College Admissions for Seniors: Straight talk by S and H

This talk is geared to our dear high school seniors who getting ready to apply to college in a few weeks from now. Learn how my daughter Shreya and I navigated the waters last year same time, our mistakes and some wise moves we made :-). Please share with as many people as you can who are going through this now. 

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1. Malcolm Gladwell’s talk: ​Our irrational attachment to certain prestigious institutions 
2. Shreya’s senior profile brag sheet 
3. Applications schedule project planning spreadsheet 
4. Admissions officers and alumni Interviewing techniques
5. Shreya's high school resume  
6. Target College Lists 
   1. California non so obvious schools with good CS programs
   2. US Private schools rated 50-100 in WSJ ratings

Other important notes from the session
1. The admissions officer way of thinking: 

• 7 things every student should know about the admissions officers
• 12 secrets shared by admissions officers

2. Mea Culpa moments

1. Aimed higher! ED’ed at a higher reach school 
2. Built a rapport with college professors over a longer period
3. Targeted schools with merit scholarships 
4. Applied for scholarships early
5. Finalized our colleges list sooner, in Junior year

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​4. The UC investment: worth it or not?

5. ED vs EA vs RD: If to ED, make sure you EA to the other target schools

6. Writing good essays mistakes to watch for

• https://educationislit.com/the-best-writing-strategy-to-use-with-high-school-students/
• Khan Academy perspective on common mistakes ​in college applications

7. Financial Aid:
List of Top Schools with the best aid packages