Career goals count on application and essays.

You will need to sell yourself in your application and essays. Have clearly stated career goals, because the nation’s top colleges are now bringing in career-services staff to evaluate candidates for admission.

The college admission essay requires a relaxed state of mind and time to think. Brainstorm the direction you wish to take when evaluating your essays topic. Gerald Bradshaw America's top college consultant addresses how important a clear career goal mention in the college essay can be to an admissions committee.

Dear Mr. Bradshaw -- I am a junior in high school and I know I will face a very competitive class of applicants when I apply to college next fall.

I have a 4.125/4.250 GPA and a 2250 SAT score. I participate in a number of extracurricular activities including football and wrestling, and I am the editor of our school’s literary magazine.

There are 500 students in my class and most of the students who are in the top 5 percent have similar achievements. I am applying to most of the Ivies, Stanford and Berkeley. Is there anything I should know that will enhance my chances of getting into a top college?

Read Mr. Bradshaw's Answer....

Personal essays vital to admission

Dear Mr. Bradshaw — I have been putting off writing my college essays, and now it is getting to crunch time.

It is not so much writer’s block as it is that I just can’t find anything interesting about myself about which to write. I am not sure what to say or how to say it. Please help. — Stumped Student

Dear Dear Student —

First, it’s important that you understand the essays are a hugely important part of your application.

If nothing else, let that fact prime the pump and start the adrenaline flowing. Almost every college applicant must write an essay about himself or herself.

I will add a little fuel to the fire by pointing out that essays can make or break your chances of admission.

Applicants must separate themselves from the pack because there are only so many openings. And, when it comes time for the admissions committee vote on your application, my view is that a well-written group of essays will set you apart and get you into the admit file.

Remember, your essays are a chance to show admissions officials a side of you that is not reflected in other parts of your application. It is a chance to talk about your personal traits, plus the values and experiences that helped shape your life and give you inspiration for the future.

Tell them about the person behind the grades and the test scores.

If you aren’t comfortable talking about yourself, the essay task can be daunting.

There are a number of books on how to write college essays. My favorite is “50 Successful Harvard Applications Essays,” published by the Harvard Crimson. It features writing examples from students who were admitted to Harvard, and provide a helpful analysis at the end of each essay.

In my opinion, you must get excited about the task at hand and finding the sound of your voice. I sometimes suggest that my clients read James D. Watson’s “The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure DNA (Gunther S. Stent edition).”

They usually get the message on the first try. Watson wrote about the momentous discovery with the easy pen of a diarist. He found the trick is to use a conversational tone of voice that puts even the most skeptical reader at ease without insulting their intelligence.

His story is interesting because the discovery was revolutionary and met with skeptics and roadblocks. There is drama at every turn, and a huge dose of humor and self-effacement in his prose.

So, start writing. Use a friendly and unaffected tone of voice. Show members of the admissions committee a side of you that made you what you are — happy, sad, funny or serious.

Be yourself and tell them about it.

There are close to 3,000 colleges to choose from nationwide and admission to these colleges is complicated.

Bradshaw college consulting takes the pressure off ensuring that your college search experience is one to look forward to rather than dread.

Work with a college consultant that can assist guide you through the proper way to write your essay, conduct your interview, test, and apply for financial aid.

Get help choosing the right college or getting into the college you desire to attend. Call: Toll Free: 866-687-8129

College Consultant - Bradshaw College Consulting - Personal essays vital to admission

College rankings can matter

Does it really matter where you go to college? It might.

When making a higher education decision, you have many questions to answer. What can I afford? What do I want to study? What school will best prepare me for my career choice?

U.S. News and World Report’s annual ranking of universities should be required reading for all college applicants and their parents. Although many college officials say the tier in which a school is placed does not matter in recruiting, the report does make a difference.

Dropping even one notch below where it was on the list the previous year can affect corporate fundraising efforts, and alumni donations might plummet. Potential applicants read the rankings as a mark of quality, often making their decisions based upon the magazine’s findings.

College rankings can matter

High school guidance counselors, students and parents use the rankings as a measure of prestige and academic quality. Corporations always begin their recruiting efforts at top-ranked schools, and the best job offers generally go to the graduates of those institutions.

Alumni of highly ranked colleges often have better chances to get into medical school, law school and top graduate programs. Fellowship and grant money also flows uphill to the higher-ranking institutions.

I always tell my clients that attending a small, bachelor-degree granting institution is fine. However, if you want an advanced degree on your curriculum vitae, attending a highly ranked university will give you a leg up in the graduate school application process.

You’ll find that graduation from a top university will reap benefits when the time comes to ask your professors for references. Without excellent references, the fellowship money you need to stay in graduate school will be harder to attract.

