September 2009

Your application has to do lots of things in very few words -- it has to the tell the story of your life, make you come alive in the imagination of the admissions officer, and persuade the admissions officer that you are a must-have in the class. 

You have to make the most of every part of the application and create a coherent, robust portrait of yourself.  The best way to do that is to outline your story FIRST and then align it with the application.  Many applicants make the mistake of using the application itself as the outline and simply respond to the questions as they present themselves:  the result is often an incomplete, boring, repetitive or incoherent presentation of the applicant.  This week you are going to avoid those mistakes by outlining your story.  Next week and in the weeks that follow, we'll take that outline and translate it into application form.

Step 1.  Outline the key parts of the story of your life.

You've probably been on the planet about 17 years, give or take.  What are the most important things that have happened to you in that time?  Don't panic if you think you've had the most ordinary run-of-the mill life ever -- it is still worthy of a story and there are still nuggets that will be interesting to others.  You're looking for things that happened during that time that have had an impact on your life.  Examples:  siblings were born and you've been the big brother extraordinaire, took your first dance class and now you're a committed ballerina, family immigrated/moved and so you're bicultural, lost a parent to death/divorce so had a struggle.   Make it easy on yourself and just review your life in chunks. 

• 0-5 Years.  Infant through Pre-School.  Sure, in this period, things mostly happened TO you, but they could have been really important.
• Elementary/Lower School.  Suffered endless teasing because you had a weird haircut or star of the 4th grade musical or went on your first overnight camping trip?  You get the drift.  Don't worry, you aren't necessarily going to tell all these stories, but you want a big list to choose from.
• Junior High/Middle School.  Ah, the awkward adolescent transition.  Easy or hard for you? Discovered your passion for soccer?  Had your first paying job?
• High School.  Lots of experiences here.  Just list them all.  You can edit later.  Don't forget the things that happened in the larger world but had an impact on you -- Did your home get damaged by Hurricane Katrina?  Did someone in your family serve in the military and get sent to Iraq/Afghanistan?  Did one of your parents work at Lehman Brothers or somewhere that closed or suffered hard times during recent economic downturn?

Step 2.  Write 3-5 one paragraph vignettes that illustrate important characteristics about yourself and that will make you come alive in the imagination of the admissions officer.

An application is a 2-D version of a 3-D person, so you need to use your words to capture the imagination of the admissions officer -- that officer should have a fully developed picture of you to the point that the officer could say, "I bet I could name some of the songs on this applicant's i-Pod, guess what this applicant's favorite books are, fix this applicant up on a successful blind date."  You get the idea.

The only way to stimulate that kind of holographic image of you in the mind of the admissions officer is to share some of your personality -- the combination of characteristics, quirks, and attributes that make you you.  Start with a list of 7-10 adjectives that you think make you you -- if you aren't sure, do this exercise with a couple of friends, your parents, and siblings.  Certain adjectives will repeat.  Those are the adjectives that you want.

Then pick 3-5 of those adjectives that can be illustrated with stories.  Here's one about me:  Alison will not back down when she thinks she is right -- also could be described as relentlessly stubborn.  When she was 3, she and her dad had a disagreement.  He sent her to her room and told her to sit in her rocking chair until she was ready to acknowledge he was right and apologize.  She sat and rocked in her chair for several hours.  Her dad finally came in and told her that he was wrong and she could come out!  Now, this might not be the story I want to share with admissions officers, but you get the idea.

Step 3.  Outline your case for convincing the officer that you are a must-have in the class and overcoming any objections. 

This is not as complicated or mysterious as it may seem.  You must persuade the admissions officer of only two things: 

• You are academically qualified.
• You will have a positive impact on the school while there.

To outline your case, simply write each of these points at the top of a single page of paper and list as many pieces of evidence you can think of that support each point.  Here are a few things under each point to give you an idea of what I mean by evidence:

• Suzy is academically qualified because:

1. She has a 3.75 GPA and has taken tough courses/been at a tough school.
2. She won the Latin award at a state competition.
3. She is in the National Honor Society.

• Ben will have a positive impact on the school while there because:

1. He has had a positive impact at his high school:  while Student Council President, he started a peer tutoring program that has involved 10% of the class.
2. He has had a positive impact in his community:  he's a part of a garage band that plays at the annual neighborhood block party.
3. He has had a positive impact in the classroom:  he contributes positively to the discussion.

Once you've completed these lists, you have one more task to this outlining exercise: you must develop your arguments and supporting evidence to overcome any objections.  What would be the objections?  Anything that would refute the argument you have made.  Here are some of the common ones:

• Emma is not academically qualified because her test scores are low.
• Alexis is not academically qualified because she has high grades only because she has taken an easy load.
• Lucy is not academically qualified because she has not performed well in high school.
• Josh will not have any impact -- positive or negative -- he's just hung out in high school and done well enough but not left a mark anywhere.
• Tom will have a negative impact -- he's had a disciplinary problem, he's been a troublemaker in class, he's a ball hog on the sports team.

Look critically at your own argument and see what the objections might be.  Then develop a counter-argument and evidence to overcome them.  Again, examples are easiest to understand.  Let's take poor Emma.

• Emma's test scores are not predictive of how she will perform at college. 

1. She had low test scores for entry to prep school and she's done great there.
2. Her teacher recs will say she is an academic star in the most competitive classes and that the test scores aren't representative of her abilities.

