanford University has six schools, Business, Earth Energy and Environmental Sciences, Education, Engineering, Humanities and Sciences, Law, and Medicine.

 

3. Yale University

Harkness Tower at Yale University.

Location: New Haven, CT

Total Enrollment: 12,458

Acceptance Rate: 6%

Fun Facts

Yale University was established on October 9, 1701.

Yale is home to the oldest collegiate newspaper, the Yale Daily News.

 

 

The table below shows the other schools on the top ten list.

Ranking School Type of School Total Enrollment Location Acceptance Rate Setting
4 Princeton University University 8,181 Princeton, NJ 7% Suburban
5 Massachusetts Institute of Technology University 11,376 Boston, MA 8% Urban
6 University of Pennsylvania University 21,826 Philidelphia, PA 9% Urban
7 Columbia University University 25,084 New York, NY 6% Urban
8 Brown University University 9,781 Providence, RI 9% Urban
9 California Institute of Technology University 2,240 Pasadena, CA 8% Suburban
10 Duke University University 15,928 Durham, NC 11% Suburban

 

MyKlovr created this top ten list by taking the average of the rankings from The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, College Raptor, Education Corner, and Niche.

Top 15 Colleges in California

November 7, 2018

By Emma Lorenzo

There is an overwhelming number of options for high school students to choose from when applying to college. In California alone, there are 264 4-year colleges.

For this reason, myKlovr has generated a list of the top 15 colleges in California. Take a look to learn more about these featured colleges.

 

1. Stanford University

Overview of Stanford University campus.

Location: Bay Area, CA

Total Enrollment: 16,914

Acceptance Rate: 5%

Fun Facts

Standford University was founded on November 11, 1885.

Stanford University has six schools, Business, Earth Energy and Environmental Sciences, Education, Engineering, Humanities and Sciences, Law, and Medicine.

 

2. California Institute of Technology

Robert A. Millikan Memorial Library at Caltech.

Location: Pasadena, CA

Total Enrollment: 2,240

Acceptance Rate: 8%

Fun Facts

California Institute of Technology was founded in 1891.

The mascot of Caltech is a beaver, to honor natures engineers.

 

3. Pomona College

Mason Hall, an academic building at Pomona College.

Location: Claremont, CA

Total Enrollment: 1,703

Acceptance Rate: 10%

Fun Facts

Pomona College was founded in 1887.

An alumnus of Pomona college is Art Clokey, the creator of Gumby.

 

 

The table below shows the other schools on the top fifteen list.

Ranking School Type of School Total Enrollment Location Acceptance Rate Setting
4 Claremont McKenna College Liberal Arts 1,347 Claremont, CA 9% Suburban
5 Harvey Mudd College Liberal Arts 829 Claremont, CA 13% Suburban
6 University of California, Berkeley University 40,174 Berkeley, CA 16% Urban
7 University of California, Los Angeles University 44,497 Los Angeles, CA 18% Urban
8 University of Southern California University 43,871 Los Angeles, CA 17% Urban
9 Scripps College Liberal Arts 1,057 Claremont, CA 30% Suburban
10 Pitzer College Liberal Arts 1,089 Claremont, CA 14% Suburban
11 University of California, Davis University 36,441 David, CA 42% Urban
12 University of California, San Diego University 34,979 La Jolla, CA 36% Urban
13 University of California, Santa Barbara University 24,346 Santa Barbara, CA 36% Suburban
14 Santa Clara University University 8,422 Santa Clara, CA 48% Urban
15 Occidental College Liberal Arts 2,062 Los Angeles, CA 46% Urban

 

MyKlovr created this top fifteen list by taking the average of the rankings from The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, College Raptor, Education Corner, and Niche.

SPOTLIGHT: Terry Talks about Navigating the College Admissions Process With a Homeschooler

November 6, 2018

By Kendell Shaffer

Terry’s daughter Ceylon is a talented dancer who chose to homeschool during high school allowing more time for her dance training.

Hi Terry, I am super curious about the process for homeschoolers when it comes to applying to college, so thanks for sharing Ceylon’s story!

First question, did you hire a college counselor to help out?

Yes, we hired a College Counselor. The mother who mentored me through homeschooling made a recommendation. We met with her three times and she was available through emails and for proof reading.

How did Ceylon get teacher recommendations?

Getting teacher recommendations, was tricky. We homeschooled 11th and 12th grade so Ceylon reached out to her 10th grade English teacher from her old school who was happy to make a recommendation. She also was taking classes at City College and one particular teacher seemed interested in her educational goals. She had some reservations about asking him because college teachers often have limited knowledge of students but he had least seemed like the best candidate due to questions he had asked her about her future plans. Thankfully, he agreed.

