Letting thecompetition know who you are.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Dear Mr. Bradshaw --

I am a junior in high school and I am concerned about ethnic “quotas” for admissions at top colleges. I am an Asian American, and my Asian friends tell me that many top colleges have quotas. Several of them who were rejected had nearly perfect test scores and grades. How can I escape the same fate when I apply in August?

Student

According to Bradhsaw College Consulting, successful college applications are based on the impact an admissions essay has on the admissions board.  Read about how you the student should show colleges that your just right for their college.

Dear Student --

It has been said that ethnicity-based admission standards — implicit or explicit — exist at many top colleges. The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has examined complaints that Ivy League schools have discriminated against Asian-American undergraduate applicants. Both Harvard and Princeton have rejected any bias. Read More

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

Is Admission to an Ivy League School Worth $2 Million?

Two million dollars is extreme, but many parents hire consultants to give their kids an edge. The Independent Educational Consultants Association estimates there are 4,000 to 5,000 such consultants in the U.S., a majority of whom specialize in college-level admissions.

Average income for these experts ranges from $49,000 to $131,000, depending on experience.

The focus for many aspirational parents: the Ivy League. “It’s like going to Hollywood,” says Gerald Bradshaw, president of Bradshaw College Consulting. “Being in the movies, being with the stars.”

Read More

Build learning skills at early age

Dear Mr. Bradshaw —

Our son just started seventh grade. He is an excellent student, and we want him to continue to do well so he can apply to a top college.

When should we start thinking about hiring a consultant or tutor to make sure he stays at the top of his class? — Parent

Dear Parent — The sooner you have an expert evaluate your son’s academic achievements, the better. Many companies provide tutoring services and suggest the best way to prepare for colleges.

There are well-known tutoring companies with offices in Northwest Indiana. Many parents have found their diagnostic evaluations helpful in spotting potential academic flaws. They also help students develop good study habits and testing skills.

Would you believe my youngest client is 3 years old? She is an American who lives in Moscow. Her parents hired me to find the best preschool in New York City or in the San Francisco Bay Area. They want their daughter prepared for a top college and will do whatever is needed to improve her chances for admittance.

We all know the value of preschool, where a child learns at an early age. Students learn how to adapt socially with other children and how to follow instructions from someone other than their parents. The transition from home to school is an important part of what children learn in preschool.

Another less talked-about benefit of preschool is, students learn how to compete with other children. There is a built-in advantage to vying for top scholastic honors.

The positive feedback teachers give preschoolers helps them as they move to grade and middle school. These children are less fearful of making mistakes and look forward to teachers helping them. The sooner they realize making mistakes is part of learning, the better.

You often have read in this column about the importance of earning top grades as a high school freshman. The transition from middle school to high school demands discipline and focus. This means earning a 4.0 grade-point average and not a 3.25.

You cannot average out a poor freshman year, even if you do well as a sophomore and junior.

I tutor seventh- and eighth-graders for the SAT. I also teach a writing program for younger students that focuses on expository writing and essays, including fiction and nonfiction. This training helps them to score well on the writing portion of the SAT.

By the time these young clients reach high school, they have increased their critical reading and writing skills, and are well ahead of their classmates.

In summary, it is never too early to hone a child’s learning skills. Admissions competition at top colleges is growing tougher each year, and anything you can do to increase the odds of academic success for your son is in his best interests.

I tutor a number of middle school students who plan to apply to top prep schools for high school. Prep schools have admissions requirements, including SAT-type tests and personal interviews.

The percentage of prep school graduates admitted to Ivy League schools is much higher than public schools. An interesting statistic is, on average, 60 percent of prep school students receive financial aid. This dispels the myth that only rich kids attend prep schools.

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 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

Applicants on waiting list can improve odds

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

BY GERALD M. BRADSHAW
gerald_bradshaw@post.harvard.edu
Bradshaw College Consulting
(219) 663-3041

Question: -- “I received word that I am on the waiting list for one of my preferred universities. What are my chances of getting admitted, and is there anything I can do to move myself up on the list?”

Applicants on waiting list can improve odds

Answer: -- Most students who apply to top colleges and universities generally apply to 10 or more schools.

Chances are, you were admitted to some schools, rejected by a few and put in limbo by being placed on a waiting list at others.

If you are on the waiting list, you might be accepted at a later date, depending on the number of openings the school has left after admitted students confirm their decisions to attend.

Although most colleges notify wait-listed students of their decisions by early May, it could take until the end of summer before you receive a decision.

Most colleges do not place students on a waiting list if there is not a realistic chance of getting admitted after a second round of evaluations. This means students who want to remain on the waiting list have work to do.

I suggest you send the university a letter renewing your interest in the school and sharing any new milestones in your life since applying last fall. This information is often the deciding factor in wait-list decisions.

Many applicants look stronger in the last semester of their senior years after receiving an academic award or finishing first in a national competition. Colleges need to be notified about these honors.