That's it.  Your story outline is complete.  We'll start compiling the specific parts of your application next week and you'll refer to this outline often, so keep it handy and add to it as you think of things.

Comments or Questions? 

Having trouble getting your story outlined?  Don't know how to overcome an objection to your case for admissions?   Please post a comment!

 

Alison Cooper Chisolm writes the series 52 Weeks to College. She has worked in admissions at Southern Methodist University, the University of Chicago, and most recently Dartmouth College. She is a graduate of Yale College and the University of Virginia Law School. As part of the Ivey Consulting team, Alison works with college applicants and their families as they navigate the college admissions process. Read more about Alison here. 

 

A question from a reader:

My son has a felony conviction.  During a drunken night out two years ago, he and some friends broke into several homes in our neighborhood.  He was arrested and then he pled guilty in a plea bargain agreement in which he paid $3,000 in restitution and was given 5 years probation.  Since then, he has attended a community college, has a GPA of 3.82 and is a member of an honor society there.  He has also curbed his drinking.  In short, he's turned it all around.  Now he's applying to four year colleges, including Emory, Wake Forest, and University of Virginia.  He's afraid of how the conviction will impact his chance of being admitted and getting financial aid.  What should he do?   

Congratulations to your son in turning it around.  He should be proud of that accomplishment.  Most of us have episodes in our past that we would prefer we didn't.  But, the best way forward is always to learn from our mistakes and then move on.

Your son is right that his criminal conviction adds an additional hurdle to admission, but it is possible that he can clear that hurdle.  In order to do that, he needs to make a persuasive case that he is a compelling applicant who made a big mistake in the past, but that he has learned from it and will be a positive contributor to the college if admitted. 

So first, he should concentrate on preparing a great application that highlights all of his academic and other achievements.  He will have to check a box somewhere that he has a criminal conviction, but he should not make it the "center" of his application.  For example, he should write a personal essay that focuses on something positive about him, not on the circumstances surrounding his criminal conviction.

Although it should not be the center of his application, he should address the criminal conviction in a supplemental essay.  The first part of the essay should be a straightforward, forthright presentation of the facts.  No excuse making, no "totally unfair" etc.  The second part of the essay should be how he has changed his behavior since the conviction and his commitment to never doing something illegal or wrong again.  The third and final part of the essay should be what he has learned from the whole experience.

Beyond the supplemental essay, he should consider what he can do that will reinforce his application and confirm that he has turned it around.  For example, he could obtain a recommendation from someone who can affirm that he has changed his behavior and learned from the experience -- his probation officer, a teacher who knew him before/after, a dean at the community college would all be possibilities for this recommendation.  If he is given an opportunity to interview, he should take it and be prepared to address his criminal conviction during the interview.  A personal encounter can be very persuasive.

I will note that the fact that your son has not yet completed his probation may work against him; the incident is not fully "behind" him.  If he is not admitted in his first round, I'd encourage him to enroll in a less selective four year college, get his undergraduate degree and then consider a more selective school for graduate study, when he has an even deeper record of high performance, has completed his probation, and is even further away in time from the conviction.

In terms of financial aid, your son will be eligible based on the rules governing each college's financial aid.  It is probably unlikely that he will be a competitive candidate for merit based scholarships, but he may very well be awarded need-based scholarships, loans, or work-study aid.  I would counsel him to first seek admission and then worry about financial aid.

Good luck to him!

If you have a question about how to address a difficult situation in the admissions process, we'd love to hear from you.  Post a comment!

 

Alison Cooper Chisolm has worked in admissions at Southern Methodist University, the University of Chicago, and most recently Dartmouth College. She is a graduate of Yale College and the University of Virginia Law School. As part of the Ivey Consulting team, Alison works with college applicants and their families as they navigate the college admissions process. Read more about Alison here. 

Yesterday we received a question regarding letters of recommendation:

My son is applying to law school. I am a senior civil services officer of the Delhi Government in India, and I wish to know whether, if I write a recommendation for my son, it will be accepted and considered seriously. I think I know him better than any other person and I can be very objective in my assessment.

It's not surprising that this mom -- like many moms-- wants to do everything she can to help her son with his application But a letter of recommendation from mom or dad is not going to help this student, at least with U.S. law schools. In fact, a letter from a relative is more likely to raise eyebrows in admissions offices.

First, parents would never be deemed "objective" sources of information concerning their children, even if parents recognize their children's weaknesses.

Moreover, law schools want academic references. Recently I posted a blog titled "Law School Letters of Recommendation: Act Now!" I discussed the importance of finding recommenders who will be able to discuss your academic abilities, since these are considered the best predictors of law school success: intellect, analytical ability, research skills, oral and written communication skills. Focus on obtaining letters from two professors who can discuss these skills with detailed examples of your work in their classes; you can refresh their memories by providing copies of your essays and exams.

This mom is well-meaning, but her help will be most effective if she provides support and encouragement directly to her son, and steers clear of the admissions officers.

Nicole Vikan is a graduate of NYU Law School. She spent her first law school summer at a large law firm, and her second summer in the Homicide Investigation Unit at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. She returned to the District Attorney's Office after graduation and spent five years as a criminal prosecutor, handling cases such as robbery and assault. Nicole then joined Fordham Law School's Career Planning Center, where she advised students seeking employment in the private and public sectors. She is currently a career counselor at Georgetown Law Center's Office of Public Interest and Community Service. As part of the Anna Ivey team, Nicole works with law school applicants and people exploring legal careers.