Do you feel colleges were more accepting or dismissive of homeschool kids or did it not seem to matter?

I would say the schools that have a lower acceptance rate may have been more dismissive of her as a homeschooler. The current school she is attending gave her a dance department acceptance letter about two weeks after her dance audition. There was understanding that she most likely was accepted into the college but official confirmation was necessary. We were not notified of the final acceptance until the day before she was moving into her dorm. My guess is the review takes longer to conduct for homeschoolers.

Did the homeschooling high school classes she took satisfy the needs of the colleges?

There are two point of views among Homeschoolers as to whether to make sure you take A-G approved classes or not, in order to meet the California college requirements. The college counselor advised me that colleges also look at a student’s ability to be diversified in how and where courses are taken. The majority of Ceyon’s (high school) classes were college classes but she also took an online chartered school (curriculum) for a very small part. And, we hired a private tutor for her Algebra 2 and Statistics because she was not ready for those classes at a college level.

Do you think she had a leg up on other college Freshman this year? I bet being more familiar with college campus and classes really helped her adapt.

Ceylon has said more than once she is so happy to have done City College classes before attending her current school. She enjoyed being at a small campus before going to a much larger campus. What she is most grateful for is to have a year’s worth of credits in her freshman year. Her goal is to do college in 2 or 3 years.

Tell us about the audition process for applying to a dance program.

Ceylon did 4 auditions for college dance programs. She had narrowed her college applications down to only schools that the tuition was reasonable because she could not justify us paying a lot of tuition for a dance degree. This was completely her decision. Luckily all of the schools had a Los Angeles audition even if they were across the country. She was able to determine a lot about the dance programs based on what the audition was like. All of schools had a lot of perspective students auditioning with some schools needing to hold several auditions to accommodate all the possible students. Ceylon had done summer intensive auditions so she found the college audition to be very much the same as an dance intensive audition.

How involved were you in guiding her through her decisions? Do you feel like you understood how to navigate this world or since you were not in a traditional high school, did you feel like you had to figure everything out yourself?

I imagine parents in both traditional and home schools have their share of having to figure out the whole college process. Even though we hired a college counselor, I was still responsible for her High School transcripts and a Homeschool description of our program. As the School Counselor, I also had to write an objective recommendation letter for my daughter. The college counselor we hired kept Ceylon on track but it was up to me to navigate my part. Again, Ceylon was very practical in her decisions about schools. She wanted a college with a reputable dance department and not an expensive tuition. She realized to balance the academics and dance she did not want a school with too much rigorous academics.

Any final advice for other parents with children who homeschool?

I felt a huge sigh of relief to know she was accepted into colleges having done our own homeschool. The mother who mentored us had a daughter two years ahead of my daughter who got into all the schools she applied to so they modeled how to do it. I suggest you have someone who can guide you through the process. The greatest gift this mom gave me was how to do a transcript and a school description. Both took a lot of work.

Any final advice for parents whose children are applying to dance programs?

Ceylon may not be the best one to give advise on college dance programs. She is ambivalent about college for dancers. There is a lot of work in a dance program that requires you to complete both dance and academic requirements. The only way she was able to commit to a college dance program was to continue her training outside of college. She recently also did a teacher’s certification program for teaching acrobatic-dance. So for Ceylon’s goals there is more she desires than just the college degree.

Sounds like she is off to a great start! Best of luck to both you and Ceylon. 

Top 10 Colleges in the Midwest

October 9, 2018

By Emma Lorenzo

Choosing a college can be very stressful for high school students. Being in high school is hard enough with a full class schedule, extracurriculars, friends, and family.

Luckily, myKlovr has generated a list of the top ten colleges in the Midwest to help narrow down the options.

1. University of Chicago

Harper Library at the University of Chicago.

Location: Chicago, IL

Total Enrollment: 13,322

Acceptance Rate: 8%

Fun Facts

The University of Chicago was founded in 1890.

Popular majors at the University of Chicago include Economics, Political Science and Government, Biology, Mathematics, and Public Policy Analysis.

2. University of Notre Dame

The main building at the University of Notre Dame.

Location: Notre Dame, IN

Total Enrollment: 12,393

Acceptance Rate: 19%

Fun Facts

The University of Notre Dame was founded on November 26, 1842.

The school colors of the University of Notre Dame are blue and gold, the mascot is an Irish Terrier dog.

3. Washington University in St. Louis

Location: St. Louis, MO

Seigle Hall at Washington University in St. Louis.

Total Enrollment: 15,032

Acceptance Rate: 17%

Fun Facts

Washington University in St. Louis was founded on February 22, 1853.

Washington University in St. Louis has students and faculty from all 50 U.S. states and more than 120 countries.

