If you go to The Common Application site and look for the supplements for the University of Michigan, you will see that the prompts, which were the same as the last few years, are gone. The information I have received is as follows: The essay questions for the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor were confirmed earlier this season directly through the school’s admissions office; however, UMich has shifted gears and now says its essay questions are going to change. Due to technical difficulties on its end, the application is not yet posted.
Archives for August 2013
When a college asks “Why us,” be sure to give a great answer!
“Tell us what attracted you to our school: What are the reasons that you want to attend?”
When a college asks “Why?” in its supplement, you want to be sure that you have a good, solid, detailed answer. Do not write a generic answer that could apply to any college or university. Do your research! Even if you have visited the school, have a list of persuasive and specific reasons for choosing each university. Here are some suggestions of what to consider:
For the “Why this school,” it might help to do the following:
- Explore the school’s website
- Take a virtual tour
- Visit the school (See “The Top 12 Things to Ask and Do on a College Tour”)
- Get a basic picture of the physical environment of the school and the surrounding city, town, etc.
- Get an overview of the intellectual, cultural, and social elements of the school community
- Speak to contacts who have attended or who currently attend the school
- Read the school’s mission statement and see what elements of it intrigue you
- Find particular schools, programs, courses of study, professors, or academic benefits
- Find one or two activities that appeal to you (clubs, social action opportunities, research, study abroad)
- Indicate why you and the school are a good fit
Wednesday Words of “Whiz”dom # 6: Between vs. Among
Use between when you are thinking of two things at a time, even though they may be part of a group consisting of a larger number.
I loved to sit between my two brothers in the back seat of the car on family road trips.
The team certainly needed that short rest period between quarters. (Although there are more than two quarters, a rest period occurs only between two of them at a time).
Use among when you are thinking of a group of three or more rather than of separate individuals.
Although there was a significant disagreement among the officers about the theme for Sports Night, we eventually compromised.
Since we had only $25 cash among the six of us, I decided to pay with my credit card.
Wednesday Words of “Whiz”dom # 5: Beside vs. Besides
Beside means “by the side of” something or someone. It is always a preposition.
Besides as a preposition means “in addition to.” As an adverb, it means “moreover” or “in addition.”
My grandmother would often sit beside me and tell me stories of the “old country.”
Besides playing sports with the children, I would also help them with their homework after school.
I decided to stay in the class. Besides, I had begun to enjoy chemistry more than I had imagined possible.
Cut college costs by buying previously owned books!
Once you know what books you need to buy for your college courses, you might want to save significantly by buying previously owned textbooks! You may find that your school has its own book exchange. Barnes and Noble is offering books at up to a 90% discount for physical books and 40% for digital books. Free express shipping is available for new textbooks as well. You might also consider selling your books to B&N, which offers cash for your books and free shipping.
Go to the Barnes and Noble College Textbooks page for more information!
Client Testimonial: TP, Nursing Student
I had a unique experience with Margery Kashman. After graduating from Hofstra with a BA and independently taking the prerequisites for nursing programs at Nassau Community College, I worked with Margery, who guided and counseled me through the process of transferring to a BSN program. With her assistance, I was able to select schools that suited my particular position and needs. We then began the long road of admissions exams, applications and essays. Her supervision ensured that everything was organized and nothing was overlooked. Additionally, she was willing and more than able to personally tutor me for the English section of the TEAS exam for admission to nursing programs. With her help, I am pleased to say that I was able to earn a partial academic scholarship to Long Island University Brooklyn School of Nursing.
– TP, Nursing Student
Client Testimonial: A very happy parent whose son got into his number one choice college
The college application and essay process can be a very daunting and nerve wracking experience. This is why Margery Kashman was a dream come try for us. Margery came very highly recommended, and the moment we sat down to talk to her, we knew we were in the best of hands. She is kind, warm, capable and completely knowledgeable about the college process. Her writing skills are magnificent and her ability to draw information out of a student and turn it into a beautiful essay is a gift. She made my son feel completely comfortable from the start and made it easy for him to share his thoughts. We were thrilled with his essay and so was his school.
Because we live fairly far away from Margery’s office, after our first meeting with her, my son worked with her online. I thought this might be a little difficult, but of course it was easy and fun. We were always excited to get an e-mail from Margery and know we were one step closer to completing the process.
We first came to Margery to work on the college essay, but we loved her so much that we ended up using her for the entire application process. It was nice going to bed at night knowing I had Margery looking out for us as she knows exactly what the schools want! After a short while, it was like working with family, and as soon as he got his acceptance letter to his number one college, Margery was one of the first people we called. She takes all of the stress out of the process and I am forever grateful that we found her. My son continued call her for guidance with other school work will continue to work with her throughout his college years.
– A very happy parent whose son got into his number one choice college with the help of a very special lady!
Client Testimonial: Happy Parent of A.A., Franklin & Marshal College and R.A., Middlebury College
Both my son and daughter have had the pleasure of working with Margery Kashman on their college application essays. With both, she was able to help them organize their ideas and formulate a plan to move forward quickly and independently. Since we live about an hour away from Margery’s office, most of their contact with her was through email. She was always quick to respond and accessible.
I first hired Margery to help motivate my son who was procrastinating writing his college essay. We were running out of time and he had total writer’s block. She was truly amazing. In one visit Margery was able to help him organize his ideas and formulate a plan to move forward which he did quickly and independently. My son was happy with his progress and I was grateful to have avoided the nagging that was imminent without her intervention.
My daughter’s experience with Margery was very unique. It was during the notorious Hurricane Sandy that Margery was helping her complete several application essays. Despite having been evacuated from her home and relocated to a home with limited internet access, Margery seemed unruffled. She remained accommodating and supportive to my daughter and helped her successfully submit all applications on time.
Senior year and the application process can be a very stressful time for both parent and student, as we found out. To have someone as professional and caring as Margery during this process provided as much relief and comfort as having a generator during Hurricane Sandy.
– Happy Parent of A.A., Franklin & Marshal College and R.A., Middlebury College
