In this episode, Coach Sonia discusses what colleges and universities seek beyond GPA and class rank in college applications. She reflects on her experience at the QuestBridge College Launch event with admission representatives from top colleges such as Bowdin, Dartmouth, Pomona College, and Rice University.
She emphasizes the importance of authenticity in the college admissions process, advising students to highlight their struggles, personal growth, and unique stories in their application essays.
This episode aims to provide practical tips and encouragement for students and parents navigating the college admissions journey.
We will discuss:
- Understanding college admissions
- Why AI is not the answer
- The importance of authenticity in your personal statement
- Why you should embrace your individuality
- Sharing your personal struggles
- Exploring your career path and connections
Loved this episode, share it with a friend.
Want to connect further and be part of our growing community? Then join our College and Career Connections Club for free at www.CollegeCareerReady.org/join
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LinkedIn
Instagram
Join our College and Career Connections Club for free at www.CollegeCareerReady.org/join
Learn about our Career Connections Course: www.CollegeCareerReady.org/COURSE
"Stay well, be present, and enjoy the journey"
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Aside from academics, GPA andclass rank.
What are colleges anduniversities looking for in your
college application?
I Find out in today's episode.
(00:43):
If you're not yet, part of mycommunity think get started
today for free by joining thediscover you connections club.
The connections club is the nameof my email list, where I send
out college and careerconnection tips to help you
prepare not just for college,but ultimately for your future
career goals.
These practical tips will helpyou stress less and enjoy the
(01:05):
college and career journey muchmore as you discover, connect,
and enjoy.
I'm sharing up to datestrategies and tips along with
an honest portrayal of what I'mdoing to explore college and
career readiness in today's jobmarket.
And it is communicated via emailbecause I don't feel like
putting it out all out forpublic consumption.
(01:27):
So, if that is something you'reinterested in by hearing
firsthand, what I am finding andexploring about colleges and
careers.
Then I would encourage you to goto www.collegecareerready.org
forward slash join.
And now let's get started withtoday's episode.
First and foremost, welcome toany new listener.
(01:50):
If this is your first timelistening in, I wants to give
you a warm welcome.
You are in the right place.
If you are wanting to learn andexplore all topics related to
college connections.
Uh, career path and personalgrowth.
I'm your personal coach, SonyaToday I will be talking directly
to all of our students, whetheryou are a sophomore, junior, or
(02:14):
senior in high school.
I will hope you understand theimportance of discovering and
clearly knowing and articulatingwho you truly are.
Because news alert, knowing thatcan impact your college
admissions process.
So parents.
Listen to this episode togetherwith your teen or young
adolescent or listen to itfirsthand and then send them the
(02:36):
link directly to them.
After they listen, you can havea discussion about what you each
heard and discovered.
The college admissions processcan be a daunting journey filled
with excitement, anxiety, hope,and let's be very honest.
Sometimes even disappointment.
But my goal today is to ease thestress and anxiety while also
(02:58):
doing our part together to avoidthis appointment.
One of the stressful parts ofthe college admissions process
is the college admissions essayor personal statement.
Many colleges and universitiesrequire a college admissions
essay as part of the applicationprocess.
These personal statements, allowstudents to discover their
(03:19):
academic achievements, theirstrings, and other personal
aspects that didn't help.
officers see them as uniqueindividuals.
Students, please do not jump tochat GBT or AI for this process.
That would be the first bigmistake because pretty soon
colleges will start seeing apattern in writing structure
(03:41):
format, and sometimes even themeat of the essay.
And that is not how you want tostart your journey into college.
Trust me.
Colleges wants to hear aboutyou.
A few weeks ago, I attendedQuestBridge college launch in
person.
It was an in-person event hereat rice university in Houston,
Texas, where educators alongwith rising juniors and guests
(04:05):
enjoyed a half day ofprogramming, including an
informative live paneldiscussion with admission
representatives from Bowden,Dartmouth, Pomona college and
rice university.
This allowed all of us presentto explore colleges from various
states.
In this case, we had Maine NewHampshire.
(04:25):
California and Texas in thehouse.
Hold all these collegesrepresented different regions.
They had something in common.
That part of their admissionsprocess, aside from academics
was that they wanted to know whoyou are.
Your own story.
Now let's go back.
Notice, I did not say that theywanted to know that you weren't
(04:47):
top 2% or top 5% in your class.
Quite honestly, I think thatwill be a given where you send
out academically, when youcomplete your college admissions
process.
When you upload your transcriptin that they see your academic.