 

The table below shows the other schools on the top ten list.

Ranking School Type of School Total Enrollment Location Acceptance Rate Setting
4 University of Michigan- Ann Arbor University 44,718 Ann Arbot, MI 29% Urban
5 Carleton College  Liberal Arts 2,105 Northfield, MN 16% Rural
6 The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University 46,951 Champaign, IL 60% Urban
7 Grinnell College Liberal Arts 1,699 Grinnel, IA 20% Rural
8 University of Wisconsin- Madison University 43,336 Madison, WI 53% Urban
9 Oberlin College Liberal Arts 2,912 Oberlin, OH 28% Suburban
10 Case Western Reserve University University 11,664 Cleveland, OH 35% Urban

MyKlovr created this top ten list by taking the average of the rankings from The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, College Raptor, Education Corner, and Niche.

Top 10 Colleges in the West Coast

October 3, 2018

By Emma Lorenzo

There are so many colleges available for students to choose from. It’s best for students to be aware of all their options for when applications come around.

For that reason, myKlovr has generated a list of the top ten colleges on the west coast.

 

1. Stanford University

Overview of Stanford University campus.

Location: Bay Area, CA

Total Enrollment: 16,914

Acceptance Rate: 5%

Fun Facts

Standford University was founded on November 11, 1885.

Stanford University has six schools, Business, Earth Energy and Environmental Sciences, Education, Engineering, Humanities and Sciences, Law, and Medicine.

 

2. California Institute of Technology

Robert A. Millikan Memorial Library at Caltech.

Location: Pasadena, CA

Total Enrollment: 2,240

Acceptance Rate: 8%

Fun Facts

California Institute of Technology was founded in 1891.

The mascot of Caltech is a beaver, to honor natures engineers.

 

3. Pomona College

Mason Hall, an academic building at Pomona College.

Location: Claremont, CA

Total Enrollment: 1,703

Acceptance Rate: 10%

Fun Facts

Pomona College was founded in 1887.

An alumnus of Pomona college is Art Clokey, the creator of Gumby.

 

 

The table below shows the other schools on the top ten list.

Ranking School Type of School Total Enrollment Location Acceptance Rate Setting
4 Claremont McKenna College Liberal Arts 1,347 Claremont, CA 9% Suburban
5 Harvey Mudd College Liberal Arts 829 Claremont, CA 13% Suburban
6 University of California, Berkeley University 40,174 Berkeley, CA 16% Urban
7 University of California, Los Angeles University 44,497 Los Angeles, CA 18% Urban
8 University of Southern California University 43,871 Los Angeles, CA 17% Urban
9 Scripps College Liberal Arts 1,057 Claremont, CA 30% Suburban
10 Reed College Liberal Arts 1,396 Portland, OR 35% Suburban

MyKlovr created this top ten list by taking the average of the rankings from The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, College Raptor, Education Corner, and Niche.

4 Ways for Students to Build their Personal Brand

June 7, 2018

By Matt Wujciak

1) Social Media

We live in a society where social media seems to dominate our reputations.  In fact, social media has gotten so personal in the past decade that concerns of privacy are becoming increasingly prevalent. For example, just look at Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook trial back in April regarding violations and infringements of data usage given to advertisers to target potential consumers. Horrifying.

Although social media is a scary concept with many negative components bringing stress to millions of Gen Z and Millennials, it can be used as an extremely effective marketing tool in order to build your personal brand… if you know how to harness it.

Whether you use Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Snapchat (the list goes on), or all of the mainstream mediums, you have the potential to gain a vast collective following, and therefore a digital voice that can be heard, regardless of your end goal.

That means putting your best foot forward. When it comes to social media, you want to have the right quantity of activity with content targeted towards the right market. Everyone is unique and different which means content should vary on a creative and individualized basis. This means updating your bio with interesting personal information.

If you’re a high school or college student, maybe put your school(s), grad year(s), and a quote that you live by as your bio. If you’re a start-up company, maybe put your brand’s slogan and your top services provided. Make sure you have your best profile picture available, perhaps a clear edited head shot incorporating the rule-of-thirds.

Be active on multiple forms of social media, especially LinkedIn in order to receive job updates, build connections, follow intriguing social media influencers and companies, read articles that interest you, and discover your passion(s).

Grow your follower base by keeping track of your personal analytical following through applications in the app store (unfollowing people you want to cut out of your life), using clever or comical captions and SEO trending hashtags, and staying engaged with comments, replies, likes etc.

Social media is an extremely informative marketing tool that anyone can use to market themselves to employers, friends, and potential connections.

 

2) On-Campus-Internships

If you’re a high school or college student who does not have time for a job or think it will take away from your academics during the school year, there are plenty of on-campus-internships at universities, as well as remote internships that will enhance your resume to future potential employers without consuming too much of your time.

