Anonymous wrote:How about your kid actually takes time to get to know the counselor. That is what my kid did. Drop in to say hi. Chat for a bit about life. Try it. It works if they can actually get to know you. The student has to make the effort.

Anonymous wrote:How about your kid actually takes time to get to know the counselor. That is what my kid did. Drop in to say hi. Chat for a bit about life. Try it. It works if they can actually get to know you. The student has to make the effort.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Counselor here. Please give specifics in brag sheet I can lift into letter. Proud of taking honors class X because it isn’t their top subject? Great. Did X and Y in summer program? Awesome.

In outside sports? Tell me exactly how many hours and how often, and what position they play/how good they are (I know nothing about sports).

Tell me major and why/what experiences led to this. (I can look it up maybe? Not always accurate and obvious to know that kid is applying for a Y major depending on system.)

If they work, I want hours, place, if it’s supporting family, duties. Same for clubs. I want details, things they’re proud of, things they overcame… things I can literally reword into my own words but that I don’t need to ask follow-up questions about (when was X? How was Y hard for you? What was inspiring about Z?)

If something happened- COVID, death in family, etc- tell me when it happened and how it affected them, and the meaning of the relationship.

Difficulty with class selection or academics they want me to highlight (teacher X was absent most of first semester junior year, had hoped to take Y AP but schedule conflict)

The best letters are ones where I can sit down with the brag sheet, open up the transcript/current class schedule to review for rigor, and write from that. It is not hard for me to pull up teacher recs, but I often beat the teachers. I can sometimes pull up their app itself (if they have enabled Common App preview status and added me as an advisor and not just a counselor). Otherwise, all I can see is what schools they applied to- not into major.

Resumes are helpful but often don’t tell me HOW a student felt about it. I find the adjectives for how a student describes themselves or how a teacher might describe them helpful to set a tone.

Hi counselor. The admissions officers will see all of this information on the students application. So while I know it helps give you context, please don’t reiterate information the AO’s already can get elsewhere on the app. Instead, please share stories and anecdotes about your students that illustrate positive personal qualities.

Anonymous wrote:Counselor here. Please give specifics in brag sheet I can lift into letter. Proud of taking honors class X because it isn’t their top subject? Great. Did X and Y in summer program? Awesome.

In outside sports? Tell me exactly how many hours and how often, and what position they play/how good they are (I know nothing about sports).

Tell me major and why/what experiences led to this. (I can look it up maybe? Not always accurate and obvious to know that kid is applying for a Y major depending on system.)

If they work, I want hours, place, if it’s supporting family, duties. Same for clubs. I want details, things they’re proud of, things they overcame… things I can literally reword into my own words but that I don’t need to ask follow-up questions about (when was X? How was Y hard for you? What was inspiring about Z?)

If something happened- COVID, death in family, etc- tell me when it happened and how it affected them, and the meaning of the relationship.

Difficulty with class selection or academics they want me to highlight (teacher X was absent most of first semester junior year, had hoped to take Y AP but schedule conflict)

The best letters are ones where I can sit down with the brag sheet, open up the transcript/current class schedule to review for rigor, and write from that. It is not hard for me to pull up teacher recs, but I often beat the teachers. I can sometimes pull up their app itself (if they have enabled Common App preview status and added me as an advisor and not just a counselor). Otherwise, all I can see is what schools they applied to- not into major.

Resumes are helpful but often don’t tell me HOW a student felt about it. I find the adjectives for how a student describes themselves or how a teacher might describe them helpful to set a tone.

Anonymous wrote:Question for counselor:

Will you start a new AMA post? Would love to hear your thoughts!!

Anonymous wrote:Why do colleges even ask for this if the information is largely generated by parents? What a waste of time.

Anonymous wrote:I was wondering about personal qualities.

we don't have a parent brag sheet, but I encouraged ds to put things on there that weren't academic: pulled out of X tournament so lower ranked senior could attend one last time, stood up for x kid when this one thing happened, helped younger brother navigate waters and new big HS etc etc.

DS thought this was all OTT of course but I wonder if it's appropriate

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do colleges even ask for this if the information is largely generated by parents? What a waste of time.

My guess is that private schools see it as (yet another) huge advantage and have advocated for its continued inclusion. Private school counselors know individual kids and have time to write personal recommendations; it’s what the parents are paying for!

Anonymous wrote:Why do colleges even ask for this if the information is largely generated by parents? What a waste of time.

Anonymous wrote:Hey, 20:53, you sound awesome. Thanks for everything you do!