This week we are going to nail down your list of colleges -- the colleges where you would consider going and where you will be applying.  I know some of you have already spent some time on this task and have a preliminary list -- good work!  Skip to step 2.  If you don't have a preliminary list yet, start at step 1. 

Step 1.  Assemble a list of 25 Possibles

Your goal is to assemble a list of at least 25 colleges that you would consider attending. This is a brainstorming exercise, so go about it with these guidelines in mind.

• You should have an open mind. Any college that appeals for any reason should go on the list. Push beyond the obvious and play a little. Maybe the South Pole would be interesting - after all you loved that March of the Penguins movie!
• You should consult every resource that you can access: online resources, directories in your school's libraries, people who know you well and whose opinions you value, older students or graduates from your school.
• You should worry about what you want, not whether they want you. You can eliminate the schools that are really beyond your reach (either because of admissions requirements or costs) later. Some things to consider in determining what you want:
  • Location of the College: urban, suburban, rural? Near home, mid-way from home, far away from home? Warm or cold climate?
  • Size of the College: tiny, small, medium, big, city unto itself?
  • Programs of the College: Majors? Study abroad? Combined or accelerated degree programs?
  • Life at the College: Residential or commuter? Single sex? Ratio of undergraduates to graduate students? Diversity in the student body? Housing options? Sports? Extracurricular Activities? Social Life? Sororities or fraternities? Distinctive culture e.g. Nerd, jock or party school?
  • Life After College: Graduation rate? What do graduates do next? Does the school credential open doors to a new network of influential folks?

Step 2.  Categorize your possibles based on your likelihood of admission.

You can assess your likelihood of admission to any particular college using online resources.  I prefer the College Board's matching mechanism because they have the most schools in their database.  But you can also consult those at Princeton Review or US News.  They will ask you to plug in some information about yourself --  test scores, grades, courses, school, activities, etc. and compare your stats to the overall admission stats of a particular college.  While you can't absolutely positively determine whether you will be admitted using these resources, it gives you a good sense of whether the school is a "reach" (you are on the lower end of their previous admits, but possible), a "match" (you are their average admit, so likely), or a "safety" (you are above their average admit, so almost definitely).

Categorize each of your possibles.  You want a range of colleges on your final list.  So if you are short in any particular category, go back into brainstorming mode (Step 1) and generate some more possibles.

Step 3.  Categorize your possibles based on affordability.

Affordability of any particular college is a function of your available resources and their available financial aid.  If you have sufficient resources to pay tuition and living expenses for your 4 years there, then the college is affordable.  Likewise, if you will receive sufficient financial aid to close the gap or fully cover your tuition and living expenses, then the college is affordable.  For most middle income families, the financial reality is somewhere in the middle.  So again, I suggest a ranking of reach (you can maybe afford it, if the family makes it a priority and you get the maximum financial aid), match (you can afford it, but it will be an investment, you may have to take loans as well as make some sacrifices), and safety (you can afford it).  Be sure and build in the extra costs that may be important to you, but won't be considered a part of your "total educational costs" for financial aid purposes, such as travel home, activity costs (your skis for the ski team) etc. Try out the calculators at www.FinAid.org to start thinking about how you're going to pay for college.

Again, you want a range of colleges on your final list.  So if you are short in any particular category, go back into brainstorming mode (Step 1) and generate some more possibles.

Step 4.  Pick 5-10 as your final set.

Applying to a college takes time and money, so don't waste either by applying to too many.  Spend the time you need to narrow your possibles to 5-10 finalists.  I generally advise that you put together a final list that includes:

• 1-3 Reach Schools
• 2-4 Match Schools
• 1-3 Safety Schools

Step 5.  Start a master file for each school on your list and put each school's deadlines on your master calendar.

Now that you have a final list, start a master file for each school on your list.  Put the following in the master file:

• A copy of the school's application
• Contact information for the school's admissions office
• Any information you've collected about the school

Research each school's application deadlines (including financial aid deadlines) and put them on your master calendar.

Comments or Questions? 

Having trouble putting together your list -- either too many to narrow down or not enough?  Can't find a good safety school?  Can't convince your parents that you should include a particular school on your list?  Confused by the whole process and need some specific advice?  Please post a comment!

Alison Cooper Chisolm has worked in admissions at Southern Methodist University, the University of Chicago, and most recently Dartmouth College. She is a graduate of Yale College and the University of Virginia Law School. As part of the Ivey Consulting team, Alison works with college applicants and their families as they navigate the college admissions process. Read more about Alison here.  

If you are applying to law school this fall, now is the time to ask your potential recommenders if they will write letters of recommendation for you. If you have not already done so, register with the Law School Admission Council for the Credential Assembly Service (also known as the Law School Data Assembly Service, or LSDAS). LSDAS offers a letters of recommendation service through which you can have your recommenders send just one letter each to the LSDAS, which will distribute the letters to the schools to which you apply. You will be able to track what letters have been submitted and mailed to the law schools, and there is a chart to show how many letters of recommendation each school accepts.

Whom should you ask to serve as your recommenders? Law schools (almost always) want to hear from professors, since they can discuss your classroom performance as well as your research, analytical, and writing abilities, all of which are important to success in law school. Focus on finding people who will be able to write STRONG letters on your behalf. A professor -- even a T.A. -- who knows you well, who can discuss your skills in detail and with specific examples, will be a more effective recommender than a big-name professor or a well-known attorney who is a family contact but has not worked with you at all.