Remote internships are a great way to get your foot in the door in the corporate world and can be tremendous learning experiences, especially if your field of interests are any of the following: communications, marketing, writing/journalism, psychology, social media, analytics, data research, and more.

These subjects are typically the most common among remote internships since more and more companies are finding it easier to get work done by students of these subjects even if they’re not physically in the office. In fact, many even offer college credits, giving you the option to save money that would be spent on taking another class.

 

3) Expanding Your Network

Being able to expand your network is one of the greatest “real-world” skills that a student or individual of any age can learn. This can be done via social media, including LinkedIn, representing the largest and most advanced form of your resume possible, connecting with companies that interest you, exploring myKlovr 2.0’s chat features after the launch, and reaching out to your connections.

For students looking to gain exposure to colleges, internships, jobs, or even just for fun, creating your own personal blog is another effective way to grow your network and personal brand, expand your following, and have your voice heard. You can write and publish articles on any topics you choose. Examples of popular blogging templates include WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, and many more.

When you submit a formal application to many colleges or employment opportunities, the recipient often times will ask for your “personal website” if you have one. Sharing your content on your personal blog is a great way to give insight of who you are and what you are passionate about. Use this opportunity to your advantage and start building that personal brand.

 

4) Daring to be Different

It is perfectly okay to step outside of your comfort zone. After all, this is what applications are all about. Learn what you are passionate about as soon as possible and attack that opportunity. For example, join that school club you always secretly wanted to get involved in, learn how to play that instrument you’ve been wanting to play, chase that crazy business idea, or even get involved in more athletics to learn how to work in a team environment.

Whether you’re a high school, college, or grad student, now is the time to learn about yourself and figure out your passion. Most people your age don’t know what that passion is yet, and that is okay. That is why you step out of your comfort zone to try new things. If you get involved by attempting to tackle new and productive challenges, your resume, applications, and personal brand will build themselves.

Reflecting On My Daughter’s Senior Year

May 22, 2018

By Kendell Shaffer

I wish the last two years with my daughter at home hadn’t been so hard. I wish she’d had more fun. In junior year, we were on her to get top grades. We knew it was an important year and didn’t want her to blow it. By senior year, she knew the routine and was hard on herself. Plus she had the added load of SATs, college applications and college essays. Although we spent a lot of time together through this process and touring schools, the majority of the time and talk was about college.

Now that she has been admitted and accepted, was this all worth it? Of course it was in a certain respect, but could it have been handled differently? I wonder how rigorous school work has to be. I just saw an article about Ivy League schools not being the only ticket to success. Does it really matter what school they go to in the end? Shouldn’t we be raising healthy well-balanced kids and not over-achievers? My children went to a Waldorf school for elementary and middle school. The philosophy there was to keep the children in childhood as long as possible. I always believed that philosophy and their motto: One Childhood, Live It Well.

Another thing I learned this year was not to trust the Net Price Calculators. This may be a situation in our family that is not reflective of everyone, however what happened with regarding financial aid was disappointing. Based on the FAFSA and our income, our estimated family contribution (EFC) was a manageable amount. And the same amount was reflected in the Net Price Calculators at most schools we applied to. However after the CSS profile was filtered in, the financial aid offered was not the same as anticipated from the Net Price Calculator.

When I look back on our year with what happened, my daughter working so hard, giving up many things to get into a top college and then us not being able to afford it, all those grownup factors coming into play, I wish I had been able to keep her in childhood just a little bit longer.

She has a younger brother and we are starting to think about some things differently. But even though he witnessed first hand his sister’s journey, he has already signed up for a rigorous course load next year and is taking on an additional special project as well as planning to be in the musical and play and on a sports team. Inherently these kids push themselves, I know that. I am proud that he wants to do so much. He still wants to tour some top colleges knowing we might not be able to afford them. But it’s his journey and all I can do is help guide him and support him.

So at the end of a very hard year I keep reflecting on the saying: One Childhood, Live It Well, and hope I can give my daughter one last summer of childhood before going off to college and hope she lives it well.

How Your Parents Can Help You Prepare for College

May 9, 2018

By Thomas Broderick

As a college-bound high school student, you certainly have plenty of work to do to get ready for the transition to college. There are essays to write, recommendation letters to ask for, and test scores to improve. However, you’re not alone in this. Besides your peers who are going through the same thing, your teachers are there to help, along with your guidance counselor. Most importantly, you have your parents.

Every family is different when it comes to the help they can or want to give their child during this time. In my case, my parents were glad to help. However, my mom was as ignorant about the process as I was, as she never went to college. My dad did go to college, but the application process had become so much more complicated since his college days. All three of us felt stumped. However, they did help out a lot, which means that even parents inexperienced with the process can help you apply.

