Distinctive

By – Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D.

Many adults lament the fact that many teens these days no longer hold jobs. They worry that the younger generation is no longer learning the humility that comes with doing “menial” work, nor the responsibility that comes with managing personal finances. What the older generation often misses, however, is that today’s teens are being pre-professionalized in a different way, and it’s through the college admissions process. 

While it may seem like the focus is on completing hours upon hours of weekly test prep, homework, and extracurricular activities, today’s youth are also developing essential skills that they’ll use on the job market as college graduates. So what are the skills that they’re developing and how do they come into play?

Resume Writing – According to Nancy Griesemer, an amazing sleuth for admissions intel, 283 colleges were asking for a résumé in 2019 on the Common App alone! That was nearly one-third of the participating institutions. With such a significant number of colleges asking for a résumé, your child should be learning how to craft an effective document in high school. 

While there are tons of templates out there, I recommend taking a thematic approach to the sections. This allows you to highlight your areas of strength and easily keep your admissions readers focused on what you’re bringing to the table. Just remember to keep the document under two pages. No admissions officer wants a laundry list of every last one-hour commitment you’ve taken over the last three and a half years. Down-select and let them see what’s truly important. 

And don’t forget that résumés are not just for uploading to applications. They are invaluable materials to share during an interview or when applying for an internship! 

Interviewing – Long a feared piece of the college admissions process, in many cases it’s more of a relaxed conversation than an evaluative interrogation. With that said, it’s important to always put your best foot forward in every interaction that you have with a college, even when the stakes are low. So even when a college clearly states on its website that the interview is meant solely as an opportunity for you to learn about the school, you should still treat it professionally. While I’ve covered how to prepare for an interview elsewhere, you should recognize that working on mastering this art in high school will pay off later in life when you have to contend for your first job!  

Maintaining a positive online presence – You do not need to launch a social media campaign or spend hours crafting a website, but you do need to be mindful of your online persona. Start by googling your name to see what’s out there. If it all looks good, then don’t worry! If you find something embarrassing, take immediate steps to remove the material before a college rep finds it!

Interning – Today’s teens may only rarely work at the local grocery store or gardening center, but they are seeking opportunities to build their expertise in their fields of interest. It’s actually quite impressive what many of them are accomplishing! As more and more students seek and obtain internships, they are becoming more of a norm. If you’re lucky enough to live in an area, like Washington, D.C., where such opportunities abound, getting an internship can certainly get you a competitive edge. If you live in a location where such opportunities are difficult to find, don’t fret. Colleges take access into consideration. You can, however, be proactive about the process and try to create your own opportunity.

Crafting an elevator pitch or “humble-brag” questions – How do you market yourself in 30 seconds or less? This is something that every applicant has to figure out before engaging in face-to-face interactions with reps. Before heading out on a campus visit or to a college fair, figure out the two or three most interesting facts about your background that you would like to share, so that you will stand out in your conversations. This can be particularly effective when couched in “humble-brag” questions that both allow you to share information about yourself and learn about a school. For example, “I built a weather balloon to measure atmospheric changes in early spring. Could you tell me more about your Environmental Science program?” is a much more effective way to introduce yourself than, “Do you have an Environmental Science program?” See the difference?

Cold Calling – Most of my students are initially reluctant to pick up the phone to ask college reps questions. They probably find the whole concept of talking, rather than texting, awkward! With that said, calling an admissions representative to ask questions gets you in their head. You’re now not one of the hundred, anonymous emails that they’ve answered today, but one of three people they’ve spoken to, and that makes a difference.

Networking – “Do I really have to go?” I get this question at least five times a year when I mention going to college fairs. Yes, they are exhausting zoos. Yes, it may be hard to speak with a rep at a popular college. Yes, it is still worth going when colleges of interest are attending. I’ve had several students come back to me reporting the truly wonderful conversations that they’ve had, the business cards that they’ve collected, and the invitations that they’ve received to meet up during future campus visits. When you’re vying against thousands of other applicants for a spot at a university, it’s hard to deny that these networking outcomes don’t play a part in helping you get in.  

Of course, it is reasonable to have mixed feelings about sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds learning what used to be skills reserved primarily for twenty-somethings. The good news is that this next generation is going to be primed for seizing opportunities as the stakes increase with age, and that’s certainly something to be excited about!