So here we go Marketing 101!

Introductions are pretty easy, effortless, but sometimes nerve-wrecking. When meeting people for the first time I often give myself a pep talk to be myself and it’ll be a breeze.

Well... it’s never that easy… but you get my point!

It’s the same way with college admissions … at least it should be!

It’s all about introducing yourself in the best way possible.

I say all of this because reading a poor application or “introduction” is disappointing when you know it could be better. Since my job is to read over thousands of “introductions” in about three months, I’d like my job to be a little more entertaining...If you get my drift!

So when I read an application here are some of the things I look for and what they mean:
Good grades = intelligence and good study habits
Activities = involvement and well-rounded
Leadership = personable, good teamwork, time management skills
Service = concerned about the welfare of others and their community
Scores = test-taking skills
Demonstrated Interest = your interest in Carnegie Mellon
Dirty sock = dirtiness (I don’t know where that came from but you’d be surprised what we’ve received in the mail!)

Boast about yourself! It’s all about self-promotion. Now, I didn’t say exaggerate and report that you found a cure for cancer but definitely talk about how positive you are, how enthusiastic you are, how accepting you are, or how different you are.

Again it’s important to leave a good impression to make us remember who YOU are…not what you think we want to read.  By making yourself memorable, we can make a better and possibly more favorable decision based on your self – promotion (aka the application).

Since most students are admissible that apply, it’s all about those extra things that make you stand out. Again, it doesn't have to be exaggerated but just giving us your perspective of what you do and why you do it is enough to make you unique.

For some students it may be spraying Love Spell perfume and sparkles on your application or some will use their photoshop skills to put a picture of him/herself on campus that will make me say, “Hey this student is innovative and really wants to come here! Wow, we should seriously consider him/her.”

Be yourself but also remember that you want to highlight those traits or activities that make you stand out.

So for your application it’s definitely ok to be special and write a song about how great Kathryn is for your application. It's a great "introduction" and really says a lot about your good taste. That’s always good brownie points and a definite plus for your application! Well, at least I think so and I'll always remember you!

I’ve talked to many students about their applications and one theme that keeps coming up is about being unique.

Many students will say to me, “ You know I really like _ but I know a lot of students who like it too so it probably doesn’t seem original.”

Or

“I like school and I know it sounds cliché but I really like to study!”

My answer to this thinking or these sentiments is to BE YOURSELF!

So what if you really love LEGOS! It’s a free country so you can love LEGOS and even play with them while you eat dinner if you want! And YES! Most engineer students like building blocks!

So the lesson here is not to try to think of new hobbies to seem unique because it’s not about what you do but what you do with your interests.

For example, you like cartoon anime but what are you doing with those interests? Are you drawing your own cartoon? Are you visiting anime conventions around the country? Did you create an anime club?

It’s the depth and time that you put into an activity that makes me as an Admissions Counselor look twice at a candidate. I not only want to know what interests you but how and why? For the admissions process, it doesn’t matter that other people share your interests but what is it about that activity that you enjoy? Why is it meaningful to you? What do you want to do with this interest?

I mean come on ... all I’m asking is more than one word answers!

The application process is about marketing yourself, so you want to stand out and look unique, but we’re not asking you to invent the next Google Company! We want you to describe yourself through your activities so that we get a complete picture of who you are as a unique individual.

Trust me…if you’re a cello playing swimmer that also plants trees on the weekend or a car mechanic who also volunteers as a candy-stripper and created their own website…then you’re unique!

So you like spoken word but what is your style? Have you performed? What is your favorite piece and why?

It’s all about depth…on the surface people may look similar but the more depth you get in your application the better! Just remember that you can do it quickly and effectively…in other words you don’t have to be long-winded!

Every soccer player enjoys playing soccer but for different reasons. Or they have different favorite teams.

To me reading applications is almost like attending a FIRST Robotics competition. Although every team is given the same instructions on how to build the robot, every team builds a very different and unique robot.

So again BE YOURSELF (see you can’t be anymore cliché than that!) in the application process. The key is to go in depth in the interviews, questions, essays, resume, letters of recommendation, and application. Remember you can go in depth in a creative, quick, and effective way. It takes some work but it definitely shows as I read an application of a likely candidate for admission at Carnegie Mellon.

As everyone is going back to school, one thing that I would recommend is to start looking over the applications that you’ve received from schools. During this summer, we’ve discussed the college search process, what good questions you should ask, and how to narrow your choices.

Now it’s the time to start looking over the requirements for the application. For Carnegie Mellon we accept the common application (www.commonapp.org). So I recommend going to the website and make an account for yourself. This way you can easily fill out your name, have your information saved, and you can go back at anytime.