In this article, we’ll look at some practical ways your parents can become involved in your college application journey.

Ask About Finances

At the very minimum, you need to discuss with your parents what they are willing to pay to finance your college education. Every family is different, so I don’t want you assuming anything. This is a conversation you need to have as soon as possible, as their answer will dramatically change the makeup of your list of potential colleges.

Now, that’s not to say that you have to write off colleges that cost too much to attend completely. Scholarships may close the financial gap. One thing you do not want to do under any circumstances is put yourself in a situation where you need to take out student loans. Yes, you’ll be 18 then, a legal adult who can take out a loan. But trust me, the VAST MAJORITY of 18-year-olds who take out student loans do not comprehend their long-term impact.

Tutors

Are you struggling with a subject or standardized test prep? You may need a tutor. If that’s the case, it never hurts to ask your parents for financial help paying for a tutor. After all, you can always spin it this way: “Every dollar invested now will result in $100 of scholarships when I improve my grades!”

Choosing Colleges

Besides money, your parents can help you in the college-selection process. Maybe one of your parents wants you to attend their alma mater. Even if you don’t care for the college, play nice and go on a tour to make your mom or dad happy. It’s the least you can do to show gratefulness for raising you.

Besides that, your parents can help a lot when it comes to the piles of colleges letters you’ll likely receive during your sophomore year of high school. These letters, though quite official looking, are nothing more than flashy advertisements. Your parents can help you sort through them, selecting those that best align with your interests. After all, your parents know you better than anyone else (hopefully).

Finally, parents come in handy during college tours. Besides giving you a ride or buying a plane ticket, here are some other ways they can help you during a tour:

  • Thinking up questions to ask the tour guide
  • After the tour, they’re a good sounding board for your first impressions about the college

Applications

So it’s finally time to apply to college. First and foremost, your parents can teach you essential organizational skills. From essays to letters of recommendation, there is a lot of material to keep organized. Just as important as materials is time. Everything has a different deadline, so ask your parents to buy you a calendar – a real one where you can look up and see what’s coming up over the next few weeks.

College essays, as an essential component of any college application, need to be at their best if they’re going to wow college admissions counselors. That’s why you need an editor. Hopefully, one of your parents may be able to fill that role. Remember that they shouldn’t write the essay for you, but provide feedback on each of your drafts.

Deciding Which College to Attend

If you’ve done everything in this article, this last part shouldn’t be TOO difficult. However, you may be blessed with a pile of acceptance letters and scholarships come April, and you’ll have to make the difficult decision of where to spend the next four years of your life.

Ultimately, it’s your decision where to attend college, and that can cause a lot of stress, anxiety, and plenty of other emotions that your not yet fully developed brain can handle. So that’s where your parents can help. Have a heart-to-heart: share your worries with him and listen to what they have to say.

Even after making your decision, you’ll still have feelings of ‘what if,’ doubts, and even some regret about not choosing a particular college. That’s a big part of growing up – making big decisions that involve trade offs.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to getting ready for college, just about everything falls on you, the future college student. But that doesn’t mean that your parents can’t still lend a helping hand. If they’re willing to act as your mentor on this journey, don’t turn it down. Everything helps.

How to Support Your Child with Senioritis

March 13, 2018

By Kendell Shaffer

In the dictionary, Senioritis is described as, “a supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation or performance.” It’s the word “supposed” that makes me laugh. Because when I asked my senior daughter to describe Senioritis, she said, “Teachers should acknowledge that second semester of senior year is exhausting and they should give us a break. Teachers think Senioritis is a joke and they get angry at it.”

After doing four performances of her high school musical this weekend, two months of after school and Saturday rehearsals, debates on alternative weekends, college applications, SAT’s, college essays, and keeping up a full load of honors classes there is not much left of her. And the thought of not knowing where she will be attending school next year, where she will be living, knowing she will be away from family and friends is only adding to the stress.

These seniors are mentally and physically exhausted. As juniors they were told by college counselors to keep up the rigor in senior year. That colleges don’t want to see you taking easy classes. So in my daughter’s case, this year has been one of her toughest academically. “I thought senior year was supposed to be fun,” she often says. From my point of view, this year as been anything but. There are fun things ahead; a senior class trip, Prom, yearbook day, graduation, but even those events have deadlines and inherent pressures.

And what about the parents? Aren’t we entitled to a bit of Senioritis too, or how about Parentitis? I don’t know about other parents with seniors, but I am exhausted. The journey to college has been constant, stressful, emotional and unnerving at times. I cannot wait to have this all behind us and hope my daughter winds up in the perfect college for her in the perfect dorm with the perfect roommate. But I know perfection is not possible and only imagine there will be lots of hands on counseling from afar next year.