However, this is not what I'mtalking about today.
Let's say you are not in thattop percent yet you still meet
(05:11):
their academic entryrequirements.
Now we move on to the next step.
And in my opinion, the mostimportant step.
What makes you, you.
What do you have to offer theuniversity?
Do you think they want to hearthe story that you don't even
have to study for exams?
And that even the hardestclasses were easy for you?
(05:32):
Well, let me tell you the answeris no, my friend.
They want to hear about yourstruggles and even sometimes
failures that have cleared andpaved the way to your
resilience.
Determination and ability toseek mentors and resources to
help you along the way.
Today, I want to emphasize theimportance of sharing your
(05:54):
authentic self, including yourstruggles and your journey.
Colleges.
Aren't just looking for perfectstudents with flawless records.
They are looking for real peoplewith unique stories, diverse
backgrounds, and a genuinepassion for learning and growth.
Your authenticity is your mostpowerful tool.
(06:16):
It sets you apart from thousandsof other applicants and gives
admission officers a true senseof who you are.
When I say, share who you are.
I mean, and brace yourindividuality.
What makes you, you.
Is it your love for robotics?
You new passion for paintingyour dedication to community
(06:39):
service.
Or perhaps your resilience inthe face of challenges.
Don't shy away from thequalities and experiences that
defined you.
Celebrate them.
They are the heart of yourapplication.
Now let's dive into theimportance of sharing your
struggles.
This might seem counterintuitiveafter all isn't the admissions
(07:02):
process about showcasing yourstrengths and achievements.
Yes, but it's also aboutdemonstrating your character.
Resilience and compacity forgrowth.
When you shared your struggles,your admin.
You're adversity.
Maybe you face a tough familysituation.
(07:24):
Struggled with a learningdisability.
Or dealt with personal setbacks.
These experiences, shape who youare.
And how you approach.
determination and your abilityto persevere, which are
qualities that colleges highlyvalue.
College admissions, no somethingyou don't.
(07:45):
That college is not like highschool.
It is a lot more challenging,rigorous.
And guess what?
It will also give you morefreedom to showcase whether you
are responsible.
Dedicated determined andresilient against obstacles.
If you portray a visual of justbeing smart.
(08:08):
Where you don't even have toequip yourself with learning
strategies, finding resourcesand develop self advocacy.
Then in their eyes, you mightnot be a good fit.
Share how you discovered yourcareer path.
Sharing your journey is equallyvital.
Your journey is to narrative ofhow you've grown and evolved
(08:29):
over the years.
It's the story of your academicinterests, your extracurricular.
Your extracurricular passions,aspirations.
It's about connecting the dotsbetween your past experiences
and your future goals.
For instance, if you'vediscovered a passion for
environmental science, Don't saythat you just woke up one day
(08:51):
and found your passion.
Because discovering a passion isan evolution.
It starts with being curious,exploring interests.
And through this process, youhave identified your passion.
In this case, let's use this asan example.
Talk about how your interestsdeveloped.
(09:13):
Maybe it started with a schoolproject that grew through a
community initiative that youjoined and solidified with an
internship at a localenvironment organization.
This journey, showcases yourcommitment and provides a
roadmap of your academic andpersonal growth.
your story matters.
(09:33):
Here is what the truth of thematter is.
If you apply to colleges andmeet their entry requirements,
you have.
You have good grades and solidtest scores.
Then you are just and you havechecked the box.
So what will set you apart?
You can highlight and setyourself apart through your
personal essay.
(09:54):
If you write about your strugglewith anxiety and how it affected
your academic performance inhigh school and how you sought
help learned coping strategiesand eventually started a mental
health awareness club at yourschool.
At your school.
This is what will set you apart.
Your honesty.
Vulnerability and inspiration.
(10:15):
And this is something AI cannotdo for you.
This will come from within andyour own journey.
It shows the admissionscommittee, your resilience and
commitment to helping yourselfthrough this journey.
It shows self-advocacy and agrowth mindset.
I have heard students withsimilar stories like this, get
accepted to their top choicecolleges.
(10:37):
And where even the admissionsofficers have shared that
applicant's essays were adeciding factor and that it
wasn't students perfect gradesthat got them in.
But rather it was theirauthentic story of struggle and
growth.
In your essay show or highlightyour exploration journey and how
(10:58):
you arrived to the finding yourcareer path.
Share your story fromdiscovering, exploring to
defining.
They don't expect you to wake upone day and know all the
answers.
They know this was a journey andthis is your journey to share
not AIS, perfectly writtenessay.