It is important to emphasize the fact that the college where you are wait-listed is your first choice. You need to convince officials that if you are admitted, you will attend.

If possible, I highly recommend that you schedule an in-person interview with the admissions office at your preferred school to convince officials of your sincerity. This especially helps students who have strong interview skills.

Wait-listing is a legitimate way to tell students they will be reconsidered if space in the class becomes available.

If you really want to attend the college or university of your choice, it is best to do everything you can to stay on the waiting list.

College Admissions Consulting Articles - Scholarship or elite school?

Tuesday, December 6, 2011


BY GERALD M. BRADSHAW

gerald_bradshaw@post.harvard.edu

Bradshaw College Consulting

(219) 663-3041


Dear Mr. Bradshaw: I will apply to several top colleges next year, and I have a question that, so far, no one has answered to my satisfaction.

If I am offered a full scholarship to a state college, should I accept it? If I gain admittance to a top college like Harvard or MIT, is it worth the extra money and debt to attend one of them over a state college?

My parents are encouraging me to stay in state and apply for a full scholarship, which I probably will get. That sounds reasonable, but my concern is what I would give up if I turned down the chance to attend a top-tier college. --Student

Scholarship or elite school?



Dear Student

— Each year, some students turn down the chance to attend a top-tier college because they feel the academic pressure to perform or the financial burden would be too great. Others might prefer to attend a college closer to home.

Whatever your decision, there are tangible benefits if you attend Harvard or MIT. Keep in mind, these are my personal views and may not represent the majority of college advisers.

A recent article in The Harvard Crimson carried this headline: “Dropping out of Harvard: A standard to aspire to.”

Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg had returned to his alma mater for the first time since dropping out in 2005. He came back dressed in jeans and a sweat shirt to recruit students for his company. He also visited MIT on his trip in an effort to find more of the best and brightest students for his company — arguably the gold standard by which other companies measure their ability to attract the best candidates.

With Facebook starting salaries averaging $150,000 per year and a work environment built around brilliant and talented employees, Zuckerberg selects only the best. It doesn’t hurt that the popular movie “The Social Network” added to his celebrity.

Zuckerberg recruits at top colleges, he said, because he wants to have “the first crack at the stars before they graduate.” The Crimson added he was looking for “the next Bill Gates, who might be right in this room.” These comments often are not made about other universities.

In the tradition of other famous dropouts like Gates, Zuckerberg made no bones about being different. He encouraged students to take time off from their studies to explore what they really want to do. His talk was limited to only 200 students who were selected based on resume submissions.

Why did he stop at Harvard? Because Harvard is the most selective college in America. It accepted only 6.1 percent of all applicants last year. Harvard students ranked at the top of their classes in high school, and many turned down full scholarships at other schools to study there.

Gates and Zuckerberg charted a new course when they dropped out of college to become entrepreneurs. Their actions have influenced a generation of students to think differently about computer science.

Gates said computer programming lured him away from Harvard, but an early 1990s biography says he dropped out when Harvard objected to his use of university computers for private business.

I know my clients want to succeed and use what they learn in college to start businesses, and they write openly about their entrepreneurial goals in their applications. These are the students Zuckerberg wants for Facebook — before Google and Apple get there.

What would you give up if you turned down the chance to attend a top-tier school? Perhaps a chance to work at one of the greatest companies in the world, surrounded by the best and brightest students of your generation.

College Admissions Consulting Articles - Scholarship or elite school?

College Admissions - Compatibility glitch has student in a panic

Tuesday, November 8, 2011


BY GERALD M. BRADSHAW

gerald_bradshaw@post.harvard.edu

Bradshaw College Consulting

(219) 663-3041

Dear Mr. Bradshaw: I am filling out my Common Application and, when I upload my college essays, for some reason, they do not post in the display box.

When I click “view document” or “print preview,” all that appears is a blank page.

I am in a panic.

I thought it had posted because it did not show an error, until I discovered they were not visible in the display.

I missed my Early Action deadline because of it. What can I do to fix the problem?

Please help. -- Panicked Student

Compatibility glitch has student in a panic


— This will be a short answer because I want readers to understand what they have to do about this problem without digging through a lot of technical jargon.

Several of my clients who uploaded their essays to the Common Application with a Macintosh have experienced this compatibility issue.

If you view an application submitted on your Mac on a PC, you will be able to see your essays in the display. You have to use a PC to view them.

This glitch has given students fits because they missed the Nov. 1, Early Action filing deadline.

I have not seen references to this problem in the news and am unaware of any fix to date.

To be on the safe side, I recommend that my clients fill out their applications on a PC and not a Mac.

In the interest of fairness and full disclosure, I use an iPad and iPhone for fun, but, for my business, I use a PC, even though I am constantly under attack by viruses and malware.

College Admissions Consulting Articles - Compatibility glitch has student in a panic

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.