College Experience Coaching - Applications & Special Programs

Last week, we covered the ins and outs of the course registration process and how college experience coaching can help. While course registration is often one of the most complex and nuanced parts of the first few years of college, it is by no means the ONLY challenge that students will come upon their first year (and beyond!)

College experience coaching can also help when students find themselves needing to complete internal applications within their college or university. Unfortunately, these have become a common part of the college experience!

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What do you mean, more applications?

Yup. As a college student, there are two main types of applications that we help students complete (while ensuring they put their best foot forward!).

The first is an academic application for a special program, school, or course experience that interests them. Many schools offer selective programs within the university that students can potentially enter in their second or third year. These are often pre-professional programs; for example, both the McIntire School of Commerce at UVa and the Robins School of Business at William & Mary will only accept students through a selective internal application process. And this is quite common elsewhere, too. There may also be scholarship opportunities, honors colleges, or even research funding for which students can apply while at school.

The second type is actually an extracurricular application. Believe it or not, many clubs and organizations also require (sometimes extensive!) applications and even interviews from students looking for leadership opportunities or membership in campus organizations. Frankly, this can be a pain, but these experiences are worth the effort; not only do they help students develop practical skills they need for the workforce, they are very useful when it comes to building resumes for job or internship opportunities. We help students stay on track to put together the best possible application packages - all while balancing their academic work.

What type of applications can you help with?

Applications are our expertise! Here are just some of the application types that we’ve successfully provided coaching to help students complete:

• Honors College applications

• Internal applications for selective schools or majors within the institution

• Study abroad applications

• Internship applications

• Research or grant funding applications

• Internal and external scholarship applications

• Leadership positions, including those in greek life

• Campus organizations requiring applications for baseline membership

• Student government, student ambassador, and other institutional applications

Does my student’s school even have these types of opportunities?

Most likely, the answer is yes! But many of them may not be highly publicized, or your student may not know about the deadlines for some more selective programs. It can be really disappointing to realize junior year that research funding would have been possible, if only you’d taken a one-credit research seminar that is only offered to sophomores! We can help students investigate the possibilities on their campus and make sure they are on track to achieving their goals and making the most out of their experiences.

Can’t I just help my student with this stuff?

Yes! For some families, this works well and parents can help and encourage their students to make the most of the college experience. If that is you, college experience coaching may not be the best fit.

However, if any of the following sounds familiar, this may be a good investment for your family: “I don’t think she has any idea what she wants to do.” “I’m worried that he’s not thinking about his future.” “I’m not sure how to support her without imposing my own ideas.” “He says he’ll apply but the deadline is in two weeks and I don’t see how that’s possible.”

We hear issues like these from parents all the time. You want to support your student, but you also want them to have their own college experience. Or you think they need someone to talk to about their future plans, but you just can’t get them to talk to you without feeling like you’re nagging every time you get a phone call! A check-in with a professional can provide a sounding board outside of the family for both you and your student, giving you peace of mind and helping to keep your relationship intact.

Have an upcoming application deadline?

Reach out to Shannon today to learn more about college experience coaching, and check out our Packages and Fees page for more information on costs.

College Experience Coaching - Course Registration Time!

Did you know that in addition to educational consulting, we also offer college experience coaching to help students navigate their first year of college and beyond? Whether students are hoping to prepare for success in graduate school admissions, enter the job market with a strong resume, or simply just maximize the undergraduate experience, working with us can help make it happen!

So while our high school seniors are submitting their applications and waiting to hear from their schools, we’ve been busy helping our Class of 2021, Class of 2020, and Class of 2019 students with their spring course registration!

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Can’t their advisors help with that?

At many schools, course selection and registration are notoriously difficult - especially for underclassmen. Even at ultra-selective private universities, advisors are meant to help facilitate schedules and share information about graduation requirements. So while they can certainly help, it’s not typically the kind of personalized assistance that most of our students (and their parents) expect!

