College Guidance Q & A

As a college admissions advisor, Larry works with students from all over our country as well as the world. He understands the different requirements for students who live or study outside of the U.S. and helps them navigate these complexities. This week he responds to a question from an international applicant seeking admission to U.S. colleges.

Q: If I am an international student who is applying to US colleges and universities and my major is biology, can I add to my application my extracurriculars and honors in chemistry and English?

A: Your application will be evaluated for academic accomplishment and intellectual potential. Your extracurricular activities and your academic achievements in both Chemistry and English positively support those factors. So, yes.

And by the way, most US colleges accept the Common Application. You can open your Common Application account now and you will see that extracurriculars and honors are explicitly sought. While some college-specific portions of the application might be deleted when the Common App “rolls over” every year on August 1, the main sections will remain, including the “Activities” section and the “Honors” subsection within the Education topic.

If your family needs college admissions assistance or you would like to learn more about our services, please contact larry@learningassoc.com.

College Guidance Q & A

Larry receives numerous questions about college admissions from applicants and their families. This week he responds to a question from an aspiring student athlete about the impact of sports on admissions.

Q: What kind of high school student is regarded as a student athlete by Ivy colleges? How good do I have to be at a certain sport so that it can help me get to a good university?

A: You must be very good indeed, because just playing a sport is a fine thing (much like being in a club but with a greater time commitment) but being actively sought by a college coach is quite another. Whatever your sport is, check the team rosters at some of the colleges in which you are interested. Read the bio’s of the athletes. Do your credentials match up favorably, at least so far? Many coaches consider the athlete’s potential as they mature and improve; however, they are not taking on projects that clearly will have no impact on their program in year one or two.

Larry works with student athletes as well as students of all academic profiles and extracurricular interests. If you have questions about college admissions or would like to learn more about our services, please contact larry@learningassoc.com.

College Guidance Q & A

As a college admissions advisor, Larry works with students from all over the country as well as the world. This week he responds to a question from a student athlete who lives in the UK and has aspirations to play tennis at a university in the United States.

Q: Harvard, Stanford, MIT and Caltech. I play tennis at a very high level and I am very good at rounders. Is there any way for me to get a sports scholarship or get an admission through sports or do I need to apply like everyone else?

A: MIT is Division I in Crew, only. All other sports at MIT are Division III, and Division III colleges (MIT and Caltech) cannot offer athletic scholarships. Ivy League colleges (Harvard) do not offer athletic scholarships. So that leaves only Stanford. “Very high level” is an obscure description for a tennis scholarship at Stanford. Are you one of the best in your age group in all of UK? If so, write to the tennis coach at Stanford.

Larry works with student athletes as well as students of all academic profiles and extracurricular interests. If you have questions about college admissions or would like to learn more about our services, please contact larry@learningassoc.com.