Essays, Resumes, and Letters of Recommendation Christina Hunter Admission Counselor University of Denver
Different universities have different requirements… Check your college applications.
Types of College Essays • Common Application o Used at over 520 colleges and universities o Essay of at least 250 (but no more than 650) words o 6 topics to choose from • Common Application supplemental essays o Prompts vary by school • College-specific
Sample Essay Size: 250 words isn’t much! DU’s Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning ( CCESL) has received a $315,000 grant from the Morgridge Family Foundation to create a variety of civic engagement opportunities for DU students. The Morgridge Community Scholars program is for DU students interested in moving from critical thinking into critical action. Student participants will follow a project structure that includes research; development of a project plan in collaboration with faculty and other students; and project implementation. The Community Leader Corps is for students interested in developing community-based leadership skills by working with other students and community partners around social justice issues. Students will learn how to identify local social justice issues, develop public relationships, work with community partners and accomplish community work with other students. Morgridge Community Scholars will receive a $5,000 scholarship to complete their work. Community Leaders will receive a $2,000 annual fellowship and are eligible to receive a $500 annual stipend to implement community work. Foundation support also will be used to develop alternative spring breaks, international immersion programs and a Volunteer Corps for DU students to work in economically stressed areas of the country and the world and to develop skills and habits that will allow them to work with others to make a difference in these communities. “The Morgridge Family Foundation’s support is important to CCESL because it provides us with opportunities to support students who are interested in accomplishing community-based work,” says Eric Fretz , director of CCESL. “The gift will allow us to provide scholarship dollars and……
The College Essay In the rest of your application, admission counselors hear about you. The essay is our opportunity to hear from you.
Components of a Quality Essay Write in your own voice. Keep it simple. Always answer the question or choose a topic that interests you. Proofread your work! Demonstrate your writing abilities. Don’t whine or criticize. Tell your readers something they don’t already know about you. Tell your story!
Essay Prompts 1. Open-ended o Opportunity to describe yourself and tell a personal story 2. Recount an incident or event in your life o Explain how that event impacted you 3. Reflect on past experiences o Discuss how those experiences made you into who you are today 4. Discuss an issue o An opportunity for you to show your ability to think outside the box 5. Explain why you would like to attend “our college” o Research the university – have concrete reasons why you want to attend
General Essay Tips Revise your college essays for scholarship applications. Get started by brainstorming. Your essay topics do not have to be “earth - shaking.” They simply need to be authentic, real, and unique to your experiences. Start writing your college essays early! Proofread, and then proofread again.
Resumes Use Naviance to create your • resume Resume Builder in the “about me” section o • What to include in a resume for college? Goal (career goal/ college major) o In-school athletics, clubs and activities o (Key Club, Band, Football) Out-of-school athletics and activities (Club o soccer, Dance, Boy Scouts) Work experience o Volunteer experience o Internships o Leadership (captain of sports team, club o officer, drum major) Honors, awards and recognitions (black o belt, honor roll, letter) Summer / enrichment programs o
Letters of Recommendation 3 Kinds of Letters: 1.Counselor Recommendations 2.Teacher Recommendations 3.Other Recommendations (coach, employer, religious leader, etc.)
Tips for Requesting Letters of Rec o Check to see how many and which type of letters of recommendation are required by your prospective colleges. Only ask for what you need. • You will not be able to request 5 teacher letters and pick the 3 that you think are the best. Letters will be sent directly to the colleges. o Give at least three weeks notice when asking for a letter of recommendation. • Your counselor or teachers may not be able to write their best recommendation for you with only a few days notice. o Waive your right to view recommendation letters on your application forms. Admission officers will trust them more if you haven’t seen them . o Make sure your references know the deadlines for each college. o Follow up with your recommenders a week or so before your deadlines. o Once you’ve decided which college to attend, write thank -you notes. Tell your references where you’re going and let them know how much you appreciate their support.
Counselor Letters of Rec 1. Make sure counselor letter of recommendation is required • Required for Common App 2. Ask early – three weeks in advance! 3. All counselor recommendations are confidential – sent directly to colleges 4. Provide your counselor with a list of colleges that you’re applying to and their deadlines. • Let them know if you are applying Early Decision anywhere 5. Complete your Senior Planning Worksheet on Naviance in August. 6. Request transcripts be sent to each college (details will be provided in August).
Teacher Letters of Rec 1. Ask early – three weeks in advance! • Some teachers will only write a specific number of letters because of the time involved. 2. Complete the NHS Teacher Recommendation Form Helps teachers write better recommendations • 3. Give teachers at least three weeks to complete 4. Some college applications will allow you to enter a teacher’s email address and an email request will be sent to the teacher to submit their recommendation electronically.
Other Letters of Rec (Coach, Employer, etc.) o Make sure the colleges you are applying to will accept additional letters of recommendation. o Give these individuals a resume and ask them to focus on your involvement within their group, organization or religious community o Provide deadlines to your recommenders. o Follow up about a week before your deadline to make sure your letter is sent on time.
DU Requirements 1 Essay & Counselor Recommendation Optional: • Resume • Additional Letters of Recommendation
Contact Info The University of Denver Undergraduate Admission 2197 S. University Blvd. Denver, CO 80208-9401 303.871.2036 admission@du.edu www.du.edu/admission Christina Hunter Christina.Hunter@du.edu 303.871.7651 Connect with us!
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