Ep 149: Does Your Teen Look Good On Paper?

Aviva Legatt, author of Get Real and Get In, joins us for a
behind-the-scenes look at the college admissions process and what
your teen can do to stand out from the crowd. Plus, how being on
student council might actually hurt their chances! 





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Full show notes


We’ve always been told that the secret to getting a teen into
college is for them to look perfect on paper. We nag them to join
the honors society, sign them up for a hundred SAT tests, or even
convince them to quit guitar lessons to make time for academic
decathlon. But what if simply checking all the right boxes of
what colleges are “looking for” isn’t the right approach anymore?
Could it be that admissions officers are getting a little bored
of reading essay after essay about the challenges of AP biology?


We might just be so focused on helping teens fit the mold we
aren’t encouraging them to think outside of the box! More than
just routine extracurriculars or high test scores, admissions
officers want to see that kids have unique talents and passions.
Instead of pushing kids to drop dance for the debate team, maybe
it’s time we talked to them about how their natural interests can
propel them towards a brighter future.


To get a behind-the-scenes peek at what college admissions
officers are really looking for, we’re talking to Aviva Legatt,
author of Get Real and Get In: How to Get Into the College of
Your Dreams by Being Your Authentic Self. She’s also the founder
of Ivy Insight, the gold standard in college admissions
consulting! Her advice for your teen? Forget what they’ve been
taught about being the “perfect” college applicant, and be
themselves instead!


Aviva and I are talking about what she calls the “impressiveness
paradox”, or why fancy shmancy credentials alone might not help
your teen get into the school of their dreams. We’re also
covering how teens can tap into their passions to find their
potential, and the value of making connections with people on
campus before even submitting their application.


Getting in by Being Authentic


Students and parents are constantly told the same things about
getting into college: they’ll need perfect grades, perfect test
scores, and academic extracurriculars to round it all out. And
sure, that might have been the golden formula for getting in a
decade or so ago...but times are changing! More and more students
apply every year, with thousands of students submitting the same
“ideal” college app. Aviva explains that for admissions officers,
this rigid approach is no longer the key to getting that
acceptance letter.


Instead of trying to seem perfect, kids should be aiming to be
themselves, says Aviva. Those reading applications are much more
interested in a student who seems authentic, someone who shows
they have a spark of excitement and passion. If kids are
enrolling in a coding club but just sitting in the back of the
meetings texting, college admissions officers are going to see
through that facade! Just going through the motions of being a
model applicant won’t thrill anyone.


So how can students show off their real interests in their
application? In the episode, Aviva drops some tips for students
to exhibit their genuine love for orchestra or student
government. This includes not only writing killer essays, but
also finding the right letters of rec to highlight their spirited
involvement in whatever it is they love to do. The goal is for
the student’s joy and passion to come off the page while an
admissions officer is reading it!


Not sure what your teen’s passion is or how they can write about
it? Aviva and I tackle that too!


Turning Passion into Purpose


For teens who love gaming or jamming out on the drums, it can be
hard to turn their interest and a winning college app. Aviva
suggests inquiring what it is about music or Fortnite that
excites your teen. Consider evaluating what skills and benefits
their chosen pastime brings to their lives and the lives of
others!


For example, if your teen is a film buff, there might not be a
clear life skill involved. But your teen probably has a rich
knowledge of history and the arts. Maybe they’re wise about the
business side of the industry! They might even consider setting
up and running community movie nights, to benefit a charity.
Then, when they go to work on that application, they’ll be able
to describe how they marketed the event, overcame the technical
challenges of the projector, collaborated with others to put the
event on, and so on and so forth!


As adults who’ve seen a little more of life’s challenges, we know
that not every one of our teens' passions is going to bring
financial stability. It’s easy to assert ourselves in their
decisions and tell them what to spend their time doing. But Aviva
suggests taking a backseat and letting kids find their interests
on their own. Then, when they’ve found something, she recommends
encouraging them to run with it! By providing opportunities and
allowing them to spread their wings, you’ll help them become
confident and capable adults.


Now, even an application that’s buzzing with originality could
benefit from some good ol’ fashioned networking. Aviva and I
discuss how your teen can make some connections on campus before
applying to make their application pop.


Networking to Get Noticed


We all know that a job application can benefit from knowing some
folks at the company. A cover letter addressed to a specific
person is always more powerful! So why shouldn’t a college
application be the same? In the episode, Aviva gives the lowdown
on how teens can get to know some folks at their dream school to
give their application an extra bit of oomph.


The trick is getting to know some people on campus! Aviva has a
three part checklist for teens who are trying to make connections
with the administration at any school. The first step is for your
teen to define their intentions. What programs or
extracurriculars will they be involved in once they start
attending? Have they picked a major yet? These choices can guide
teens to reach out to staff members of certain departments or
specific program coordinators. It also helps teens know what
questions to ask when they do get in contact!


The next step is to ask for a bit of that person’s time. Although
it might be intimidating, these folks are educators! Their goal
is to guide students on a learning journey. Most likely, if teens
tell them they’re a student, they’ll be happy to have a chat,
says Aviva. The last step is a follow up. She suggests teens send
a note or an email thanking them for taking the time to talk.
This will help them remember who your teen is and will leave a
good impression, so when their name comes up in the application
process, they’ll have a leg up.


In the Episode….


This week’s interview is chock full of valuable advice for
college applicants and their parents! On top of the topics
mentioned above, we cover:


How the application process can help teens self reflect

Why the apps have changed over the years

What teens can learn from their weaknesses

How to help a teen who’s a little too worked up about their
applications



I loved Aviva’s message about applying to college: no matter
where y...