Yes, there are a few exceptions, but most do not sit down with students to examine options and plot out the best possible schedule permutations. They can’t - they just don’t have time to do that for each student. It’s just like the school counselor vs. independent counselor issue we’ve discussed so many times before.

How does it work?

We do the research and leg work to help put together a personalized schedule tailored to your student’s preferences, goals, core requirements, and major/minor requirements - as well as backups (and backups to the backups!) to be covered when registration hits those inevitable snafus. Worried about getting stuck with a hard or boring professor? Not on our watch! Want to make sure no classes start before 10 a.m. and Fridays are free? We make it happen all the time!

Revealing our secrets…

Want to try to put the best possible schedule together on your own? Here’s some tips and tricks right out of our playbook:

1. Map out a four-year plan from the start. Colleges typically provide lists of various requirements (general education, major, minor, etc), but they don’t always put everything together in one place. Sketching out a general four-year plan is a necessary first step that we take with each of our students - we put all of their requirements together in one place and incorporate space for study abroad, co-ops, and any other deviations from a traditional schedule.

   This provides an easy way for students to visualize exactly which types of courses they need to take and when, and how much flexibility they have - for example, how many times they can change their major before they are at risk of graduating late! - or whether they have room to pick up a new minor, etc. It also really helps to have a baseline when it comes to planning out each individual semester. We do modify this four-year plan as things change, but we rely heavily upon it.

2. Create a master list early. As soon as course schedules are released for the upcoming semester (typically about a month in advance of registration), start planning out options. Look at the four year plan, determine which requirements are slated to be met during that particular semester, and start playing with the schedule to determine which available courses will fit the requirements. Come up with a master list of potential options.

3. Identify the top two criteria of choice and start removing courses from consideration. We recommend prioritizing the quality of the instructor more than anything else. Even the most boring material can be interesting with a great professor. We always look for those who aren’t harsh graders, but are engaging and make learning fun. Depending on the material and the student’s needs, we may also look for those who are highly effective in terms of teaching the subject matter. This is less important in some situations (i.e. an English major trying to meet a Natural Science graduation requirement)- but it’s essential in others (I.e. a nursing major who ultimately needs to pass the NCLEX exam, an accounting major who ultimately needs to pass the CPA exam, etc). In addition to instructor quality, we also prioritize aspects including time of day, day of week, difficulty of subject matter when compared to alternatives, etc.)

4. Keep careful notes for future semesters. Maybe it comes out that Prof. Smith is the most amazing in the psychology department, but he’s only teaching 9am classes this semester and that’s a deal-breaker. No problem! Write down a reminder to check out his courses during the following semester’s registration period. After we research various professors, we often put together short descriptions of their characteristics - bad and good - to make for easy reference down the line.

5. Put permutations together! Start with the classes that seem to fit the top two criteria best, and put together a whole bunch of permutations that fit the general preference guidelines. There will be pros and cons to each permutation, and we like to rank them in order of preference. We also make sure that there are options available with a wide range of classes, because we don’t know which ones will fill up immediately on the morning of registration. For example, if every single schedule permutation includes POL315 and that one fills, it would be a problem!

6. Monitor closely and adjust when needed. Freshmen typically register last, and even juniors can find that their top-choice courses have filled by the time their registration window opens. It’s important to be aware of which courses are filling, and which seem likely to fill. This way we can remove those permutations from the list and examine whether we have a sufficient number ready for registration day. Sometimes we need to go back to the drawing board to add more.

7. Be strategic on registration day. After all of this prep work, it’s vital to make sure that students don’t miss their registration windows - and these usually happen very early in the morning. Be at the computer, ready to go, at least fifteen minutes in advance. Make sure to have a list of courses (in order of importance - those with fewer spots or which are most critical to the schedule should be prioritized). Start refreshing about a minute before the window to make sure to gain access immediately, and start registering from the pre-determined list. Make sure that the backup permutations are readily available to make for an easy pivot if courses fill unexpectedly.

Money Well Spent

Does this sound incredibly time-consuming? Well - that’s because it is (now you understand why advisors could never do this!). That’s why many parents ask us to step in - we are experienced and can take care of this much more efficiently than a student or parent could.

