This is a nerve-wracking time for many high school seniors and their parents, as the deadline for college applications fast approaches. After months of working on her application and essays, Plant High School Senior Jade Starkey is just about ready to submit.

“It’s stressful at first, because you don’t know where to start,” Starkey said. “But once you have a starting point, and get through it and hit the submit button, it’s definitely a lot better.”

She’s been working with college admissions expert Bob LeVine, President of Selective College Consulting, to help identify her strengths and focus her application.

“You’re in pretty good shape,” LeVine told Starkey as he looked over one of her application essays.

A Harvard grad and longtime alumni interviewer, LeVine offers unique insight into the admissions process, which differs based on the type of school where you apply.

“SAT and ACT scores matter a lot with public universities. In fact, they almost matter everything with public universities,” Levine explained. “With private schools, they are part of an overall holistic approach.”

Finding the Right School

For many students applying to attend college in the fall of 2018, the early decision deadline is November 1st and the regular decision deadline closely follows on January 1st.

It is important to be realistic. Pick schools that fit the range of your ability. Before you apply, do a quick online search to check out a school’s SAT, ACT & GPA score ranges. If you meet the threshold—you have a better chance of getting in. If you don’t, it doesn’t mean you won’t get in, but it’s more of a long shot.

“The public universities—UF, USF, UCF, Florida State—they’re going to look at your test scores and grades, first. If you’re above the line, you’re basically in. If you’re below the line, you’re basically out,” LeVine said. “But on the line, that essay and the resume of activities and honors become the determining factors.”

For private schools, those essays and out of school activities are even more important.

“Make sure you are showing your achievements, not just that you showed up,” LeVine explained. “Don’t just write member or participant.”

The Essay

The essay is really where you can differentiate yourself. Don’t just re-list your resume. Focus on the personal qualities that paint a picture of who you are.

In her essay, Starkey talks about her love of swimming and how it’s led to some of the most rewarding relationships in her life.

“I am a people person,” she said. “I like to form relationships with other people, so I kind of centered my essay around that and found stories from my life that exemplify that.”

LeVine says most admissions people read through between 25 to 35 applications a day for four months, so it’s important for that essay to stand out.

“A good essay is one that is personal, conversational; one that actually speaks to the reader and speaks of your personal and inter-personal attributes,” he said.

There are some things to avoid in the essays.

“Don’t be a downer,” LeVine explained. "Admissions reps call them the four ‘D’s’—death, depression, drugs and divorce. They’re very busy. They’re very tired. Try to make them happy, not depressed.”

An exception might be a poignant story about a challenge in your life. If you do that, he says, be sure to focus on how you overcame that challenge and turned it into a success.

Photo: Angie Moreschi

The Holistic Approach

A poster-sized blow up of the Harvard Admissions Personal Interview Report is on display in LeVine’s office. The form lists various categories of personal characteristics that Harvard grads consider when doing alumni interviews. It includes things like “Intellectual curiosity,” “Rare personal appeal and character,” and “What kind of roommate would this student be?”

LeVine says it’s a very subjective process.

“All of them go through the evaluation, but it tends to be ‘Does someone like you or not?” he explained. “They’re looking at your contribution to the campus, and if you don’t talk to anybody, and if you’re not a nice person, you really don’t do them much good.”

Final Tips

LeVine recommends that students apply to three tiers of schools— reach schools, fit schools, and safety schools.

“Have a back up plan. Make sure you have a nice blend of universities, that will give you some options,” he said.

Starkey is applying to seven schools to make sure she has options, but the University of North Carolina is her dream school.

“I did a visit there sophomore year,” she said. “All the students seem really nice and friendly and there’s such a good alumni program. It just seems like it would be a good fit for me.”

After months of working on her application and essays, Starkey is just about ready to hit that submit button.

“I feel pretty good about it,” she said with a slightly nervous smile.

Final tip before you hit submit—re-read everything on your application one last time – including those essays. The last things you want are misspellings; or even worse, a faux pas like cutting and pasting an essay you wrote with another school’s name on it.

Don’t make that mistake. Pay attention to detail and good luck!