I’m not saying that you have to fill anything out, but it’s just wise to start looking over the application to get familiar with it.            

It's also good to start talking with your guidance counselor about the colleges that you're looking at and getting advice from them about the application process. It will almost be a catalyst and you'll begin thinking about what you want to write for your essays, how to format your resume, who you want to write your letters of recommendation, etc.

All in all, the more you’re familiar with the application process, the more you can be yourself and be creative with your answers. So the sooner you start working on the application in pieces, the better!

Also, if you have any questions about the application you can ask them earlier (as in right now) rather than later (like the week before it’s due!). An early start on the application can ensure a good, thought-out, and personable application ... which is a sure fire win-win situation for us here in Admissions!

Yes, a popular show on primetime TV but it also exists in any office culture including ours. You have some of the same characters (whether you know it or not!). There’s always the funny/loud one, the quiet/weird one, and everyone in between.

Unfortunately, we don’t have a water cooler but we still get together and talk about the important issues of the day:

“Girl, do you believe that _ won American Idiot.”
“I know! I thought _ was going to win it.”
“Well you know why _ won because she’s the executive producers’ barber’s cousin’s daughter!”
“Really!?! … I didn’t know that.”
“Uh-huh. That’s what I heard.”

Some interesting things happen in the office for instance on my side a certain person likes to have their heat on blast so that anyone entering is scorched and so has to have a comfortable distance from that person. Albeit it’s hellishly hot as a result of this person’s insane climate control, however, I think that this person is just misunderstood as a hot head. They will remain anonymous but they know who they are.

Another case is a certain individual who at 4:59 PM on Fridays likes to play his mini steel drum. Although he is no way Caribbean or has any musical ability, he still plays his simple melody to the chagrin of all that have to listen. Like the USA channel. Characters are always welcome!

We also possibly have the nicest person in all of the world on our staff. If you don’t now her you’re missing out because she’s absolutely too nice! I don’t think I’ve ever had a conversation with this person without her saying thank you at least once. Even when thanking her, she’ll thank you for thanking her. Just great!

One last note about our office that, although we have such great characters, we do have a sense of unity and purpose to provide an important service to families inquiring about Carnegie Mellon. Without these characters we wouldn’t have the office that we know of today, in all honesty. Between the laughs, the jests, and the funny looks, it’s a good and productive work day. We even have a Steve Carrell look alike in OUR office! 

When talking with students, after awhile, they tend to open up and that’s when REAL learning takes place…

For instance, they’ll ask, “So what are some good questions to ask an admissions counselor.”

And I reply, “You know that’s a really good question! What do you really want to know about the college?”

Then they look at me puzzled, “I don’t know. That’s why I was asking you.”

So if you find yourself in this situation it’s fine because you’re not alone.

One good question to start a conversation is, “What makes your university unique.” or  “What are you typically known for.” It sounds much better than, so “Why should I go to your school.” (MUCH better!)

Counselors love this question because we’ve all had to think about it to recruit interested students. It’s like the dogma or mantra of our Admissions cult (I’m j/k…well, not really!). Essentially, our job is to explain what unique experiences our college can offer prospective students.

For Carnegie Mellon (see I couldn’t even help myself!), we have a lot of characteristics that make us unique such as interdisciplinary academic programs (ranging from the arts to technology and everything in between), our campus traditions (very Scottish!), Pittsburgh location (campus and the city), collaborative teamwork (we have an “us” complex), and great employment opportunities (Google has an office right on campus!).

Another great question is, “What do most of your students enjoy doing?” or “What do your students do in their free time.”

For every college, this is going to be a different answer because every college has different campus life and location.

Carnegie Mellon is located in the city of Pittsburgh yet it isn’t downtown so we have a nice sized, centrally located campus. Basically our campus is an urbanized park if you will! There’s plenty to do on-campus (indoors and outdoors) being that we have about 200 clubs and organizations ranging from community service and religious/cultural enrichment organizations to student government and performing arts ensembles. You can even venture out and enjoy the city by car or bus. From shopping at the Waterfront or eating local cuisine on the Southside to catching a Pirates game at PNC Park or visiting the Andy Warhol museum, there’s plenty to do in the Three Rivers City.

I also have found that most students find unusual ways to have fun too. For instance, some might say that students at Carnegie Mellon don’t have much free time because they’re always studying. I find that this isn’t true. Most students are engaged in research or in the studio where they’re doing something that looks akin to schoolwork but they really enjoy using their creative minds to come up with interesting ideas and/or projects. So many of our students like applying themselves in their interests and/or hobbies which is something that makes us unique (which answers the first question also…SWEET, One for Two!).

Another good question is, “In what ways do students pursue their interests?”

