August Newsletter

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Next Steps: Essays, Packing & More

Many colleges have just become harder to get into by eliminating the supplemental essay. More students will apply because of the mistaken notion that less writing makes it easier. By having one less element on which to evaluate students, the hard metrics are going to be even more determinative of who gets in based on scores and GPAs.

What will actually happen is that colleges still can only admit a certain number of students but because of the increase in applications, the acceptance rate will drop and it's going to be much more difficult for students to differentiate themselves based on essays.

The Common Application opens August 1, so students should complete it and include their essay. Please note that the best way to include your essay is to cut and paste it from an MSWord doc.

The Common App essay is the same essay that goes to ALL colleges. If you do need another essay as a supplement, do NOT just tweak the Common App essay. For example, if the supplemental essay is a “why us” question, then you need to zero in on what makes you and that particular school a good fit. Be specific!

PCCI's goal is to find the best fit at a school that is academically, socially and FINANCIALLY most appropriate, thereby putting your student in the best position to succeed in college and beyond.

Remember, there can be a huge difference between sticker price and net cost (i.e. what you actually pay). It’s our job to show you where and how much to expect that number to move down to or alternatively show you which colleges will stay at full price based on your situation while still keeping you on track with your budget.

Allow PCCI to help set you up for success and find your dream school.

To arrange a complimentary PCCI consultation, simply email me or call 508-622-5250.

Best regards,

Honoria DaSilva-Kilgore, Esq. of Personal College Counseling, Inc.

nod@personalcollegecounseling.com

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AI Considerations

The systems used to detect AI generated content are robust. Don't use AI to write your essays. It's important for you to think and analyze critically and taking the AI shortcut certainly won't gain you an acceptance letter. Essentially, your college essay subject matter has to highlight something about you personally. It should be authentic, and AI is unable to do that for you. If you are going to use AI, use it only as a research tool and to search for info about colleges.

Important Documents

Students, now that you are headed to college, it’s time to start getting your documents in order and building your own credit.

Before you head off to school, set up or apply for:

A bank account
A credit card
A passport
A Venmo account (optional)

Parents, it's a good time to establish legal documents such as a Health Care Proxy (HCP) and a Power of Attorney (POA) for your 18+ year old student.

Pack it Up!

Time to pack for college!

Packing for and moving into a dorm can be challenging. Don't know where to start? We've got you covered with our handy Dorm Packing List!

But first, a note on what you shouldn't try to pack — your mini-fridge, microwave and other small appliances. Simply order them online and have them delivered to your dorm.

Download our Dorm Packing List of what you need to consider when figuring out what to pack for your dorm.