Unless a school specifies otherwise, provide two letters of recommendation. You may wish to ask a third person to write on your behalf in case either of your primary recommenders drops the ball or so you can send in another letter if you get waitlisted.

Ideally, schedule appointments to see your potential recommenders, ask them in person to write on your behalf, and tell them why you want to attend law school. Inquire as to whether they feel they know you well and have time to write strong letters on your behalf, and be prepared to accept gracefully a "no" or to reevaluate your plans if a "yes" is lukewarm. You do not want lukewarm letters of recommendation!

Also make sure that they realize that the main point of the letter is to focus on you as their student. It's fine if they like you personally, and have things to say about your life outside the classroom, but those aspects are secondary and not necessary. So when thinking about whom to ask, don't nix a potentially great recommender just because he or she doesn't know you very well on a personal level.

If the people you ask agree to write for you, provide them with copies of the following: your resume, transcript, any work from their classes to remind them what you did, your personal statement for law school (if possible), a signed LSAC letter of recommendation form (click here for information on that form), and stamped/addressed envelopes for mailing the letters to the LSAC. Give your recommenders a timetable for writing the letters so that you can follow-up if they aren't prompt, and also because it takes the LSAC a while to process letters (i.e., to coordinate your letters with your file and schools). Of course, you should work around your recommenders' schedules as needed! Ask them to let you know when they have submitted the letters, and definitely send them thank you notes, and circle back to them after the process is behind you to let them know where you're headed off to law school.

Questions? Thoughts? Advice? Please post a comment! We're curious to hear about your own experiences.

 

 

Nicole Vikan is a graduate of NYU Law School. She spent her first law school summer at a large law firm, and her second summer in the Homicide Investigation Unit at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. She returned to the District Attorney's Office after graduation and spent five years as a criminal prosecutor, handling cases such as robbery and assault. Nicole then joined Fordham Law School's Career Planning Center, where she advised students seeking employment in the private and public sectors. She is currently a career counselor at Georgetown Law Center's Office of Public Interest and Community Service. As part of the Anna Ivey team, Nicole works with law school applicants and people exploring legal careers.

I received an email recently about my advice in the column “Marshmallows, Delayed Gratification, and Test Prep.”  In it, the writer asked a very important question:  “How does one truly study one’s wrong answers?” He elaborates:

My problem is that I choose a wrong answer and then I look at an explanation and I don’t really take much away from it…. I am having trouble taking the next step and making progress to improve from the point where I am. I read the explanation and it makes sense for that question but don’t know where to go from there and apply it to the rest of the questions.

This question strikes at the heart of standardized test prep everywhere, and is actually a great way of describing a distinction I made in another column I wrote, “The Fiction that the SAT Isn’t Coachable.”

In that column, I made an attempt to distinguish good test preparation from bad test preparation.  To rephrase what I said in that article, bad test prep is bad because it makes you think you’re learning how to take the test, but in reality you’re just learning a bunch of things about the test.  Another fundamental way that bad test prep is bad is that there is no framework, or there is only a faulty framework, behind the different explanations.

Take for example the LSAT SuperPrep book, which contains three practice LSAT’s “with explanations.”  The Official GMAT Study Guide works the same way.  These two prep books provide an abundance of explanations, but like the letter above clearly articulated, there’s no real takeaway from one question to the next.  In the LSAT book, there is no advice given besides general information on study skills and setting up a practice regimen.  In the GMAT book, there is a review of general math principles, but little that explains how to solve hard GMAT questions besides one-off explanations.

To truly learn from your own mistakes is actually much more straightforward than it seems.  To learn from your mistakes, you need to build a framework around them.  Since that answer begs the question, “how do I build a framework?” I would respond in a sort of semi-humorous way: “patiently.”  In all seriousness, building a framework for your wrong answers requires peace of mind.  If you’re worrying about your score and your grad school acceptance while you’re trying to study for the test, you might as well stop right there for the day because you’re not going to make any progress.

First, you need to look at your mistakes dispassionately.  Don’t see them as errors; see them as opportunities to learn.  I know that sounds unbelievably corny and silly, but that doesn’t make it less true.  You have to appreciate the logical process of figuring out the answer just as much as you value a high score.

Second, you need to find the common elements among your mistakes.  Do they all deal with a certain topic?  A certain way of thinking?  I know, for example, that I am weakest on the formal logic questions in the LSAT, and that I impatiently try to diagram them too quickly and often make my diagrams too complex.  More to the point, I also know that I am really good at the non-formal questions, and so I spend too much time and energy trying to solve formal questions non-formally.  What categories do your mistakes fit into?  Most importantly, if your mistakes don’t fit into some abstract category that some test prep company has created, make your own category system.  That step takes time and more patience, but it’s the best way to learn.

Third, you need to experiment in grouping your errors.  For the LSAT, does classifying them as formal or informal help?  (I am classifying my mistakes as dealing with formal logic for the time being; I actually have some reservations about that classification system.)  What about by topic?  For example, do you have some latent dislike of some topic where you always think the argument is more complicated than it is?  What about by position in the exam?  For example, do you always seem to make a bunch of mistakes between questions 17 and 21 on the arguments section?  Do you fail in the games when they reach a certain level of complexity?  If so, start trying to understand that complexity.  Answers to individual questions are less important at this point than understanding the complexity of the thought process required to find the answer.  That’s what you’re after, and that’s the purpose of this exercise.

