Page 14 - Admissions Logistics 2020

TWO STORIES
What follows are two stories I find emblematic of of of of the the the powers of of of of good college coaching and and the the the pitfalls and and and benefits of of of of of using a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a resource like this to to to the the the the best of of of of of your ability One story tinged with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a slight regret and and another that comes from a a a a a a a a place of of of redemption STORY ONE: JULIA
Let me me tell you about my friend Julia Julia A
bright 30-something lawyer at at a a a a a a a a a a a a high powered firm Julia Julia received her her her graduate degree from from from a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a top-tier research school school school her her her undergrad from from from the Ivy League (eventually) and and and her her her her high school school school diploma from from from from a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a prestigious private school school school A
vibrant happy person she swells with a a a a a a a a a a a a passion for for her her work and and and joy from from life and and and has bright hopes for for the future Looking at at her her her now now you wouldn’t assume that she she had anything but but a a a a a a a a a smooth and successful start start to to college but but the the truth is is is is quite different Despite her her her her success success now now she she she recalls her her her her decision to to attend what she she calls calls the the “wrong” school as “painful” and is is is is often still dismayed at at at at her her her her false start start in higher education Julia was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a well-rounded student with high academic achievement and a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a passion for for the arts who had no problem taking charge but when it it it it it came time to to to plan for for college she took took little interest in in in in the process With some some assumptions about what constituted a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a “good” school school Julia took took a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a few half-hearted school school trips leafed through some some college college literature and had a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a meeting or or or two with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a college college college counselor Potential reasons for for her her ambivalence are are numerous but what she told me me me me is is is that “I felt I I was already prepared for for college college ” With a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a student like Julia where a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a lot of success came early and naturally they can fall into this this trap thinking this this process will be a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a cakewalk much like everything else Thinking she she wanted to to stay in in in in in the the area she she grew up in in in in in Julia Julia applied and was accepted to to the the most prestigious college in in in in in in in in her home state Once arrived however Julia Julia found academic life life unsatisfactory and and and and and the social life life difficult “Everyone was interested in in in in in in rock climbing and and and and and skiing and and and and and took biology classes classes ” ” ” she says “and I wanted to to to to take Latin classes classes and and and and and be part of big city life ” ” ” Julia gave her her first year “the old college college try ” ” ” but ended up transferring to to to another college college thousands of of miles from home She recalls the the the the the transfer transfer process and and and the the the the the memories of of all all the the the the the work and and hassle involved in in in doing so with a a a a a a knitted brow “Everything turned out out okay in in in the end end but I I wish I I had made a a a a a a more informed decision about where to attend ” Each year over a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a million students graduate graduate from from high high schools schools in the United States Many more graduate graduate from from high high schools schools abroad and and and while many will land happily at at at at colleges and and and universities
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