So, what can you do to startexploring who you truly are,
(11:20):
what you have to offer in yourown career path?
Begin by knowing yourself,discover your interests, skills,
abilities, and values toopportunities outside of the
classroom.
Summer and holiday breaks are agreat opportunity to explore
what is out there while bringingclarity to who you truly are and
(11:40):
what drives you.
Start building your college andcareer connections by exploring
the world around you throughinternships, shadowing
opportunities, info sessions,and so many other ways that you
might not know that are at yourfingertips.
And.
And you are in luck becauseanother option is by joining my
(12:00):
career that will launch July1st.
So just in a few weeks, And thiscourse I will help you first
find yourself.
So you can clearly speak aboutyour interests, values, and
strengths in your college essaysand personal statements.
Knowing who you truly are, whatyou have encountered and
(12:20):
overcome and what makes you,you.
And that is just the beginning.
While.
While I help you rediscover yourauthentic self.
I will also prepare you toopportunities in today's quickly
evolving professional jobmarket.
While also teaching you how tocreate smart goals as you start
(12:41):
exploring and making thosecollege connections.
If you don't want to missknowing when open registration
starts to this course.
Which has just.
our free newsletter community,our very own college and career
connections club by going towww.collegecareerready.org
(13:01):
forward slash join again.
That's college career ready.
All one word.
Dot org forward slash join orclick on the link in the show
notes.
So as you explore your collegeapplications, remember.
So as you explore your collegeapplication, remember your
journey and your authentic selfare powerful elements that can
(13:23):
make your application stand out.
Don't be afraid to bevulnerable.
Embrace your unique experiencesand share them confidentially.
Take the time to reflect on whoyou are and how you've grown.
Think about the challenges youfaced and what you've learned
from them.
And most importantly, be honest.
And true to yourself.
(13:44):
Your authenticity will resonatemore than any polished perfect
narrative ever.
Could.
I hope this episode has inspiredyou to embrace your journey and
share it boldly in your collegeapplications.
Remember you are more than yourgrades and test scores.
You are your experiences, yourstruggles, your passions, and
(14:04):
your dreams.
All right, my sweet friend.
I hope you found this episodehelpful.
And if you did, please share itwith a friend that you know,
will benefit from it as well.
Until next week, my friend staywell, be present and enjoy the
journey.
Until next week, my friend.
Well Thank you for listening in.
(14:29):
If you enjoyed this episode, itwould mean so much to me if you
share it with a friend, acolleague, or your own
community.
If you share it on social mediaand tag me, I'll make sure to
personally thank you.
My two favorite places to hangout are Instagram and LinkedIn.
Check out our show notes for adirect link.
I'm so thankful for each andevery one of you.
(14:50):
And as always stay well, bepresent and enjoy the journey.
I'll talk to you next week.
Adios.
Aside from academics, GPA andclass rank.
What are colleges anduniversities looking for in your
college application?
I Find out in today's episode.
(00:43):
If you're not yet, part of mycommunity think get started
today for free by joining thediscover you connections club.
The connections club is the nameof my email list, where I send
out college and careerconnection tips to help you
prepare not just for college,but ultimately for your future
career goals.
These practical tips will helpyou stress less and enjoy the
(01:05):
college and career journey muchmore as you discover, connect,
and enjoy.
I'm sharing up to datestrategies and tips along with
an honest portrayal of what I'mdoing to explore college and
career readiness in today's jobmarket.
And it is communicated via emailbecause I don't feel like
putting it out all out forpublic consumption.
(01:27):
So, if that is something you'reinterested in by hearing
firsthand, what I am finding andexploring about colleges and
careers.
Then I would encourage you to goto www.collegecareerready.org
forward slash join.
And now let's get started withtoday's episode.
First and foremost, welcome toany new listener.
(01:50):
If this is your first timelistening in, I wants to give
you a warm welcome.
You are in the right place.
If you are wanting to learn andexplore all topics related to
college connections.
Uh, career path and personalgrowth.
I'm your personal coach, SonyaToday I will be talking directly
to all of our students, whetheryou are a sophomore, junior, or
(02:14):
senior in high school.
I will hope you understand theimportance of discovering and
clearly knowing and articulatingwho you truly are.
Because news alert, knowing thatcan impact your college
admissions process.
So parents.
Listen to this episode togetherwith your teen or young
adolescent or listen to itfirsthand and then send them the
(02:36):
link directly to them.
After they listen, you can havea discussion about what you each
heard and discovered.