Finally, once you have come up with some sort of grouping for your mistakes, you need to take the most important step:  explain them to yourself.  Again, that might sound silly, but the biggest problem that students have is that they go into the test prep process thinking as passive students, not active learners.  They think that as long as they memorize whatever message the test prep company gives them, they can depend on getting a better score.  With each answer, pretend it’s your responsibility to explain them to someone with no knowledge of the test.  Find a friend who’s studying for the test and practice explaining questions to him/her.  The point is not to know the answer, but to verbalize the answer.  Taking that step forces your brain to organize your thoughts much more logically, and makes a framework easier to discover.

I often tell my students, “I can show you all the methods of problem solving in the world, but this process doesn’t work unless the ultimate responsibility of solving the problem falls on you.”  In other words, it’s my responsibility to explain a problem, but it’s a student’s responsibility to challenge him/herself to apply that explanation to a similar scenario.  I try to do this by explaining a framework where there are connections between each and every problem.  However, if the student doesn’t take the step of actively trying to absorb that framework, and to transfer that framework into new situations, then he or she will never “learn” anything.  Once students train themselves to ignore the scattered shortcuts and focus on building a sustainable, integrated problem solving framework, the test is nowhere near as scary as it once may have seemed.

For the past eight years, Charles Williamson hasn’t met a standardized test he didn’t like, helping hundreds of students in everything from the SAT and ACT to the SSAT to the GMAT to AP Calculus. A longtime student of the thought process that defines performance on standardized tests, Charles got off to a good start, receiving a perfect score on his SATs in high school. He then graduated from Brown University, earning bachelor's degrees in computer science and history.  He has long been fascinated by the intersection of education and technology, and when not writing about standardized tests and educational policy, he will be happy to speculate rampantly about how the Internet will affect the ways that we learn.  Charles blogs for the Ivey Files about test preparation.

 

Lately, there seems to be quite a bit written about salaries and salary negotiation (we did an interview on that subject recently for an article in the Wall Street Journal). Salaries may at first seem like a bit of a non-topic, considering the state of the economy.  However, we do know if there is any group that it is really going to push the envelope, it's Gen Y, so we wanted to give you some guidelines to think about.

If you are in the process of securing a position:

1.  Be realistic, and don't be too picky.

Anything paid is a plus in this economy. What matters is that your career is moving forward. Remember that many young people are going the unpaid route just to keep their foot in the door. If taking a lower salary means getting a roommate or even moving home for a short stint, don't panic. Everyone is adapting to the challenges of the economy, and it may be your turn.

If you are lucky enough to be entertaining an offer, keep the following questions in mind. Answering these questions may help a lower salary seem more palatable.

• Will I learn new things from this role?
• Will I be learning things from established employees with a lot of experience?
• Does this role satisfy a skill or experience requirement that I will need in
  the future?
• Are there chances for advancement at the organization later on?
• Is this an organization known to help young people move forward with their careers?
• Is the organization known to be fair in terms of salary and bonuses overall?

Remember not everything is salary. Keep a clear head even if you are greatly disappointed with the salary you are initially offered. Try to extract your ego from the process and remember that working is good...being unemployed, not so good. Always remain gracious and polite when receiving any offers. Don't write off offers that you think are too low, especially if you have student loans or other debt to consider. There may be other things that the organization has to offer in the overall scheme of your career.

2. Do your homework.

Review websites to get current info about salaries. You could try www.salary.com or www.payscale.com. Others sites like is the bureau of labor statistics - (www.bls.gov.) are a bit more detailed, but offer info about your job in specific settings, and that can make a big difference in salaries. Keep in mind that even in the same field, the setting in which you work and area of the country can change a salary dramatically. For example, will you be in a school vs. a hospital setting vs. a business setting?

Also, remember that cost of living is quite different from place to place. Visit sites that help you compare how far a salary can actually go from one place to another. Try sites like www.bankrate.com that offer detailed information concerning cost of living indicators such as housing, food, and utilities.

Finally, know the credentials that affect salaries in your chosen field. If a master's degree means more dollars in your field and you have a bachelor's degree, know that there will be a difference in salary without exception. Be familiar with the credentials and certifications that affect eventual salaries in your field.

3. Get a realistic salary preview from insiders.

Use social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook and LinkedIn to make contact with people in your field and explore what managers are actually offering younger employees. Don't rely on rumors or urban myths or outdated information, because today is much different than two years ago. Remember you may be competing with other individuals with years of experience. You can ask for information about raises and bonuses as well. If you are still in school, contact the college recruiting center - they are a great resource about salary and hiring trends.

If you already have a job and want to negotiate a salary increase:

1. Think long and hard about the timing of your request and the state of your organization.

If you have witnessed recent layoff and concessions among other employees, you definitely do not want to talk salary at this time. Be happy you are still employed and wait a while and reevaluate your options. Nothing will make you look worse than demanding a higher salary in the midst of a severe downturn. Don't move forward - sit tight even if you think your salary is on the low side.

If it appears that things are stable or improving at your workplace, read on.

2. Know how your experience and performance stack up against others in your role.

You need to look around your workplace and assess how you really stack up. Is your salary really low when you are compared with your co-workers? Do you have the credentials to move up the pay scale at your workplace? If you haven't completed your graduate degree or that certification program that has been recommended, now is the time to think about how that will affect a request for an increase. If you can swing it, find a way to beef up your resume and round out your credentials before you ask for an increase. 

