Session I is now closed so sign up today for the Competitive Edge College Application Boot Camp to be held August 1-5, 2016. Get a jump start on your Common Application, UC application, resume and a few supplemental essays. Only a few spaces are still available so call 310-613-5926 today to reserve your spot! Check out the testimonials from last year's camp attendees.
CEC Announces College Acceptances & Awards for Class of 2016!
Despite another competitive admissions cycle, CEC clients fared well in the admissions' process. Read on for the schools to which students were admitted, including scholarships.
American University of Paris - Trojan Transfer Plan (2)
Arizona State University
Bard College
Boston University
Butler University- $60,000 Merit Scholarship
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo-Honors Program
Chapman University- $40,000 Merit Scholarship
Clemson University- $30,000 Merit Scholarship
Colorado State University Honors Program- Presidential Scholarship ($40,000)
Dartmouth College
DePaul University
Duke University
Emerson College
Fordham/Alvin Ailey
Harvard
Indiana University-Bloomington
Johns Hopkins University- Woodrow Wilson Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program ($10,000 Research Grant)
Loyola Marymount University
Marymount University
New York University- Tisch School of the Arts
Occidental College
Purdue University – Honors Program Presidential Scholarship ($20,000)
San Diego State
San Francisco State
Southern Methodist University
St. Mary’s College California
Syracuse University
Texas Christian University
Tulane University
University of Arizona - $40,000 scholarship
University of California Berkeley-Regents Scholarship- Alumni Leadership Scholarship
University of California Davis-Regents Scholar ($30,000)
University of California Irvine
University of California Los Angeles
University of California Riverside
University of California San Diego
University of California Santa Barbara-Regents Scholar ($24,000) Top Scholar Recognition
University of California Santa Cruz
University of Chicago
University of Colorado-Boulder
University of Georgia- $36,000 Scholarship
University of Minnesota- Gold National Scholarship ($33,680)
University of Notre Dame (Reilly Visitation Program)
University of Oregon- $15,000 Merit Scholarship
University of Pennsylvania
University of San Diego
University of San Francisco
University of South Carolina
University of Southern California
University of Texas-Austin
University of Virginia- Echols Scholar
University of Washington
University of Wisconsin Madison
Villanova
Other awards achieved by CCC Class of 2016: Girl Scout Gold Award, Voice of Democracy (State Finalist)
BOARDING SCHOOL ACCEPTANCES
Avon Old Farms
Culver Academies
Hebron Academy
Robert Louis Stevenson School (2)
St. Johnsbury Academy
Wilbraham and Monson Academy
CEC Featured in OC Catholic
The Orange County Catholic recently published an article by Karen Curreri, founder of Curreri Educational Consulting. "Advice for Parents of College-Bound Catholics" provides helpful suggestions about college visits, starting a dialogue with high school age children, the importance of talking to students at schools of interest and considerations in selecting a Catholic university.
The 2015 Yale Writers' Conference
Last week, I had the privilege of attending a selective writers' conference at Yale University in New Haven, CT. Throughout the week, I read countless short stories, personal essays, and fictional works by my fellow writers. We discussed in-depth what works and doesn't work about each of our manuscripts, and especially as it pertains to engaging readers. Throughout our many discussions, a pattern of questions were raised. These questions can help writers of any genre--and especially college essay-writers--reflect on what they've written to ensure that the content or topic truly resonates with readers. Ask yourself these 5 questions once you've finished a personal essay or prompt response to gauge whether what you've written is meaningful, thought-provoking, engaging, and authentic:
1. Am I writing in MY voice? A writer's voice is his/her distinct personality and style that shines through his/her writing, giving a readers a sense of who he/she is. Your voice sets you apart from other applicants, and helps readers connect with the experience that you're relaying, because you're showing that it's uniquely your experience. Remember that a thousand students could write about living abroad during high school, but only YOU can write about it in your voice! If you're writing as YOU (meaning, you're not trying to be funnier or more self-deprecating than usual), your voice usually comes across strongly, and helps add meaning to what you're writing. If you're trying to be someone you're not through your writing, it will read as inauthentic or fake. Your writing should reflect who you are!
2. Does my tone match what I'm trying to say? If you're writing about the death of a family member, then the tone (or the writer's attitude toward a subject) should be serious, somber, reflective, and maybe even melancholic. If you're writing about being the only girl at robotics camp, then your voice should clearly express how you felt in that setting: adventurous, confident and self-assured? Or maybe you were nervous and not quite sure of yourself (at least at the beginning)? Either way, the tone of the piece should reflect the topic that you're dealing with. If you're writing from the heart, this will be easy. Just avoid a snarky/sarcastic/disrespectful tone at all costs, especially in the college essay. If you want to be taken seriously here, you have to be serious with your writing.
3. Does this piece tell readers something important about me? When a reader finishes your personal essay, he/she should be able to say: 'Ah, I know this person now, because he/she has shown me a glimpse of his/her world.' This is why your topic is so important. If you're writing about overcoming obstacles, learning a new skill, traveling, or the challenges of taking on a leadership role, then you're giving readers a chance to see how you handle important, difficult, or even life-changing situations (and there is no better glimpse into someone's personality than through these types of experiences!). If you're writing about a fun day on the beach with your friends, there is little opportunity to showcase how you grew as a person or how you're stronger/smarter/better/more confident as a result of the experience. Readers wants to be brought into a moment of your life, to experience it with you, and to see how you changed as a result- especially for the better! That is how they'll connect with you and get to know you through your work.
4. Am I showing and not just telling readers who I am? This is huge. Showing your readers who you are makes you much more engaging and relatable, and it gives you so much more power as a writer when it comes to conveying who you are. Here is an example showing readers who are you: You're writing about the bullying problem at your high school, and how one day you saw an underclassmen who was being shoved around outside. Instead of walking away or ignoring the situation, you deemed it safe enough to intervene, and you went over to the bullies and stood up for the younger student by asking the bullies why they were doing what they were doing and whether it benefited either side. Through your actions and dialogue in your writing, you're showing readers that you're standing up for what's right, that you've got a good head on your shoulders, and that you're not afraid to assert yourself in front of your peers. Telling readers, on the other hand, reads something like this: "I stand up for bullies at my school, which makes me a good person." Sure, anyone can tell readers this, but without an example or a glimpse of you in that moment, they still won't have a sense of the kind of person you are. SHOW, don't just tell!
5. Do I get straight to the point and not waste my words? Many personal essays begin with a lot of exposition, or background knowledge about the topic at hand, and they don't get to the real meat of the essay until about halfway through. Look at your own personal essay: where does it really start getting to the point (this is usually where the essay start to get really important!)? Does every sentence in your essay help illustrate the most important idea, or do you have fluff thrown in there too? Here's an example: you're writing about starring as the lead role in your high school's play, and the challenges and pressures that came along with that experience. You do not need to go back in time to your struggles at acting camp, to the audition process at high school, or to your debate about joining drama or student government. Start your essay at the play's opening night and SHOW readers what it looked/felt like to be in that position! Remember that with word count limits, every word and every sentence needs to support your main idea, or the most important thing you're trying to convey to readers. Don't feel like you need to inform readers of every single detail; readers are smart, they want the important stuff, and they'll fill in the blanks on their own.
Happy writing!