Still, our services aren’t free, or inexpensive. But put it into perspective, the cost of college today makes our fees look like chump change in comparison! Planning out course selection this way will greatly maximize the likelihood that a student will be able to graduate on time, and with the best possible grades. Every time something goes wrong (the student misses a requirement by mistake, or signs up for a course with a difficult professor and has to drop mid-semester, or doesn’t leave enough slots to be able to take all of their major/minor coursework on time), the likelihood of graduating in four years decreases.

Just about a week ago, the National Center for Education Statistics released updated data on graduation rates, and it’s pretty bleak. Did you know that only about 40% of students graduate from four-year universities within four years, and perhaps even scarier, only 64% graduate from four-year universities within SIX years! Even at an in-state public university, an extra year can cost around $35,000 - and that’s not including the opportunity cost of the year of lost income (average starting base salary for a B.S. graduate from UVa’s Commerce School: $78,000). Even using conservative estimates, we’re talking about a six-figure loss. So the investment of professional direction can be well worth it, and often ends up saving quite a bit of money down the line.

Need some help with Spring 2022 Registration?

Reach out to Shannon today to learn more about college experience coaching, and check out our Packages and Fees page for more information on costs.

General Education Curriculum Series 5: Brown

For the final post of our General Education Curriculum Series, we’re tackling Brown University. 

Why? Because Brown is the best example of the complete opposite approach to Columbia’s. At Brown, there is no such thing as a core class - they have an open curriculum, and students have a ton of freedom and flexibility. Forget a core curriculum, Brown doesn’t even have traditional “majors” - instead, students choose a “concentration” or “focus area” to anchor their undergraduate program. 

During Brown’s “shopping period” at the start of the semester, students can try out classes that may interest them and discuss them with their peers, as well as academic advisors and faculty. Students may choose to create a liberal arts course of study that explores a variety of different subjects, or they may delve deeply into one or two - Brown puts the creation of the curriculum fully into the hands of students. 

Okay, so what are the takeaways from this non-curriculum curriculum? Here are a few:

1. You’ve got options

Really, a lot of them. Want to explore ten different subjects before you choose your concentration? You got it. Know what you want to do and just ready to dive deeper? Go ahead. Brown’s open curriculum is student-centered, meaning that you are the one who decides how your college experience will look. 

2. You need to be decisive

The flip side of all that choice is that there is no guidance laid out by the school as to what you should take. Particularly if you want to continue your education after college, you might need to do your own digging into recommended pre-med or pre-professional courses to ensure that your transcript is up to par with students who have received more of a measured curriculum approach. 

Even for those who don’t intend to head to graduate school or begin a career that requires certain coursework, the fully flexible curriculum can seem overwhelming. Some students may feel as if they need some guidance on the classes that will best prepare them for life after Brown. 

3. You’re on your own

Well, not entirely. Brown has both peer and faculty advisors available to help and support you as you design your curriculum. But the system is set up so that you may not have one single class in common with everyone else in your freshman dorm. The complete flexibility of the curriculum means that there are no common courses for everyone to bond over, and you could go through the curriculum without connecting to your peers in the classroom. You may care about this, you may not.

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There you have it: four very different schools with very different undergraduate curriculum options! So whether you are a sophomore just beginning your search or a senior jumping into course registration for your freshman year in college, make sure you read up on the curriculum options available to you and talk with us if you need help. This is particularly the case for graduating seniors - it can be very overwhelming to plan out a four-year course of study when you haven’t even arrived on campus yet, but that’s often the right approach to make sure that you’re able to achieve your goals while graduating on time!

Not a current client? Book a strategy session and we can help you work through the confusing curricula that you are considering. And don’t forget to check out the previous posts in this series down below!

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LOOKING FOR MORE TIPS FOR SOON-TO-BE UNDERGRADS? CHECK OUT THESE POSTS!