This question alludes to how our students pursue their academic interests and how will they be prepared to earn jobs and what types of jobs.

Many of our students conduct research, work through internships, use their creativity in the studio, perform, travel abroad, participate in competitions/conferences, and/or join organizations to pursue their interests. Here at Carnegie Mellon there is no dominant or prominent way to explore your interests. It’s simply up to each student to take the initiative to go for it. There is guidance along the way from your professors, academic advisors, and career center counselors but again it’s all up to you to make your college experience what you want it to be.

And that will prepare you for the future.

OK so I couldn't tear myself away from thinking about the best questions that I've been asked by students...

I mean besides the obvious... "How many times are the bathrooms cleaned?" (I have no idea but I think that's a better question for housing?)

Or "How many Anarchist clubs do you have on campus?" (We actually have one but they seem to never meet...maybe it's too much bureaucracy.)

So here are a couple more questions related to Admissions that can really gauge what a college has to offer prospective students:

A good question is, “How are your recent graduates viewed by future employers and/or professional/grad schools.”

At Carnegie Mellon, students are very sought after by employers. Like I mentioned before Google, Microsoft, Intel, and the Federal Government have offices right on campus! We’re considered one of the hottest campuses to get a job.

Not just our engineers find jobs either! Our students in Information Systems, Social Decision Sciences, and Economics find themselves recruited by major companies because of their skills to critically think, collaborate in teams, and be creative problem-solvers.

Our Science and Social Science students find jobs either conducting research or earning their graduate degrees in a vast number of areas. International Relations or Modern Language students find numerous jobs all over the world concerning global issues and/or consulting jobs.

Our Business students always have internships during the summer and are usually hired based on those internships in the spring of their Senior year. Many students I know have internships with better salaries than mine! INTERNSHIPS!

Also there are no starving artists at Carnegie Mellon either! Many of our actors/actresses and directors are signed in their senior year to managers or production companies because of our process to “showcase” our students. Musicians, writers, artists, and techies (you know who you are!) are all able to find jobs either in their craft or applying their creative education in areas that best suits them.

So many students pursue their interests well before Senior year so that by the Spring before graduation they already know their immediate future plans.

I’m confident to say that all of our students will not only have a bright future (in a job or graduate/professional school)… but a successful future of their choice!

Another good question is, “What are some of the traits that your students demonstrate here.” This says a lot without saying, “How do I get in.”

Many counselors will say the same traits such as hardworking, driven, motivated, etc. And all of these traits are desirable.

At Carnegie Mellon there are also unique traits like interest in giving back or community outreach, global and social awareness, wanting to make an impact, creative and critical thinkers, environmentally conscious, etc.

Most of the students we admit are really interested in attending Carnegie Mellon because they’ve done their research about us and know what we can offer to students. Essentially our students become major contributors to the university and the world.

So it’s far more important for you to show interest in Carnegie Mellon and how Carnegie Mellon can help you to pursue your interests.
 
Also, because we are very interdisciplinary, many of our students are very interdisciplinary with interests ranging from the arts, drama, international relations, and music to programming, research, finance, and policy.

I’m sorry if it looks like I’m answering all of these questions! But that’s ok...this is only a start.

There are many other questions but you get the gist of what I'm saying: It's good to ask questions like, "What is the average class size?" or "What is the student to teacher ratio?" but, in some instances, go deeper to ask the questions that will make a counselor have a REAL conversation with you about what you want in a college and what their college can offer you.

It’s fine if you ask questions you already know (you might get a new perspective on an old question). I mean even in our own office, some counselors might have totally different answers than I do because each of us have our own opinions.

Again, these are just a few of the questions that will start a conversation and, based off of what an admissions counselor might say, you can ask more questions from there.

So ... any more questions?

So here we go College Visits 101:

After conducting your "all-important college searches", you’re probably ready to start visiting the colleges that are on your list. And here is some more advice on how to make the most of your visits:

For your list of colleges you should have three categories: safety schools, realistic schools, and reach schools.  Safety schools are schools that you know that you’re going to be admitted to because you meet all of the requirements or averages. Your good, realistic schools are schools that meet your ideals and you have a good chance of getting in because you’re interests match with their programs. Your reach schools are the schools that you may be reaching for as your ideal school and there may be less of a chance of being admitted.

This is a good strategy because Admissions is based on statistics and there is always a chance of admission with any program or school that you apply to. With some schools you have a better chance than others, so please take all of this into consideration.

So it’s always good to start at the colleges that are local, that may be near the bottom of your list, or are your safety schools because you are able to build your questions and experiences (aka the more experiences with different colleges the better informed your experiences will be). After you’ve done a couple of college visits you’re ready to visit the colleges that are at the top of your list (hopefully Carnegie Mellon!).

