Running The College Admissions Gauntlet | Gabrielle Glancy | Episode 101

Parents want their kids to be happy and have a good college experience. However, parents sometimes get in the way of that happening. College admissions counselor Gabriella Glancy talks to Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler about the ins and outs of running the college admissions gauntlet. Find out what kids can do during high school to help set them up for a good college experience and how to nail the admissions essay.

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A Favorite Quote from the Show: 

“An essay that moves the admissions committee makes all the difference.”

High Points of Our Conversation About Running the College Admissions Gauntlet:

A college counselor helps families navigate the college admissions gauntlet. They help families deal with the overwhelm and fear.

Students can lay the foundation for a high school career that helps them find their path. This is a great opportunity to explore areas of interest both in and out of the classroom.

Parents often come in with an idea of where they want their child to go to college. It may be a school or just an idea like Ivy League. However, that may not be the best fit for the child.

We need to listen to what our kids are saying, hear who they are and what’s important to them. Approach college admissions from the inside out instead of the outside in.

It’s a mistake to look at Ivy League schools just for the sake of attending an Ivy League school.

The biggest mistake people make in the application process is starting too late and not writing good essays. An essay that moves the admissions committee makes all the difference.

There are infinite ways to write an essay. One that is authentic, written from the heart, that almost puts the student in front of you, will stand out to the college admissions committee.

The college admissions essay is where the committee meets you. The rest of the application is about numbers or looking for red flags. There’s no juice, no life in numbers. The essay brings a student to life.

The college essay is actually a narrative personal statement. 

We want to help our kids get into a place where they can write without anxiety.

If you don’t have a topic, just start writing. Write whatever you want in full sentences. Don’t worry about what you write and eventually you’ll find content for your essay.

Writing prompts can get our kids writing without anxiety. Have them write about anything, even something silly like a hamster. Or ask them to name 5 objects in their life that are important to them. Let them name 5 significant moments in their life where they went into the experience one person and came out another. 

These aren’t necessarily what they’ll write about but it will lead to something that’s good to write about. Look for connections among 3 or more of the times. Have them draw on this to pull together a story about themselves. Remember, the college admissions essay is a narrative essay. You need a place, time, and a character for a narrative essay.

Resources Mentioned in Show:

UNSTUCK: How to Break Through Writer’s Block, Find Your Voice and Get into the College of your Dreams 

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Episode 92 Dennis Trittin

Our Guest Gabrielle Glancy:

College Counselor Extraordinaire, Former Admissions Director, Author of UNSTUCK:  How to Break Through Writer’s Block, Find Your Voice, and Get Into the College of Your Dreams and The Art of the College Essay, published in The New Yorker, USATODAY, featured on NPR, Gabrielle Glancy is the real deal.  With a knack for knowing just the right formula for getting students into their top-choice schools — the HONEST WAY — Gabrielle Glancy is one of the foremost professionals in her field.  Headquartered in Ojai, California, she is well known around the world for her college admissions expertise.

To learn more or connect with our guest visit www.newvisionlearning.org

Our Sponsor — Ecree

Ecree is the only AI virtual writing tool that provides unlimited, immediate, and consistent teach-quality feedback on essay organization, argumentation, evidence, and analysis. To learn more or connect with our sponsor visit ecree.com.

Photo credit: Murilo Viviani