3. Make yourself a more valuable employee before asking for more money.

Consider the following:

• Have I spent enough time in my current role to be a proven entity - in other words if you left, would you be missed?
• Has your performance stood out in a way that sets you apart from your peers?
• If you imagine your manager reviewing a list of employees and having to cut one loose, would it be you? Why not?

Remember that spending a year or two in a role doe not guarantee a promotion or a salary increase; those have to be earned and justified. In the meantime be sure that you are continuously increasing your value within the organization.

If after considering everything we have discussed, you still think it wise to negotiate, do so. But proceed with caution and be prepared to justify your request thoroughly. Let us know how things have worked out by posting a comment.

Marla Gottschalk is our workplace and career coach. She and Anna have conducted surveys about Gen Y in the workplace and will be publishing the results soon.

Standardized tests -- whether you love them because you score high or you hate them because you don't, they are a part of the college application process, so you have to deal with them.  This week is all about that -- dealing with them in a step-by-step process and then moving on.

Note:  Many, if not most of you, have already taken some of the required tests or have a schedule for when you are planning to take the required tests.  If you have your schedule, skip to Step 3.  If you don't have a schedule, start with Step 1. 

Step 1:  Decide which tests you are going to take.

Which Tests Are Required by the Colleges You Want to Attend? 

Generally speaking, colleges require either the ACT (including the writing portion) or the SAT.  In addition, most selective colleges require a certain number of SAT Subject Tests.  There are some colleges for whom tests are optional, but it is unlikely that the entire group of colleges to which you are applying will be testing optional, so there is REALLY no way to escape the tests.  To determine which tests you need to take and when, you need to review the requirements for the particular colleges that interest you.  You'll have to schedule with the most demanding set of requirements in mind.  If you aren't completely sure of your college list (we'll be working on that next week), then take the SAT and 3 SAT Subject Tests and you'll be prepared to apply anywhere.

Should I Take the ACT or the SAT?  There is a huge amount of literature that gives advice about whether to take the ACT or the SAT. See, for example, this posting by Charles on the Ivey Files. Although it might seem that you should take the test on which you expect to score best, I remind applicants that a higher score is meaningful only if it is statistically significant -- meaning that it changes your percentile standing with regard to other test takers, for example if it moves you from the top 25% to the top 20%.  But most times, it won't.  If the higher score isn't meaningful, then you really are better off with the SAT because: 

• The SAT is the norm; the ACT is the exception for all selective schools and most other schools except those in the Midwest and certain parts of the South.  Although the admissions officers and process can handle the exception, it is better to be part of the norm.  First, because the admissions officers know the norm better than the exception, they can make more nuanced interpretations of your score.  That is important for everyone but the "off the charts high" test takers -- in other words, 99% of applicants.  Second, because the formulas that some colleges use to calculate an "indexed academic rating" that combines your scores and grades are normed to the SAT, you don't lose from the conversion.  If you have an ACT, then the score is converted and usually that is to the detriment of the applicant, e.g. the high scorer on the ACT will be at the bottom of the high scorer tier as a result of the conversion.
• At some schools, you can "mix and match" your best scores from different SAT tests, but that opportunity is not extended to those who take the ACT.  If you take your best score on each subsection, you may end up with a much higher overall score.  Note that the new ScoreChoice policy for the SAT does not allow you to mix and match; you still have to release all scores for any particular test.

Which SAT Subject Tests Should You Take? 

Your choices will in part be dictated by which courses you have had in high school and which tests you are prepared to take.  If you can choose amongst several, here are a couple of guidelines for you:

• Choose those tests that showcase your particular interests.  If you write your essay about how you are a born "scientist," it is nice to back it up with a high score on a science test. 
• Choose the tests that showcase either depth or breadth.  If depth, choose tests aligned within one area of talent, like humanities (one English, one History, one Language).  If breadth, choose from at least one from humanities (English/History/Language) and one from Math/Science.  Your third is up to you.

Step 2:  Schedule your tests and get registered. 

Now that you know which tests you are going to take, you can make your testing schedule.  Basically, you have between now and the December test dates to get all your tests taken.  If you are an early decision applicant, you have a shorter time line -- you have to get all the tests done by the October testing dates.  If you are a regular decision applicant, you may find some of your chosen schools will accept scores from the February tests, but that will mean you are in the last round of admissions.  You don't want to be in the last round -- there will be fewer slots to go around -- unless circumstances mean you will be a much stronger overall applicant in the last round than you would have been in the earlier rounds.  It is preferable that you take your subject tests as close to the time when you finish the related course work, so it may be that the December dates are your best time for these tests because you are studying the subject in the first term of your senior year.

Put your testing dates on your master calendar (from Week 1) and look up the registration deadlines and put those on your master calendar too.

• SAT Registration:  http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/about.html
  
  
• ACT Registration:  http://www.actstudent.org/regist/dates.html
  
  
• SAT Subject Tests Registration:  http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/about/SATII.html

By the way, the time to register is NOW.  Regular registration is already over for the October SAT and SAT Subject Tests; late registration closes on September 23, 2009.  Regular registration closes for the October ACT on September 18, 2009; late registration closes on October 2, 2009.

Step 3:  Commit to a preparation method that matches your best studying style. 

Preparation makes a difference -- even for the natural test takers and best students.  What's interesting is that the research indicates that the method of preparation is less important than the fact of it.  So choose a method that works for you and then in the immortal words of Nike -- Just Do It! 

