Enthusiasm important in college interviews

The jest of pulling off a college interview... Shoe some personality! Often times interviewees will get nervous and speak in a dull voice, giving nervous clipped answers when meeting with an admissions board.

Remember college interviews matter! This is the time to stand out and shine. Let the interviewer discover who you are. Being prepared and asking questions can make a difference.

Dear Mr. Bradshaw --

I am applying to several colleges next fall that require an interview by an alumnus. Can you share with me what kind of information they look for in an college applicant?

Signed: Student

Read Mr Bradshaw answer to this student: Enthusiasm important in college interviews

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

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....

Four classes that enhance any field of study

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Dear Mr. Bradshaw —  I am an early admit to the University of Chicago, but I want to be sure and take classes as a freshmen and sophomore that will help me, no matter what my future course of study is (choosing a major).

Since I have not chosen a major, what classes would you suggest I take as a freshman and sophomore? — Undecided Major

Dear Undecided Major — You are wise to start thinking about your academic direction before signing up for classes in the fall.

Your course selection is serious business, and a decision should not be left until you arrive on campus.

Unlike high school, college offers a bewildering array of classes from which to choose, and the course catalog reads like an encyclopedia of world knowledge. Each class sounds exciting and interesting, and it is always tempting to dip into the cookie jar without thinking.

Although college is not all about preparing for a career, you cannot ignore the fact that at the end of four years, you will need to have learned something of substance and certain basic skills that will enhance your marketability, regardless of the field in which you work.

I have compiled a list of four classes I believe are must-haves on your college transcripts.  Read More

 

Investigate edX to start online classes

Dear Mr. Bradshaw — I am a high school student in Hong Kong and want to take an online class from an American university.

Is there a program you can recommend?

Dear Student —

It does not matter if you live in Hong Kong or Dallas, the advantages of taking online classes are many, and access is easy.

As a general rule, there are no restrictions based on geographical location or educational background.

I suggest you look into course offerings at edX (www.edX.org). This program, sponsored by Harvard and MIT, gives students a chance to take classes online that are taught by world-famous faculty members. They call it “The Future of Online Education for anyone, anytime, anywhere.”

Although edX is less than a year old, the number of universities participating has expanded to six. They include Harvard, MIT, Cal-Berkeley, University of Texas, Wellesley and Georgetown University.

Courses are video-based, which means you can participate after school, after work or even on weekends. Certificates are issued after passing an examination similar to those in regular college classes.

For example, Harvard offers a class on Justice (ER22X).

According to the edX website, the topics include affirmative action, income distribution, the role of markets, debates about rights (human rights and property rights), arguments for and against equality, and dilemmas of loyalty in public and private life.

Students are asked to subject their views on these subjects to critical examination. Readings for the course are by Aristotle, John Locke, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, and John Rawls, contemporary philosophers, court cases, and articles about political controversies that raise philosophical questions.

Taught by professor Michael J. Sandel, the course has enrolled more than 15,000 Harvard students. The course is free, there are no prerequisites, and classes start in the spring of 2013.

Required readings are available online at links provided on the course website, and you may watch the lectures at your leisure. As long as you have a computer to access the website, you are ready to go.

Students may respond to a poll question related to the lecture, then respond to a challenge to the opinion you have expressed. You also may comment on the opinions and responses posted by other students in the course, continuing the discussion.

Classes contain a discussion prompt that invites you to offer your view on a controversial question related to the lecture.

Each week, there is an optional live dialogue that allows students to interact with instructors and participants worldwide.

Students who earn a passing grade earn a “certificate of mastery” issued by edX under the name of HarvardX.

Students who want to jump-start their college careers by taking a class by a famous professor will find this an exciting way to learn.

Bradshaw college consultants will provide you with answer to your questions and concerns regarding your college admissions process.

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

edX is a massive open online course platform founded by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University to offer online university-level courses in a wide range of disciplines to a worldwide audience at no charge.

Advanced degree considerations

 Dear Mr. Bradshaw —

I am a sophomore at the University of Chicago and in the process of deciding on a career in law or business. What are the job prospects for each of these professions given the current state of the economy?

A master of business administration program takes two years and law school takes three years to complete. I hear horror stories about students graduating with thousands of dollars of debt and weak job prospects. If I don’t go to graduate school, what are my chances of finding a good job? -- Student

Dear Student —

You do have options. If you are a top student, with excellent SAT scores (yes, many companies require them) and possess strong analytical skills, chances are you will probably have multiple job offers when you finish your undergraduate degree. This option will allow you to have a few years to adjust to the work world.

If you are a plodder, and plan to take five years to complete your undergraduate degree, you may face a very poor job market. Typically, most students at the University of Chicago do not fall into this category, or you would not have been admitted in the first place.

Many students flounder as undergraduates at less competitive colleges and end up not being good candidates for either the job market or graduate school.

Newly minted MBAs are flooding a shrinking job market in record numbers. The Wall Street Journal reports that median pay today for new MBAs is down 4.6 percent from 2007-08.

Pay fell at 62 percent at 186 of the schools examined. While the greatest decline was at less prestigious schools, even the top schools are experiencing a decline in recruitment.

Law school graduates face a similar fate. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there will be 21,880 new jobs for lawyers annually over the next 10 years, but 44,000 graduates each year will compete for them.

Read More of What Top College Adviser Gerald Bradshaw has to say:

College Consultant - Bradshaw College Consulting - Advanced degree considerations