The college admissions processcan be a daunting journey filled
with excitement, anxiety, hope,and let's be very honest.
Sometimes even disappointment.
But my goal today is to ease thestress and anxiety while also
(02:58):
doing our part together to avoidthis appointment.
One of the stressful parts ofthe college admissions process
is the college admissions essayor personal statement.
Many colleges and universitiesrequire a college admissions
essay as part of the applicationprocess.
These personal statements, allowstudents to discover their
(03:19):
academic achievements, theirstrings, and other personal
aspects that didn't help.
officers see them as uniqueindividuals.
Students, please do not jump tochat GBT or AI for this process.
That would be the first bigmistake because pretty soon
colleges will start seeing apattern in writing structure
(03:41):
format, and sometimes even themeat of the essay.
And that is not how you want tostart your journey into college.
Trust me.
Colleges wants to hear aboutyou.
A few weeks ago, I attendedQuestBridge college launch in
person.
It was an in-person event hereat rice university in Houston,
Texas, where educators alongwith rising juniors and guests
(04:05):
enjoyed a half day ofprogramming, including an
informative live paneldiscussion with admission
representatives from Bowden,Dartmouth, Pomona college and
rice university.
This allowed all of us presentto explore colleges from various
states.
In this case, we had Maine NewHampshire.
(04:25):
California and Texas in thehouse.
Hold all these collegesrepresented different regions.
They had something in common.
That part of their admissionsprocess, aside from academics
was that they wanted to know whoyou are.
Your own story.
Now let's go back.
Notice, I did not say that theywanted to know that you weren't
(04:47):
top 2% or top 5% in your class.
Quite honestly, I think thatwill be a given where you send
out academically, when youcomplete your college admissions
process.
When you upload your transcriptin that they see your academic.
However, this is not what I'mtalking about today.
Let's say you are not in thattop percent yet you still meet
(05:11):
their academic entryrequirements.
Now we move on to the next step.
And in my opinion, the mostimportant step.
What makes you, you.
What do you have to offer theuniversity?
Do you think they want to hearthe story that you don't even
have to study for exams?
And that even the hardestclasses were easy for you?
(05:32):
Well, let me tell you the answeris no, my friend.
They want to hear about yourstruggles and even sometimes
failures that have cleared andpaved the way to your
resilience.
Determination and ability toseek mentors and resources to
help you along the way.
Today, I want to emphasize theimportance of sharing your
(05:54):
authentic self, including yourstruggles and your journey.
Colleges.
Aren't just looking for perfectstudents with flawless records.
They are looking for real peoplewith unique stories, diverse
backgrounds, and a genuinepassion for learning and growth.
Your authenticity is your mostpowerful tool.
(06:16):
It sets you apart from thousandsof other applicants and gives
admission officers a true senseof who you are.
When I say, share who you are.
I mean, and brace yourindividuality.
What makes you, you.
Is it your love for robotics?
You new passion for paintingyour dedication to community
(06:39):
service.
Or perhaps your resilience inthe face of challenges.
Don't shy away from thequalities and experiences that
defined you.
Celebrate them.
They are the heart of yourapplication.
Now let's dive into theimportance of sharing your
struggles.
This might seem counterintuitiveafter all isn't the admissions
(07:02):
process about showcasing yourstrengths and achievements.
Yes, but it's also aboutdemonstrating your character.
Resilience and compacity forgrowth.
When you shared your struggles,your admin.
You're adversity.
Maybe you face a tough familysituation.
(07:24):
Struggled with a learningdisability.
Or dealt with personal setbacks.
These experiences, shape who youare.
And how you approach.
determination and your abilityto persevere, which are
qualities that colleges highlyvalue.
College admissions, no somethingyou don't.
(07:45):
That college is not like highschool.
It is a lot more challenging,rigorous.
And guess what?
It will also give you morefreedom to showcase whether you
are responsible.
Dedicated determined andresilient against obstacles.
If you portray a visual of justbeing smart.
(08:08):
Where you don't even have toequip yourself with learning
strategies, finding resourcesand develop self advocacy.
Then in their eyes, you mightnot be a good fit.
Share how you discovered yourcareer path.
Sharing your journey is equallyvital.
Your journey is to narrative ofhow you've grown and evolved
(08:29):
over the years.
It's the story of your academicinterests, your extracurricular.
Your extracurricular passions,aspirations.
It's about connecting the dotsbetween your past experiences
and your future goals.
For instance, if you'vediscovered a passion for
environmental science, Don't saythat you just woke up one day
(08:51):
and found your passion.
Because discovering a passion isan evolution.
