EDUCATION
your child is interested, allowing them to provide valuable feedback about what and to whom to communicate as your child reaches out to their top choices. One consultant we used was McKniff
University Solutions, vmck@mckniffuniver-
sitysolutions.com, where my daughters worked with Virginia McKniff. Virginia advised them on choosing schools, com- pleting applications and writing essays and personal statements. Virginia’s 40 plus years in the industry have allowed her to develop strong contacts with admissions personnel at US universities. She continues to visit top US universities on a regular basis.
Road trip
Tere is no experience that can substitute for a campus visit when it comes to refin- ing your child’s short list. In addition to witnessing this first hand, I have heard from countless others about how the cam- pus visit has had the effect of either cata- pulting a school to the top of their short list or knocking it off completely. All have testified that there is no better alternative to being on campus: meeting students and staff, feeling the culture and understanding the location. October half-terms tend to be a good time to organise these visits. Many schools will have information sessions dur- ing this time as well as campus tours, so book in advance. Furthermore, as many schools will likely require a long trek to reach them, the campus visit may provide a great barometer for how serious your child is about keeping it on the list. On a per- sonal note, this road trip can also be a lot of fun!
Getting to “yes”
When finalising the short list, applicants should remember to have a range on that list which includes “reach”, “confident” and “safety” schools. US universities value a low acceptance rate, a low transfer rate and happy students who will speak highly of their experience and hopefully will become an active alumni. All of this means that schools very much value having students who will accept an offer once made. So once your child has narrowed down their short list to one or two (or more) favourites among the five or six to which they will apply, it is important that they let those schools know.
You (two) are my top choice
Start by using those connections developed at the Fulbright fair and, if possible, make a follow-up visit to the campus or cam- puses of choice and organise a meeting with your contact. Te impression that is
made during that meeting could have a meaningful impact on your child’s admis- sion. Each interaction is another opportu- nity to demonstrate your child’s interest and how they will be an interesting contri- bution to the campus fabric. Be prepared to discuss those unique interests and achievements during a meeting or inter- view. Additionally, applicants should en- deavour to be au courant when attending these meetings, by reading newspapers, magazines, books and informative blogs. During one of my daughter’s follow-up meetings, she was asked about an interest- ing TED Talk to which she had listened. So they should do their homework and be prepared to share an opinion.
And then there was one...
If your child has identified their top choice, then there are additional steps that can be taken to communicate that to the school of their choice, including by sched- uling an overnight visit. If your child has a top choice (or two), then this can be done in connection with a second campus visit. Not only will this allow your child to make additional connections while demonstrat- ing their interest in that school, but it will give your child an opportunity to seal the deal in their own mind. After an overnight visit that my daughter attended, she was sold on that university.
Early decision and early action
Most universities offer an early decision process where one can apply early, usually by the end of October, under a binding agreement where they commit to accept the offer if given and immediately with- draw all other applications. Tis is a very powerful way for your child to demonstrate their commitment to a single university and, as a result, though universities are re- luctant to admit this, acceptance rates tend to be notably higher in this pool. As an alternative, one can select the early
action process, where your child would be given the opportunity to request an early response for their application. If your child is accepted, it is not binding and so doesn’t carry the same weight of commitment, but it does provide an indication of specific in- terest and thus positively impacts the prob- ability of acceptance. Finally, if an experience abroad is in your
child’s future, then my best and final advice during this unfamiliar process is to keep calm and carry on! Your child will find a successful landing in the end. Bonne chance!
24 FOCUS The Magazine November/December 2019
“It is important for students to understand what US universities are looking for well before completing their application.”
Lillian McNeila is an expat who recently moved back to New York after 14 years in London. Lillian is a lower school teacher, reading specialist and art enthu- siast. She can be contacted by email at
lillian.mcneila@
gmail.com.
www.focus-info.org
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