General Education Curriculum Series 4: Columbia

We are heading back to our General Education Curriculum Series and moving out of Virginia this week with an up-close look at Columbia’s curriculum. 

We chose Columbia because it is one of the schools with the most emphasis on a robust set of general education requirements for students in Columbia College, the Arts and Sciences division (students who enter into the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science will have different requirements).

It always strikes me as interesting that so many students who apply to Columbia don’t understand the Core Curriculum or realize that the academic experience there is very different from most other schools as a result of it. I don’t think it’s coincidental that the Columbia application includes more than one essay regarding fit - they want to know if you know that they have the Core Curriculum in the first place, if you understand what it entails and why they believe it is valuable, and the reasons you think it would be a good fit for you!

If you don’t mention it at all in your application, they are just going to assume that you are “checking off the box” and applying to Columbia “for the wrong reasons” - because it’s an Ivy League school, because it’s in New York City, and so forth.

Let’s dive in!

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Unlike the general education requirements we outlined at William & Mary and UVa, Columbia’s Core Curriculum requires that ALL students take the exact same course to fulfill many of their requirements - meaning that students in these courses are doing the same readings and assignments at the exact same time. 

Core CURRICULUM COURSES

Literature Humanities

This course is taken by every single first-year Columbia College student. Students read and discuss works by Homer and Dante (which haven’t left the required reading list since the curriculum was implemented 75 years ago!), as well as canonical texts like Montaigne’s Essays or Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse. Students read and discuss one text each week in seminars of about 20 students, and each seminar moves through the exact same texts at the same pace. 

University Writing

First-year students are also required to take one semester of a University Writing course. In this case, students do have the option to choose a topic: American Studies, Gender & Sexuality, Human Rights, Data & Society, and Medical Humanities are some of the options for students here. However, no matter which class you take, you will be writing the same four essay assignments as your fellow students: an analysis, a reading of multiple texts, a research paper, and an op-ed. This is different from many other schools, where first-year writing classes are left to the individual instructors to design. 

Frontiers of Science

You may be noticing by now that your first year schedule is getting pretty full! Freshmen must also take a one-semester course in modern science. All students attend a large lecture on Mondays, and meet with professors or TAs in small seminars throughout the rest of the week to discuss the lecture and any associated readings. So again, though the seminars may be small, the material is the same for all first-year students. 

Contemporary Civilization

This is the second-year core curriculum course. Like Literature Humanities, it is a full-year course where all students study the exact same texts at the same time, in small seminars. This original Core course has been offered since 1919 and includes texts like Plato’s Republic, the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Qur’an. 

Art Humanities

Before their senior year, students must also take one semester-long course in important works of Western art. In 20-person seminars, students examine and analyze these pieces. Classes can make use of Columbia’s NYC location to visit buildings, monuments, and museums as part of their art exploration. The requirement to study art history or art analysis is very unusual for undergraduate programs of study.

Music Humanities

In addition to Art Humanities, students also take a semester-long course in important works of Western music. Like Art Humanities, Music Humanities has been part of the core curriculum since 1947, and is also a very unusual requirement for an undergraduate program.

In addition to these strict core courses, Columbia students also have general education requirements similar to those at the schools we’ve already discussed. However, they can be met by multiple courses and offer some flexibility. 

Requirements

Science Requirement

Students must take ten credits (typically three courses) in science in order to meet this requirement. The required Frontiers of Science course counts toward the science requirement, so students who take that course in their first year must take two additional courses in science before they graduate. These courses are typically in Astronomy, Chemistry, Biology, Environmental Science, or Physics, though this requirement can also be met by some Math and Computer Science courses. 

Global Core Requirement

Global Core courses typically explore the cultures of Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East in a historical context. These survey courses are meant as a supplement to the Western-focused required core classes. Students must take two courses to meet the Global Core requirement. This requirement is met by many courses in History, Religion, and Cultural Studies. 

Foreign Language Requirement

This requirement, unlike the others, can be met by an AP test or by a Columbia-administered test for students who have already achieved intermediate proficiency in a foreign language. Otherwise, students are required to take an intermediate-level foreign language course to meet this requirement. Like many other schools, Columbia waives this requirement for students whose first language is not English. 

