“Choose where YOU want to go. Don’t let other people, especially your neighbors, choose for you.”

“Pre-write your essay; out of the mush, a few good nuggets will stand out.”

“I wrote my essay about my fanny pack.”

These tips and tidbits were all given at SDA’s fourth annual College Night, hosted by the National Honor Society on May 19, which featured a panel of high-achieving seniors; teachers Carolyn Lee, Kerry Koda, and Blaze Newman; and counselor Ann Nebolon.

“Most students don’t know the college process until they go through it. The purpose of College Night is to introduce this college process, and give an idea of what it is like to freshman, sophomores, and juniors,” Michael Santos, advisor to the NHS club, said.

To start off, senior Marin Callaway, co-president of the NHS, welcomed the crowd and introduced the first speaker, Ms. Carolyn Lee.

Preparing to Apply

Lee spoke about a class she teaches here at SDA, the College Application Seminar, that students can take in the fall of their senior year. The class explains college applications and helps students apply. Students learn about a wide range of topics that are relevant to college. She recommended that students apply to between six to 10 colleges, and of those, 50 percent should be target schools (schools that are right in your grasp, statistically), 10 percent safer schools, and 40 percent “reach” schools (schools that are a little bit out of grasp, but still a possibility). To pick colleges to apply to, Lee suggests using online college searches such as CollegeBoard and Naviance, and to talk to everybody about colleges. Regarding financial issues, she recommended applying to the school, and after acceptance, looking at the college’s financial aid packages.

Letters of Recommendation

Kerry Koda, a history teacher at SDA, talked about letters of recommendation for college. She said the minute students walks into a classroom, teachers are receiving an impression of them, and it’s extremely important to leave a good impression on teachers. She also emphasized that students need to give teachers time to think and write the letter. Koda suggested asking teachers early, so the student will get the attention he/she deserves. English and AVID teacher Blaze Newman added that she tells students the main points she is going to write about them, and then asks them for evidence about themselves to support those points. “Letters of Rec. are just like persuasive essays,” Newman said. Newman also strongly stated that students should not ask more than one teacher in one subject area for letters. Koda finished off by saying that students should go back and tell the teachers who wrote letters for them what colleges they got into.

College Essays

Newman also talked about college essays. She said that students should write the essay they want to write, and show what they’re passionate about. “The writing is about YOU,” she said. The activity or experience featured in the essay is just a vehicle to show who the student is. A top piece of advice Newman gave was: “Make it good, and then make it short.” She added that it shouldn’t be the topic, but the feeling of who the student is that comes through. Newman also said, “Give them a piece of your world and how you see it. Then they’ll want to know you better and admit you.”

Public vs. Private

Seniors Ian MacGregor and Cassidy Mayeda shared their thoughts and experiences on public and private universities. Mayeda, who is going to Barnard College, a private all-girls school, said she chose Barnard because it has a more personalized experience than public universities; it has private advising programs that can help students get internships, jobs, and the chance to study abroad; and Barnard offered her great financial aid, something private schools often have more power to do. MacGregor, who is going to UC Berkeley, a public university, said that he chose Berkeley because Berkeley saw something in him that other colleges didn’t. He was waitlisted at Harvard, but the programs he was accepted into at Berkeley would provide him with more opportunities than he would get at Harvard. MacGregor also addressed college essays. He wrote his college essay on his fanny pack, and he urged students to step outside of their comfort zones for an essay topic. “You want the admissions officers to remember you. You want to make an impression on them,” he said.

UC and CSU Schools

Seniors Kylie Kofler and Tacy Manis spoke about UC and CSU schools. Kofler, who is going to UCSB, recommended applying to multiple UC schools because there is only one application needed for all of the UC schools. Manis, who is going to San Jose State, said that the CSU’s offered the perfect program for her that will allow her to pursue her interests. The CSU’s are also cheaper compared to other colleges, and no essays are needed to apply.

Out of State Schools

Seniors Hyla Schneir, Sarah Kochanek, and Annie Goodstein, who are going to Tulane University, Carleton College, and University of Virginia, respectively, addressed out of state universities. A topic that concerns many students who are interested in going out of state is the tuition. Schneir, Kochanek, and Goodstein said that there are a lot of merit programs, honors programs, and financial aid options that will significantly lower tuition costs. They said that students should choose a location that they like, take into account the weather of that location, and go check out the campus. Kochanek said that there are a lot of factors to take into account when choosing a college. “A good school or top school is just relative to the person,” Kochanek said.

Interviewing with Colleges

Senior Fiona Riebeling, who is going to Yale University, spoke about interviews with private colleges. She recommended Googling the interviewer beforehand, dressing nicely, and relaxing. Riebeling said that interviews are a chance to expand on subjects that are not in the written application.

Extracurriculars

Senior Josh Proal, who is going to UCLA, talked about extracurricular activities and their importance. He recommended for a student to find a couple clubs that he/she is interested in and pursue it. It is important to be an active part of clubs and be dedicated. He also said that students should keep up their sports. “Extracurriculars are what make you, you,” Proal said.

Applying Early

Senior Kelley Coykendall, who is going to Duke University, spoke about applying early. She said there are three different ways to apply early: early action, single-choice early action, and early decision. Not all schools offer the choice of early application. The acceptance rate is generally higher, but the pool of students that apply early are all very outstanding, said Coykendall.

Counselors and the College Application Process

Counselor Ann Nebolon spoke more on college and applications. She talked about college visits here on campus that give students the chance to meet college representatives and personally interact with them. She highly recommended choosing a variety of colleges, and said students should have a backup plan if the worst case scenario happens. Nebolon said, “Don’t ever compare yourself to anybody else. You are not anybody else; you are an individual.”