So maybe Senioritis is a “supposed affliction” and not acknowledged by teachers. But it’s real in my house. And how best to support my daughter when I don’t have many reserves left? As my fiend, Gwen said in last week’s blog, “I tried to keep things calm and light and make sure she was never late, had everything she needed and was fed and watered.” Thanks, Gwen, I will be applying those ideas to help get us through the rest of this year. At least fed and watered I can handle.

There’s a Cowboy College? Rope Me In!

February 21, 2018

By Kendell Shaffer

Vanity Fair recently wrote a piece about Deep Springs College, but I had heard about this school years ago. Deep Springs is a small two-year college that takes only thirteen boys a year and guides them through an intellectual and physical journey. It’s tuition free and the students pay for their room and board by working on a cattle ranch. They are taught by professors from Yale and Berkely and most often transfer to an Ivy League university for their junior and senior years. And only the students who score within the top one percent on the SAT’s will get in.

Elite cowboy training. So what’s the point?

Founder, Lucien Lucius Nunn in 1923 said, “The desert has a deep personality; it has a voice. Great leaders in all ages have sought the desert and heard its voice. You can hear it if you listen, but you cannot hear it while in the midst of uproar and strife for material things.”

Deep Springs trains leaders and thinkers. According to Vanity Fair, some include, “ambassador to the United Nations William J. vanden Heuvel; famed CBS newsman Charles Collingwood; Virginia congressman Jim Olin; top internet entrepreneurs and edgy novelists William Vollmann and Peter Rock.”

The combination of nature and academics rings true to some of the values of a Waldorf education. My kids went to Waldorf schools, so Deep Springs resonated with me. With so much technology in these kids’ lives, working with their hands on the land seems more important than ever. Teens being constantly plugged in, the days of day dreaming are over.

To spend two years in the dessert unplugged with blue horizons to read and think and wonder could be the best thing for our kids. So how come there aren’t more schools like Deep Springs out there?

With some digging I found College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine. A small college of 350 students with an emphasis on human-ecology which is, “the investigation of the relations between humans and their environments.”

Here’s a list of the Best Outdoor Schools in America. Although none of them except, College of the Atlantic, come close to Deep Creek.

I know Deep Springs will not be on my son’s college list, but it does make me think that perhaps he should look elsewhere besides a city school. I’m wondering if there might be summer programs that can supply him with a similar experience. If nothing else, it has inspired me to take my kids on a long hike in the hills this afternoon. We’ll unplug for awhile and talk about ideas. And maybe I’ll hint at a college not surrounded by skyscrapers.

Early Decision Results Are In. What Happens Next?

December 20, 2017

By Kendell Shaffer

Last week was a big one. Early Decision and Early Action results were mailed. Sydney applied Early Decision to her reach school and unfortunately was not accepted. Of course, she was disappointed. But she has so many other colleges she’s excited about and now she’s free to apply to them.

The rest of the week was filled with Sydney’s friends being accepted to and rejected from Early Action schools. Sydney didn’t apply to any of those as she was focusing on her ED application. The benefit of Early Action is that you hear about your acceptance earlier. And they are non-binding. The Early Decision applications are binding.

So what’s next? Sydney can still apply to one school Early Decision II with a deadline of January 1 and hear back on February 15. But there are so many other wonderful schools out there, she is hoping that by applying regular decision to all her picks, she might have a choice of schools. It’s really hard for her to narrow down a specific school right now. Once again we’d be faced with the Early Decision offering a high acceptance but if accepted, a binding contract and having to withdraw all the other applications.

Not all schools offer Early Action, but from my current point of view, that’s the way to go. It’s the best of all worlds, you hear early, it’s non-binding and you have the freedom to wait for the other offers. I think with Jasper, who is in tenth grade now, we will encourage Early Action.

Sometimes you take a risk. And sometimes it doesn’t turn out. And sometimes it turns out for the better in unexpected ways. And that’s not just an expression because within just a few days we’ve already had discussions about other options which are maybe even more intriguing.

Is One College Counselor Enough or Too Much?

November 29, 2017

By Kendell Shaffer

“No C’s senior year!” says Sydney’s high school college counselor as she helps students navigate college options and keeps them on track with applications.

“It’s important to build a strong relationship with your college counselor so that they can write the best recommendation possible,” Sydney told me.

My daughter is extremely lucky to have such a hands-on college counselor at her school, but not all students take advantage of this opportunity. “Some kids just don’t care,” Sydney added. Others at her school feel one counselor is not enough. They find outside counselors to lead them through the process and read essays, etc.