Physical Education Requirement

Another surprising one, although not quite as rare as the art and music requirements - Columbia is one of the institutions that require students to take a physical education course! Completion of two physical education activities is required in order to graduate. Student-athletes can also gain credits through their sport. In addition, all students are required to either pass a swimming test or take one semester of a beginner’s swimming course unless they have a registered disability that does not allow them to do so.

As you may be able to tell, Columbia is SERIOUS about its Core Curriculum. Here are our three takeaways:

1. You’ll get the breadth

No matter which type of student you are, Columbia’s curriculum will likely require you to take a class that you’re not too excited about. While some students may see this as a negative (I would have, for sure), others intentionally seek it out. They believe that it will help them to explore outside of their interests and maybe give them the opportunity them to fall in love with a subject that they never even knew about in high school! If you are looking for a true liberal arts experience, with a wide array of courses, this might be a great choice for you, but students who know what they want to study and don’t want to do a whole lot of writing and analysis may become frustrated with all of the core classes. 

2. You’re in good company

Did you read those dates earlier? Some of Columbia’s core courses have been around since 1919! That means that not only will you be learning the exact same material as your classmates, you will also be learning some of the same material as most Columbia alumni! The Core Curriculum will help you to connect and commiserate with your freshman hall-mates about the course material, and also provide you with a talking point for all of the networking you’ll be doing with alumni as a senior! 

3. You don’t have a lot of space

As you may have realized reading through that list of courses and requirements, Columbia does not give you nearly as much space in your schedule as some other schools. If you really want to dive deep into your major, or if there are other electives that you want the chance to explore beyond those listed, this type of curriculum might make you feel frustrated and stuck. So consider carefully how you will feel about these requirements before applying to a school that has a lot of them!

In case you missed it, don’t forget to check out our series kickoff post about undergraduate curricula!

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LOOKING FOR MORE TIPS FOR SOON-TO-BE UNDERGRADS? CHECK OUT THESE POSTS!

General Education Curriculum Series 3: William & Mary

The next school curriculum we’re considering as part of our core curriculum series is at another excellent Virginia institution - William & Mary (if you missed last week’s post on UVa’s curriculum, check that out as well!). 

Luckily for all of us, William & Mary’s curriculum is a bit less complicated than UVa’s! Both schools are in the middle of shifting from one core curriculum to another, so it is important to note that the curricula we discuss in our posts are for students entering this year - current students may be following a different core curriculum. 

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All William & Mary students follow the College Curriculum. In addition to the required College Curriculum courses, students must also take one elective course in each of three Knowledge Domains. Let’s start by diving into the College Curriculum. 

Year 1: COLL 100 & COLL 150

In their first year, students are required to take one college curriculum course each semester. COLL 100 encourages students to explore “big questions and big ideas,” giving them a broad theoretical knowledge within one or more disciplines. Some examples of COLL 100 courses this year include “Selfies: Self-Representation and Mediation,” “Designer Genes,” “Earth, Science, and Society,” “Africa Rising?” and “What Can We Learn from Babies?”

COLL 150 classes are small seminars aimed at improving students’ writing and analytical abilities, focusing on more narrow topics than COLL 100. Some examples of COLL 150 courses this year include “Travel Writing,” “Emerging Diseases,” “Sports & Economics,” “Law & Film,” and “Geology & Science Fiction.” 

Year 2: COLL 200

During their second year, students need to take three COLL 200 courses, one in each Knowledge Domain (see the next section for a deep dive into Knowledge Domains). These courses are meant to familiarize students with the connections between different disciplines, highlighting similarities and differences across academic areas of study while focusing a little deeper on an academic discipline of the student’s choice. Many introductory courses meet this requirement, such as “Introduction to African Studies,” “Introduction to Engineering Design,” “Introduction to Archaeology,” “Foundations of Education,” or “Introduction to Global Health.” COLL 200 courses enable students to gain a broad foundation in different subjects, and to learn more about academic disciplines to make sure they make the right choice of major at the end of the year! 