The more prestigious the school, the easier it will be to obtain financial support, take advantage of foreign study programs and teaching opportunities.

Should you not attend a top-tier college, it does not mean the end of the world.

There are close to 3,000 colleges to choose from nationwide and admission to these colleges is complicated.

Bradshaw college consulting takes the pressure off ensuring that your college search experience is one to look forward to rather than dread. Work with a college consultant that can assist guide you through the proper way to write your essay, conduct your interview, test, and apply for financial aid.

Get help choosing the right college or getting into the college you desire to attend. Call: Toll Free: 866-687-8129

Consultant an asset for top school

Dear Mr. Bradshaw: I am considering hiring a college consultant to help me with the admissions process. My parents and I agree that applying to top colleges is a real challenge, and we would like to know how a college consultant could help make things easier. --Student


Dear Student:

If you are applying to a top college, a consultant can be a real asset, and the benefits are wide-ranging.

Although little is published on the subject, student surveys indicate that at least 40 percent of the applicants who were admitted to Harvard and Yale last year used consultants.

Even if your parents graduated from a top college and are familiar with the application process through an alumni network, hiring a top college consultant can help level the playing field in the admissions area.

So where should you start? I recommend you Google “college consultants” and examine their websites. Pick a few consultants who focus on top schools and call them with a set of prepared questions. Ask how much they charge, what services they include, if assistance with scholarship essays is a part of the package, and so on.

I highly suggest hiring a consultant who is a graduate of a top college because without these credentials, it is unlikely the consultant will be current with the admissions practices of exclusive schools.

Keep in mind that consultants who were admitted to top colleges will have scores and grades similar to yours. Ask them why they think they got in. Obviously, they were able to separate themselves from other applicants, and you are looking to them to help guide you along the same path.

Assuming you are near the top of your class and have scored in the top 10 percent on the SAT or ACT and on at least two SAT II subject tests, your next hurdle will be the essays required for the common application and individual schools.

Typically, top students apply to 10 colleges, which means writing 40 to 60 essays during the admissions process. The essays are designed to tell colleges something special about you, and each is given a score. Do not be fooled into thinking that the shorter ones don’t count and that only the longer ones matter.

You will find some of the essays can be downright silly (from my point of view), but they still reveal something about how you handle off-the-wall questions like, “What does ‘blue’ mean to you?”

Answering these questions is always difficult, as I dislike quirky questions that don’t have a logical base in my thinking.

What I would like to say and what a responsible answer might be often are different animals. I advise students how to approach these questions and turn the answers to their advantage.

A consultant will help keep you on track in the admissions process and provide a sounding board for you and your family. Making sure you meet deadlines, coaching you as you approach your scholarship essays, and cutting through the admissions clutter are some of the services a consultant provides.

College Admissions Consulting Articles - Consultant an asset for top school

Bradshaw College Consultant - Gerald Bradshaw

Biography - Gerald Bradshaw


Founder, Bradshaw College Consulting

Gerald Bradshaw has spent nearly 15 years interviewing students for Harvard College before he started Bradshaw College Consulting.

As an alumni interviewer he gained tremendous insights into the admissions process--and not just at Harvard—but also across the board at all selective colleges and universities.

Bradshaw College Consulting focuses on working with students and their families with the college admissions process.

The most notable changes:

The decline in the number of legacies given preference
The increase in female applicants
The increase in GPA and test scores
The increase in tutoring for entrance examinations
The increase in the use of college consultants
The increase in international students
The increase in minority applicants
The increase in extra-curricular activities

International Students Studying In The U.S.

International Students

The number of international students studying in the U.S. is over 600,000. 

Approximately half that number are undergraduates. Almost 60 percent come from Asia. India accounts for the majority of students (15%), with China (12%) and South Korea (9%) increasing their presence at a rapid rate.

Most American colleges have already decided on the number of international students they will enroll in each class. The key to getting admitted is to prepare as far ahead as possible. It is best to start planning before the first year of high school. If that is not possible, plan to make sure you have completed all the necessary steps to qualify for American admissions. 

• Take the SAT/ACT tests seriously. You will need to score higher than other students.
• Focus on the TOEFL and the verbal section of the SAT/ACT if you are from a non-English speaking country. Not all students are required to take the test. If you are an American citizen graduating from an all-English speaking high school in another country you may be exempt. Seoul International School is one such example.
• Most top American colleges require or recommend a personal interview with an alumnus. The interview is frequently held in the home country of the applicant. Where a face-to-face interview is not possible, the interview is conducted by telephone. Expect to be rated in a number of areas, including academic, extracurricular/athletic, personal qualities and an overall rating. The personal interview is a written evaluation and will be submitted to the admissions committee.
• Apply early.