It starts with being curious,exploring interests.
And through this process, youhave identified your passion.
In this case, let's use this asan example.
Talk about how your interestsdeveloped.
(09:13):
Maybe it started with a schoolproject that grew through a
community initiative that youjoined and solidified with an
internship at a localenvironment organization.
This journey, showcases yourcommitment and provides a
roadmap of your academic andpersonal growth.
your story matters.
(09:33):
Here is what the truth of thematter is.
If you apply to colleges andmeet their entry requirements,
you have.
You have good grades and solidtest scores.
Then you are just and you havechecked the box.
So what will set you apart?
You can highlight and setyourself apart through your
personal essay.
(09:54):
If you write about your strugglewith anxiety and how it affected
your academic performance inhigh school and how you sought
help learned coping strategiesand eventually started a mental
health awareness club at yourschool.
At your school.
This is what will set you apart.
Your honesty.
Vulnerability and inspiration.
(10:15):
And this is something AI cannotdo for you.
This will come from within andyour own journey.
It shows the admissionscommittee, your resilience and
commitment to helping yourselfthrough this journey.
It shows self-advocacy and agrowth mindset.
I have heard students withsimilar stories like this, get
accepted to their top choicecolleges.
(10:37):
And where even the admissionsofficers have shared that
applicant's essays were adeciding factor and that it
wasn't students perfect gradesthat got them in.
But rather it was theirauthentic story of struggle and
growth.
In your essay show or highlightyour exploration journey and how
(10:58):
you arrived to the finding yourcareer path.
Share your story fromdiscovering, exploring to
defining.
They don't expect you to wake upone day and know all the
answers.
They know this was a journey andthis is your journey to share
not AIS, perfectly writtenessay.
So, what can you do to startexploring who you truly are,
(11:20):
what you have to offer in yourown career path?
Begin by knowing yourself,discover your interests, skills,
abilities, and values toopportunities outside of the
classroom.
Summer and holiday breaks are agreat opportunity to explore
what is out there while bringingclarity to who you truly are and
(11:40):
what drives you.
Start building your college andcareer connections by exploring
the world around you throughinternships, shadowing
opportunities, info sessions,and so many other ways that you
might not know that are at yourfingertips.
And.
And you are in luck becauseanother option is by joining my
(12:00):
career that will launch July1st.
So just in a few weeks, And thiscourse I will help you first
find yourself.
So you can clearly speak aboutyour interests, values, and
strengths in your college essaysand personal statements.
Knowing who you truly are, whatyou have encountered and
(12:20):
overcome and what makes you,you.
And that is just the beginning.
While.
While I help you rediscover yourauthentic self.
I will also prepare you toopportunities in today's quickly
evolving professional jobmarket.
While also teaching you how tocreate smart goals as you start
(12:41):
exploring and making thosecollege connections.
If you don't want to missknowing when open registration
starts to this course.
Which has just.
our free newsletter community,our very own college and career
connections club by going towww.collegecareerready.org
(13:01):
forward slash join again.
That's college career ready.
All one word.
Dot org forward slash join orclick on the link in the show
notes.
So as you explore your collegeapplications, remember.
So as you explore your collegeapplication, remember your
journey and your authentic selfare powerful elements that can
(13:23):
make your application stand out.
Don't be afraid to bevulnerable.
Embrace your unique experiencesand share them confidentially.
Take the time to reflect on whoyou are and how you've grown.
Think about the challenges youfaced and what you've learned
from them.
And most importantly, be honest.
And true to yourself.
(13:44):
Your authenticity will resonatemore than any polished perfect
narrative ever.
Could.
I hope this episode has inspiredyou to embrace your journey and
share it boldly in your collegeapplications.
Remember you are more than yourgrades and test scores.
You are your experiences, yourstruggles, your passions, and
(14:04):
your dreams.
All right, my sweet friend.
I hope you found this episodehelpful.
And if you did, please share itwith a friend that you know,
will benefit from it as well.
Until next week, my friend staywell, be present and enjoy the
journey.
Until next week, my friend.
Well Thank you for listening in.
(14:29):
If you enjoyed this episode, itwould mean so much to me if you
share it with a friend, acolleague, or your own
community.
If you share it on social mediaand tag me, I'll make sure to
personally thank you.
My two favorite places to hangout are Instagram and LinkedIn.
Check out our show notes for adirect link.
I'm so thankful for each andevery one of you.
(14:50):
And as always stay well, bepresent and enjoy the journey.
I'll talk to you next week.
Adios.
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