We do offer interviews throughout the summer and early fall so if you are definitely interested please contact our office at 412-268-2082 or schedule an interview online through our website. They are very informal and for those students who definitely know they want to apply but want to gain more insight about Carnegie Mellon and the admissions process.

An interview isn't as necessary as having a campus tour. Campus tours are a way not only to see the campus but also talk with current students about their campus living or academic experiences. This is probably the best way to talk to current students besides our Making Student Connections or Making Virtual Connections programs.

It's also crucial, if you haven't already, to join our mailing list. We send thousands of publications monthly about our Sleeping Bag weekends, updated dates/times to visit campus, the latest news about Carnegie Mellon, deadline information, etc. So to be in the know about us definitely join. By the end you'll be sick of all the college mail but at least it was a rush at the beginning!

And if you have any specific questions just let us know! You don't have to schedule an interview just to ask a counselor some questions. We can talk with you and your family about any specific questions you may have about the university while you're on campus. Also make sure to ask for a business card for those questions that you remember in the car or on the plane as you're leaving!  Just give us a call and we'll be happy to talk with you again.

The college trip is all about gathering information about each individual college. It's also about how you feel about each place that you visit. For me, I knew the minute I stepped on campus that I was where I should be. My home away from home. It felt right and it just fit me.

So with this little bit of advice you should be ready to hit the road and head out for your own college trips. I doubt it will be as exciting as Raven Symone and Martin Lawrence's but it should be just as informative about yourself and the colleges you visit.

Try saying that 10 times fast!

Well, when people ask me about where I work, I tell them, "OH! Carnegie Mellon's a great place!" and some are appeased with that answer.

Still, others ask me, “So I know you’re an Admissions Counselor at Carnegie Mellon but… uh… what exactly do you do!”

I grin because I actually do a lot. Most of my time is devoted to answering all sorts of questions such as, “how many undergraduate students attend your university?” and “How often are the bathrooms cleaned in the residence halls?” (by the way I have no idea about the bathrooms but I can find out pretty quickly!)

I conduct interviews or as I like to call them fireside chats (although I don’t have a fireplace but we do chat it up!). I get to find out more about the student and in turn they learn more about the university from our conversation.

I give presentations all over the country about Carnegie Mellon and Pittsburgh. I report what and how we do well in many different programs. Since I get terrible stage fright I have all of my anecdotes and information down to a science, so the presentation becomes a candid conversation with a friend about why they should consider Carnegie Mellon as a good college choice.

I also attend college fairs and make high school visits which are always full of surprises. It's kinda like a box of chocolates...you never know what you're going to get! I never know if I'm going to get lost, which entrance to use, or where the bathrooms are ... yet it keeps me on my toes! The visits and fairs are good ways to see students in their own environment which makes them more at ease and elicits some interesting questions.

I read applications and yes it seems like a daunting task... because it is! Again I'll reiterate that it is DAUNTING to read over 22,000 applications yet it is also a very integral part of my job. I mean what's the point of recruiting if no one's applying! However, throughout this process, I get to meet the best and the brightest through their applications. Based on this information, I help students make sure that Carnegie Mellon is the best fit for them. It can be nerve-racking to make decisions but it’s all worth it in the long run when we get the class of 2013, 2014, etc.

I do other projects as well since I’m one of the Ethnic Minority Recruitment Coordinators but that’s for another blog!

So here we go College Search 101:

For most students this summer is the opportunity to start the "all - important college search!"

Some students start their search in traditional ways like using the US News World reports and rankings. While others use unconventional searches like which colleges are coed? (Carnegie Mellon is!) Who has the coolest school mascots? (Nothing’s cooler than a ferocious Scottie Dawg!) or will the school’s colors match my fav outfits? (Plaid is definitely a neutral color and goes with everything!).

However you start the college search process, there are some important personal questions that you need to keep in mind when researching or visiting colleges ... and that is remember what is important to you! In other words, which colleges seem right for me based on academics, distance, size, location, undergraduate population, housing, dining, etc. I’m not going to make any suggestions because everyone has their own factors concerning college.

For me, it was distance (How far away is it from home?), sports (Which division?), and type of education (liberal arts!). Later, I realized other important questions such as religious affiliation, top research university, diverse populations, majors, etc.

Again these questions aren’t important to anyone else but you. Understandably, you have your own questions so let them be your guide. You’re staring early which is a very good thing. You don’t have to compare/contrast at this point but be open and look at all of the great possibilities. Look at academics, campus life, and the cool things that make each college unique.

I don’t think US News World Report will rate colleges based on how many bagpipe majors exist (Carnegie Mellon has one!) so make sure you search for what YOU want in a college.