• If you are a SELF-DIRECTED type, then you'll do fine with self-directed preparation, working with the materials available online, workbooks from the testing services and other materials from commercial outlets, like flashcards.  (Need it free or at a low cost? Online is your best bet.  Start with the testing companies and www.Numbers2.com. Then explore others on your own.)
• If you are a SOCIAL type, then you'll do well working in a group either at your school or through a test prep course.  (Need it free or at a low cost?  Check out non-profit organizations that support getting under-resourced students into college -- they often provide scholarships and/or free courses.)
• If you need INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION, then a one-on-one tutor is probably best.  (Need it free or at a low cost? Check out tutoring services offered by local colleges or universities -- often there is someone who has worked for one of the test prep companies and is willing to do it free for the right student.)

Schedule yourself for prep sessions and mark them on your calendar (from Week 1).

Step 4:  Show up at the test ready to perform at your best. 

You need to be in top form on the day of the test.  That means observing the basics of good self-care.  Some "Mom-like" tips that will stand you in good stead:

• Eat a healthy breakfast.  (Fiery Hot Cheetos and Soda aren't in this category.)
• Take a healthy snack to eat during the breaks.
• Use exercise to burn off anxiety and get good sleep the week before the test.
• Go to sleep at a reasonable time the night before the test (and don't engage in "party" behavior in the early evening).
• Make sure you know where the test is going to be and give yourself plenty of time to get there.
• Assemble everything you need to take to the test the night before -- ID, admission ticket, pencils, snack, etc.
• Wear layers of clothing so you won't be hot or cold.

Step 5:  Cancel your score promptly if you know you did poorly AND you have another opportunity to take the test. 

If you know you did poorly because you took the test while ill or froze during the test or some other calamity befell you, cancel the score if you have another opportunity to take the test.  Otherwise, you'll have to explain away a low score.  The fewer things to explain the better.  You may elect to cancel your score on the SAT and SAT Subject Tests until the Wednesday following the test.  You may elect to cancel your score on the ACT until noon on the Thursday following the test.

Step 6:  Implement a strategic response to your scores. 

Done right, the college application process is strategic, and your response to all developments is determined by some thoughtful reflection and then intentional action.  Here are some suggestions about strategic responses once you get your scores.

What do your scores tell you about you? 

Hopefully, you scored basically as you expected.  If not, can you figure out why?  Possible answers may be poor preparation, unrealistic expectations, or undiagnosed learning disabilities.  Your strategic response is to take this learning about yourself and apply it the next time you test.

What do your scores tell you about your options for college? 

Hopefully, you scored high enough to be in the running at all of your chosen colleges, even the reach schools.  But you should be realistic now that you have the numbers.  Your strategic response is to align your list of colleges to your scores.  (More about this next week.)

What do your scores tell admissions officers about you? 

Admissions officers have lots of experience interpreting test scores, and the scores are signficant in their assessment of your academic abilities.  Want an inside take on what an admssions officer is thinking?

• If you have high scores and high grades, the officer thinks you are a classic academic achiever and strong candidate.  The officer hopes the rest of the application bears that out.
• If you have high scores, but mid-range/low grades, the officer thinks you might be an underachiever.  The officer is going to look closely at your grade trends, your teacher recommendations, and anything else that gives the officer information about whether the scores or the grades are more predictive of your performance at college.
• If you have mid-range/low scores and high grades, the officer thinks that you might be a good student but a bad test taker,  or you might be at school that inflates grades, or you might be taking a load that is not particularly challenging.  The officer is going to consider information about your school, your course load, your teacher recommendations, and anything else that gives the officer information about whether the scores or the grades are more predictive of your performance at college.
• If you have mid-range/low scores and mid-range/low grades, the officer at selective colleges thinks that your academic performance at college is likely to be the same, so admission is likely only if your other attributes -- sports recruit, alumni connection, or under-represented minority -- overcome the lower academic rating.  Officers at less selective colleges may think the academics aren't stellar, but are sufficient for admission.

Informed by this insight into what an admission officer thinks about your scores, your strategic response is to make sure the other components of your application either support the positive interpretation the officer will make, or give the officer reason to believe that the best possible interpretation is the right interpretation. 

Step 7:  Move On. 

Testing is just one aspect of the process.  If you've scheduled, prepared, and are ready to make a strategic response once you get your scores, that's it for testing.  Time to move on to the next critical step in the process -- making your final list of colleges where you will be applying.  We'll take it up together next week.

Comments or Questions? 

I really want to hear from you about how things are going.  Anything you don't understand? Do you have a specific situation that needs some personalized attention?  Please post a comment below!

Alison Cooper Chisolm has worked in admissions at Southern Methodist University, the University of Chicago, and most recently Dartmouth College. She is a graduate of Yale College and the University of Virginia Law School. As part of the Ivey Consulting team, Alison works with college applicants and their families as they navigate the college admissions process. Read more about Alison here. 

We received the following question from a blog reader and future law school applicant:

I have some concerns and don't know who to turn to for some solid honest advice. I am starting a one year program at a youth centered clinic predominantly focused on family planning and reproductive health. I will be a health educator there who will see the patients before they see the doctor.

Will more conservative law schools be hesitant to accept me based on such endeavors?  Obviously there is controversy around sex education and abortion. At the same time I think, "would I want to go to a school that would consider this a con to my application?"

I really don't know what to think of this, or how to approach it, especially in terms of my application. HELP!

