College essays and personal statements are difficult things to tackle; they are used by college admissions counselors to see what you are all about. Personal statements, while meant to showcase your academic prowess, are used to give the college a sense about who you are a person. They already know you have a 2.5 GPA, played track for 3 years, and scored a 25 on the ACT. But who are you really? That's what they want to know. Lacy Crawford of The New York Times says "Above all, it’s the freedom that lets a student reveal her voice in a way that admissions offices, in my experience, find wonderfully compelling." In other words, let your true voice shine through. Tell them something they wouldn't know by just looking at your resume and application. Admissions counselors read thousands of these essays every day; do you really want to write that essay about sports as a metaphor for life? Don’t rely on phrases or ideas that people have used many times before. These could include statements like, “There is so much suffering in the world that I feel I have to help people.” Avoid overly formal or business-like language, and don’t use unnecessary words. Secondly, be honest. Admissions counselors can smell dishonesty a mile away. And be humble. This doesn't mean downplaying your accomplishments, but it does mean don't sound stuck-up. Lastly, proofread! Turning in an essay that is full of grammatical errors is unprofessional and does not reflect well on you. You can have me, your English teacher, and/or a parent look it over before you submit it. |
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Last week, I covered free money. This week, I'm going to talk about borrowing money! You borrow money for many things in life: cars, houses, home improvements, etc. Borrowing money shouldn't be taken lightly, but don't discount it right away. A house will hopefully increase in value over time due to improvements and such; in the same way, educating yourself will make you more marketable and more hirable. You are increasing your value by educating yourself. Borrowing money should be seen as an investment in yourself. Loans are good tools to get where you want to be--employable. Let's jump right in--I want to cover all the different types of loans. Here we go! The loans that are the most common and have the lowest interest rates are federal student loans. Eligibility is determined by when you fill out the FAFSA. The two types of federal student loans are Federal Direct Loans and Federal Perkins Loans. Let's look at the difference. Federal Direct Loans
Federal Perkins Loans
The types of federal student loans most students work with are direct unsubsidized and direct subsidized loans. The difference between these two loans is that with subsidized loans, the loan does not build interest while the student is in school. With the unsubsidized loan, the loan builds interest. The Perkins Loan is based on financial need. Make sure your school participates in the Perkins Loan Program, as not all schools do. Compare different federal loans below with this handy-dandy chart! |
AuthorHi! I'm Ms. Coyne. I'm the college advisor at St. James High School in St. James, Missouri. Archives
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