PRIVATE COLLEGES HAVE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS…

If you are going to apply to private colleges, there are some things you need to do that are not required by most public colleges and universities:

1. THE TESTS

The TESTS you will need may vary from selective public AND private colleges. Research each college you are interested in very carefully. While some private colleges may not require any tests, some selective colleges may want many tests. The general rule of thumb is: the more academically competitive the college, the more academic information they require. This may mean they want Subject Tests or even a specific Subject Test.

2. THE ESSAY

The ESSAY is a very big deal for most private schools and can be a critical piece of your application. Along with interviews and recommendations, essays are a way for the colleges to get to know more about you. Make sure you understand what the colleges are looking for and DO NOT leave the essays for the last minute! In the Admission and Applications section of our College Connection page, see the resources under Essays.

3. RECOMMENDATIONS

Carefully research the recommendations needed for each school you will apply to. Usually, the selective schools will want letters from two academic teachers and one from your counselor. In a perfect world, you will get letters from two different disciplines (e.g. math and history), but make sure you send the best two letters. These letters will be read carefully! Smart (and brave) students ask teachers not only if they will write a letter, but ask, “Will you write a great letter for me?”

Don't worry if you don't know your counselor well. The colleges know about the demise of high school counseling in many areas of the country and will know if your counselor is in charge of 500 students and therefore may not know you well.

4. INTERVIEW

Many private colleges want an INTERVIEW. If you are asked to get an alumni interview, the interview may not be a huge factor in admission. If the interview is with your local representative (e.g. the west coast rep of an eastern college) or you are interviewing during a visit to the campus it likely WILL be important, so be prepared. In the Admission and Applications section of our College Connection page, see the resources under Interviews.

5. RESUMES

Some private colleges are now requesting a RESUME, though most still rely on you to include the pertinent information in the application. We include a suggestion on how to present your resume.

7. EXPRESSED INTEREST

This is not a requirement but can be an important item in admission to private colleges. As competition has increased and kids apply to more colleges, the number of applications have increased. One thing the colleges consider is the seriousness of the application. One way for them to determine if you are serious is the number of interactions you have had with the school. Here are some examples of what you can do to express interest:

• Visit (make sure you sign in)
• Email thanking the tour guide
• Attendance at school visits or local receptions by the rep from the college
• A question after the presentation, followed by an email thanking the rep for taking the time to answer your question. Sample questions:

  How likely is it that I can get a role in a play?
  How soon could I get time in a lab to work on____?

  Note: make sure you are interested in these things; don’t ask about stuff you don’t care about.
• Interview with the rep if possible
• Email thanking the rep for the interview

If you do some of these things the rep (who will likely read your application) will remember you and know you are seriously considering his or her college.

Are these things a big deal and stuff to worry about? Nope; these are simply some extra things to do and take care of. They will become a big deal if they are left to the last minute - especially the essay.