Most law schools want well-rounded, diverse student bodies that represent a wide range of beliefs, backgrounds, and goals. Many law schools are actually somewhat left-leaning. Some schools have fewer women's or LGBT groups on campus, and a handful of law schools prohibit reproductive rights groups from getting official sanction and/or school funding. All applicants should consider what schools would be good fits for them, given their individual interests and values. Our advice to applicants is that the fit should go both ways. I hope that helps! Please leave a comment if any of you want to share your thoughts.

 

Nicole Vikan is a graduate of NYU Law School. She spent her first law school summer at a large law firm, and her second summer in the Homicide Investigation Unit at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. She returned to the District Attorney's Office after graduation and spent five years as a criminal prosecutor, handling cases such as robbery and assault. Nicole then joined Fordham Law School's Career Planning Center, where she advised students seeking employment in the private and public sectors. She is currently a career counselor at Georgetown Law Center's Office of Public Interest and Community Service. As part of the Anna Ivey team, Nicole works with law school applicants and people exploring legal careers.

Welcome to your Senior Year! The most exhilarating, wildest year of your life to date. Like all roller coaster rides, this year is going to go by FAST -- there are only 52 weeks between you and college. If you are going to attend the college of your choice, you have to make each of those weeks count. Starting today, with this week.

But before you panic, breathe. You can do it. You just have to get organized, make a plan, and work your plan. So this week is all about getting organized and making your plan. It shouldn't take you more than 2 hours. But, just because it won't take you forever doesn't mean you should put it off or skip it and "go with the flow." You have so much to accomplish in this year that breaking it down into smaller, manageable mini-projects and then staying on top of the mini-projects is essential. Your ultimate success (and sanity) depends on it.

Okay, so you're convinced and ready to get organized and make your plan.

Here's the step-by-step guide to your 52 Weeks to College Plan. (By the way, for those of you who are organizers and planners by nature, some of these steps will seem lame, but as you well know, not everyone is you. So bear with the process and accept that you are ahead of the game this week.)

1. Set up a filing system.

You'll need both a paper filing system and an electronic filing system. For the paper part, get a box with files or a notebook with tabs to keep all the papers that you will accumulate and need to access through this process. For the electronic part, set up a file on your computer AND make a back-up file on a thumb or zipdrive or on the web that you save to regularly.

2. Sort.

Gather up everything you already have related to the college application process and sort and file. Things you might already have: college brochures, test scores, resumes, draft essays, or recommendations.

3. Enter key dates.

Put all key dates and deadlines that you know on a calendar (paper or electronic). Here are some that you should already know or can easily get:

• Testing Registration Deadlines and Test Dates (ACT, SAT I, SAT II)
• Application Deadlines for Schools That Interest You
• Your School Calendar (Testing, Vacations, Special Events, Graduation)
• Your Extracurricular and Sports Schedule for Fall
• Your Big Life Moments for 2009-2010: Birthdays, Anniversaries, Family Trips

You must keep your calendar up-to-date this year. DEADLINES IN THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS ARE NON-NEGOTIABLE. I mean it. They mean it. If you miss the deadline,you've missed your chance to attend that college. So you have to know when they are, keep track, and build in cushion for the inevitable emergencies and delays. Also, in order to get everything done, you are going to have to grab free hours whenever you have them and you need to know when you can focus on the college application process and when you are going to be preoccupied by school or life.

4. Download the 52 Week Plan.

Download the 52 Week Plan and use it to make a plan for the next 52 weeks of your life. This plan breaks the process of getting into the college of your choice into manageable mini-projects. The sequence of the 52 Week Plan corresponds to the typical "regular decision" application calendar for a selective college or university. The mini-projects are designed to take between 2 and 5 hours each week, but if you have not even begun thinking about college until now, you may need more time, and if you have been planning for college since you were in preschool, you may need less time. For additional help with the mini-projects, come back here - each week there will be a blog entry that corresponds to the mini-project.

You can simply use this plan as is, but you will be most successful if you customize it to fit you and your life. Some things you definitely need to consider:

• Applying Early Decision or Early Action? You have to compress everything to meet the earlier application deadlines.
• Testing in the Fall? Make test prep a focus and compress the other activities into other weeks.
• Really involved in fall extracurriculars or sports, and so have lots of things on your calendar that will demand your attention? Align the college application activities with your schedule. Put the hardest college things on weeks when you have a more open schedule.

5. Put the Plan in your calendar.

Once you have your 52 Week Plan, put it on your calendar, so that you know at a glance what has to get done when.

6. Commit.

Finally, commit to working your plan by scheduling the following things on your calendar for next week:

• Set aside the time you need to do Week 2's mini-project. On the 52 Week Plan, next week is about making sure you are scheduled for or have taken all the required tests (and also about how to use test scores).

• Set aside time you need to stay on top of things and plan for the next week. I suggest you pick a regular time on Saturday or Sunday for planning/review time. Take 20-30 minutes to file everything that has come in during the last week, make back-up copies of what's on the computer, update your calendar, and look ahead to the next week and make sure you're ready to go.

That's it - you're now organized and have a plan that youcan use for the next 51 weeks. The ride of your life has begun!

Alison Cooper Chisolm has worked in admissions at Southern Methodist University, the University of Chicago, and most recently Dartmouth College. She is a graduate of Yale College and the University of Virginia Law School. As part of the Ivey Consulting team, Alison works with college applicants and their families as they navigate the college admissions process. Read more about Alison here.