Now that the fall semester has begun, seniors are hard at work on their college essays, juniors are assembling their college lists and planning college visits, and freshmen and sophomores are laying the foundation for strong grades and impressive extracurricular profiles. No matter which stage of high school you currently find yourself in, Command Education has the resources you need to lay the foundation for success this September. Here are the top five topics we’re talking about this month!
#1 Write Your Supplemental Essays
While the personal statement allows students to write about themselves, their backgrounds, and their experiences, supplemental essays are written in response to school-specific prompts and give applicants the valuable opportunity to illustrate how their distinct qualities make them an ideal fit for a university through tailored writing. Given that some schools have a considerable number of supplemental essay prompts (Yale requires students to respond to a whopping eight questions with seven short-answer and one longer essay response), students should dedicate ample time to brainstorming, drafting, and revising. Command Education’s Supplemental Essay Hub provides explanations and examples for students tackling the supplemental essays at top schools.
The key to tackling supplemental essays strategically is recognizing common prompt formats and understanding what admissions officers are seeking to learn about you through each question. Our Guide to the Supplemental Essays breaks down the most frequently used essay types and provides strategies and tips for crafting responses that showcase your unique strengths and personality.
#2 Build Your Balanced College List
For juniors and seniors, one of the first steps toward achieving your collegiate dreams is building a balanced college list that maximizes your chances of admission at a range of schools where you see yourself thriving. But how do you know which schools are reaches, matches, and safeties? Would you thrive on an urban campus or in a college town? And how many schools should you put on your list? We have all of this information and more! Plus, check out the College List Generator to discover which schools align with your interests!
“The more active rather than passive you can be during your college visits, the better! Rather than just going through the motions of the visit, set time aside to talk to your regional admissions officer, schedule a meeting with a professor you hope to connect with, chat with a student admissions volunteer, sit in on a class, and attend an info session if the admissions office offers one. While visiting a college won’t necessarily boost your odds of admission, you should seek to make an impression and follow up with an email to those with whom you connected while on campus.” —Rosy, Senior Mentor
See more insider recommendations from our Senior Mentors here!
#3 Planning Your College Visits
The fall is the ideal time to begin planning your college visits. Touring a college campus allows prospective students to get a glimpse of the intangible aspects that define a college community: Do students camp out in the library or are they social butterflies? Is the classroom home to a small, collaborative community or traditional lecture-based seminars? Is the school nestled in a quaint, cozy town or a vibrant, active city? Campus visits are an important way to determine where you can see yourself thriving for your four years of college. From picking the right time to visit colleges to asking the right questions while on campus, we provide you with tips and tricks to make the most of your college visits.
“The more active rather than passive you can be during your college visits, the better! Rather than just going through the motions of the visit, set time aside to talk to your regional admissions officer, schedule a meeting with a professor you hope to connect with, chat with a student admissions volunteer, sit in on a class, and attend an info session if the admissions office offers one. While visiting a college won’t necessarily boost your odds of admission, you should seek to make an impression and follow up with an email to those with whom you connected while on campus.” —Rosy, Senior Mentor
See more insider recommendations from our Senior Mentors here!
#4 Starting a Club at Your School
Did you attend the fall activity fair only to find that your school doesn’t offer a club related to your core passion? The start of a new school year is a great time to get involved in your campus community by starting a club in your subject of interest! Starting a club or campus organization is a fantastic opportunity to gain hands-on experience with your discipline while also forging a community around your shared passions. Don’t know where to start? We’ve got you covered.
#5 Boost Your GPA
The start of a new school year is the time to set achievable yet ambitious goals for yourself for the year ahead. If you intend to apply to prestigious colleges, enrolling in challenging coursework and maintaining a stellar GPA are both critical for showing your academic preparedness. Weak study habits or lack of organization or motivation cause many students to struggle to boost or maintain a strong GPA—but these practices can be turned around! Check out our tips and tricks for becoming a stellar student this fall if you’re ready to have your most productive semester yet.
💡 Did you know?
“One common misconception among college applicants is that they can compare their GPAs with those of students attending different schools,” says Command Education Founder and CEO Christopher Rim. “However, the GPA is not a universal metric but rather a reflection of an individual’s academic performance within their specific educational environment. As a result, comparing GPAs from different schools is like comparing apples and oranges.”
To learn more about how different colleges calculate and evaluate applicants’ academic performances, check out this article from Chris’ Forbes column!
While all of these resources will help you start the year off strong, the true key to success in college admissions and beyond is dedicated mentorship. Offering unlimited support and expert guidance, our Senior Mentors equip students at every stage of the college application process to discover their passions and stand out to their dream schools. If you’re ready to level up your application profile this fall, schedule your free consult today!