Sydney did not get an extra counselor but she did ask her relatives and teachers for help throughout the process. Sydney noticed that some teachers got the message of her essay more than others and she was able to incorporate their suggestions to make it as polished as possible. “But too many suggestions can be overwhelming and stressful,” said Sydney, “Don’t lose your voice.”

Sydney went on to add more suggestions, “Write your essay early on in the year, preferably during summer. Have your college counselor and one other trusted mentor read it first and get their general opinions on the content and structure of the piece. After you make those comments send it to a new person and see what they think. Ignore a comment if it is totally unrelated to what other people are saying.

“Try to get a college representative to read your essay (this is so helpful!). And lastly, do all the edits but keep your very first original essay untouched. After all the edits are done go back and read your first version and make sure that you feel comfortable that your individual voice is still there.”

It’s an insane amount of work, but with the help of a counselor who keeps you on track and a supportive family your student can do it all and still manage not to get C’s senior year.

A Parent’s Guide to College Planning in 7 Steps

November 16, 2017

By myKlovr

As a parent, your time is limited and the task of planning for college with your child can become daunting. You want the best for your child; however, private college consulting services cost a minimum of $5,000 and public school counselors are often overwhelmed with advisees. At MyKlovr, we offer you a cost-effective, virtual counselor program to help you and your child get into the best colleges.

Here are 7 highly effective tips to help you navigate the college admissions process and improve your child’s chances of getting into the college of their dreams.

1. Choosing the Best Colleges

While the first decision for many is based on a college’s rank and prestige, this is rarely the best approach. Even if your child attends the top-ranked college in the nation, if he or she is miserable at the school their educational experience will be less than ideal.

Instead, start to narrow the field by having a conversation with your child using these questions:

  • Are you attracted to a large student body or do you prefer a smaller academic environment?
  • Where are you happiest? In a bustling city setting or do you prefer a more rural setting?
  • Are you willing to move far away from home or would you prefer to be close? (If saving money on room and board by having your child live at home is ideal, talk about schools within a reasonable traveling distance).
  • Do you have a good idea of what you want to study in college? (If the answer is yes, then focus on schools that offer the best programs in that area. If the answer is no, focus on more well-rounded schools to allow your child to find their chosen path).

In general, you should aim to create a list of 6-8 schools (2-3 difficult colleges, 2-3 target schools, and about 2 safety schools).

2. Visit Your Chosen Schools

If possible, plan a trip to as many schools on your list as possible. There is no better way to see whether a school is a good fit for your child than walking the campus, having dinner in the surrounding area, and getting an overall sense of the vibe of the school.

Insider Tip: Many schools allow prospective students to sit in on a class or two. This can be a great way to get a feel for a school and the experience will motivate your child to take the college admission process seriously.

3. Keep a Written Record

Once you have a list of schools, make a list of all the requirements for each college. This may seem like a lot of tedious work, but it will save you time, aggravation, and frustration down the road. All colleges have a list of required materials on their website, make sure you and your child work together to write a detailed list of what each school requires and don’t forget to write down the deadlines for applications and supporting materials.

This list will save you more than time. It will serve as a great reminder to motivate you and your child to meet the college deadlines together.

4. Request Recommendations Early

Almost all colleges require recommendations and well-written recommendations will increase the chances of getting into the best colleges. But keep this one thing in mind, the people you ask for recommendations are busy and you are asking them for a favor.

In all your communications, be polite, friendly, and helpful. Clearly, list out in an email what is required of the recommender. Do not make teachers and professional references go to the website to find out for themselves. If the recommendation must be mailed, provide each reference with a stamped envelope with the address filled out in advance.

Don’t be too pushy, but after a reasonable amount of time, there is nothing wrong with a gentle and friendly reminder if the recommendation still hasn’t been completed.

5. Request Supporting Material Early

It might sound simple, but having transcripts and SAT and ACT scores sent to colleges takes time. So give yourself some breathing room and make sure the supporting materials get in earlier rather than later. For example, SAT scores typically take about 2 weeks to send.

Insider Tip: The first step of the college admission process is simply collecting all the required material. Meaning regardless of the brilliance of your child’s application, missing components will hold up the whole process or, worse, result in missing an opportunity to apply to your chosen colleges.

 6. Nail the College Admission Essays

College admissions selection committees often read through hundreds of applications. One way to have your child stand out is by writing a top-notch college admission essay to showcase their personality.

But start the process early. Most writers, no matter how talented, write terrible first drafts. For this reason, the revision process is the key to a solid and outstanding college essay. If possible, plan to have your child write a first draft, a revision, and then the final draft.

A Few Insider Tips:

Because college selection committees read hundreds of essays, make sure your child’s unique voice and experiences stand out from the pack. For example, instead of vague statements such as “I’m an adventurous person,” encourage your child to be more specific and use real-life experiences. Such as: “In 2016, I decided to hike the Appalachian Trail to build confidence and push myself beyond my limits.”

A Few Other Tips: 

  • Double and triple check all grammar and spelling.
  • Have your child read the essay out loud (yes, this really does improve writing).
  • Ask friends, family, and peers to read the essay if possible.
  • Watch the word count, all colleges have length limits, make sure to follow them.
  • Provide plenty of encouragement, most of us hate writing about ourselves.

7. Celebrate

After you complete the college admissions process, celebrate with your child. Visit a favorite restaurant, participate in a shared activity, or anything you both enjoy. You earned it!

We hope these 7 steps make the process of applying to college a little easier. If you need more help, be sure to visit MyKlovr, a virtual counselor platform providing high school college-bound students with personalized recommendations of goals, milestones, and resources to increase their chances of getting into the college of their dreams.

We wish you the best of luck!

Supporting A Family Member During College Admission Season

By Thomas Broderick

Thanksgiving is a time of family, togetherness, and food…lots of food. For adults, it’s one of the most laid-back holidays of the year (unless you’re the one cooking). For high school seniors caught up in completing college applications, however, deadlines, stress about the future, and upcoming midterms can put a damper on their holiday.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, let’s examine how a family can support one of its own during this busy, frustrating, and worrisome time. In this article, we’ll look at things both parents and siblings can do to support their family member’s journey to college. If everyone chips in, your whole family should have a great Thanksgiving and holiday season.

Why All the Stress? 

NBC News reports that “30 percent of teens reported feeling sad or depressed because of stress and 31 percent felt overwhelmed. Another 36 percent said that stress makes them tired and 23 percent said they’ve skipped meals because of it.” Below are some of the top reasons why your family member is ‘feeling the squeeze’ this week.

  • The Early Decision Jitters: For starters, many students apply early decision to their dream college or university. Though these deadlines are usually November 1st, the ‘what ifs’ going through a teen’s mind can cause a lot of stress. Think about it: in a few days he or she may receive a life-changing email.
  • The Regular Decision Race to the Finish: In addition to early decision, there are the fast-approaching regular admission deadlines, which range from December 1st to January 1st. This means that December, just days away, is going to be a busy month as your family member puts the final touches on his or her college applications.
  • The Midterm Blues: Finally, December is full of another common stressor: midterms. Even though college admissions counselors do not see applicants’ senior year grades when making their decisions, some colleges have rescinded acceptance letters when an applicant slacked off academically or got into trouble during senior year.

How You Can Help

Whether you’re a parent or sibling, there are lots of little things you can do to help your family member succeed. Let’s consider a few easy options:

  • Hire a Tutor. Investing in a tutor is an investment in your child’s future. Even in their senior year, college-bound students still need help with difficult subjects, especially AP courses. Having a tutor work with your child for the few months leading up to final exams will make sure that he or she is well-prepared for college’s academic challenges.
    • If you’re an older sibling home from college during Thanksgiving week, offer to provide the same tutoring assistance for free.
  • Do Some Extra Chores. If you’re a sibling, help your brother or sister out by doing a few of their chores. Call it an early holiday gift! Even if you can pick up the slack just a little, you’ll allow your sibling more time to focus on the task of applying to college.
  • Be a Shoulder to Lean On. Stress causes many college-bound high school seniors to feel isolated. Talk with your child or sibling about their frustrations, worries, hopes, and dreams. Not only will you learn more about what they’re going through, but the conversation should help them realize that people they love have their back.
  • Get His or Her Mind off the Stress. Most students have the Wednesday before Thanksgiving off from school. Use this day to help your family member get his or her mind off everything on their plate (And I’m not talking about their Thanksgiving meal. ;). For example, have him or her help with Thanksgiving preparations. For some people, cooking is a great stress reliever. There will still be work to do later, but a mental break will help them reenergize for that final push in December.
  • Plan a Fun Event for When the Applications Are Complete. Successfully submitting college applications is a reason to celebrate. Let your child or sibling plan a fun activity to commemorate his or her achievement. Planning this activity in advance will help keep them focused and motivated throughout the coming weeks.

Final Thoughts

Even with family support, a high school senior must still complete the bulk of the work involved in applying to college. Over the next few weeks, that’s their full-time job. So if you have the chance, lend them a helping hand. I encourage you to go above and beyond the suggestions in this article. Every family is different, after all. I’m sure that whatever you try will have a positive impact.

“And finally,”…(takes a bite of a massive turkey leg)…”Apy Hanksgibing!”

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