Year 3: COLL 300 & COLL 350

Third year students are also required to take a college curriculum course each semester. COLL 300 attempts to familiarize students with the larger global community. As a result, this requirement can be met through study abroad programs, research experiences abroad, the W&M in DC program, or selected courses on campus. Many students will meet this requirement through a semester abroad, though. 

COLL 350 courses are meant to explore issues of difference, equity, and justice, and are offered across disciplines with an added component to connect course material with contemporary life in the United States. 

Year 4: COLL 400

COLL 400 is the requirement that graduating students at W&M participate in a capstone experience. This experience may include an honors program or honors thesis, independent study, research project, or upper-level seminar. 

Knowledge Domains

To meet the COLL 200 requirement, students at W&M are required to take one three-credit course in each of the three Knowledge Domains:

Arts, Letters, and Values asks students to look at their own and others’ values and how they are expressed and evaluated. This requirement is met by courses in the arts, English, philosophy, or music. 

Cultures, Societies, and the Individual is a domain that explores human cultures and how they develop and interact. Courses in cultural studies, anthropology, economics, history, politics, religion, or psychology often carry this designation. 

Natural World and Quantitative Reasoning is the domain that includes many hard sciences and mathematics courses. Students can take a class in chemistry, physics, engineering, mathematics, kinesiology, or psychology to meet this requirement. 

Proficiencies

Yes, there’s more! In addition to the College Curriculum, there are certain proficiencies that William & Mary students also have to meet in order to graduate. The difference between the proficiencies and the rest of the curriculum is that most proficiencies can be met by classes that students took in high school or AP credits, so it is possible for a student to come in having met two of the three proficiencies already (this is how Shannon entered William & Mary, and she was very excited that she didn’t have to take a college math class!).

The Foreign Language Proficiency is met if a student has already taken four years of a single language in high school. If you haven’t done this (and we think you should!), the proficiency can also be met through AP or IB credit or by taking a 200-level language course at William & Mary. Students whose first language is not English can petition for an exemption from this requirement. 

The Math Proficiency can be met by AP credit for calculus or statistics. If a student does not complete calculus or statistics in high school, they can meet this requirement with ANY William & Mary math course (for students who are less than enthusiastic about math, might we recommend “Math-Powered Flight”?). 

The Creative and Performing Arts Proficiency is the one that does need to be met through a William & Mary course. Students can take a two- or three-credit course in music, dance, art, drama, or creative writing to meet this requirement. 

As always, we’ll highlight three key takeaways from this curriculum:

1. You are in the same boat AS YOUR PEERS

Unlike UVa’s curriculum, there is really only one pathway through William & Mary (unless you are in a special program like the joint degree programme with St. Andrews). That means that you will be able to share interesting theories you learned in COLL 100 with your freshman roommate, or commiserate over the heavy COLL 150 writing load together. This type of curriculum, with small required seminars, can really help students to connect with others in their class year who are taking some of the same required courses.

2. But you still have options!

As with UVa’s curriculum, none of the William & Mary requirements are met by only one course. In fact, the number of courses that restrict a student to pursue one particular discipline are very few (only three courses total over the four-year period). That means that you can meet the requirements with the classes that are most interesting to you, while still gaining a breadth of experience early on to help you explore new disciplines and select your major.

3. HIgh School Courses Help

Believe me, it is really nice to get to college and realize that those foreign language and math proficiencies are already taken care of! While a strong curriculum can definitely help you in the admissions process, it is also worth putting in the work to get those requirements out of the way and build more flexibility into your schedule (did we already mention that Shannon didn’t have to take a single math class in college??). 

In case you missed it, don’t forget to check out our series kickoff post about undergraduate curricula!

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LOOKING FOR MORE TIPS FOR SOON-TO-BE UNDERGRADS? CHECK OUT THESE POSTS!

General Education Curriculum Series 2: UVa

We are continuing the curriculum-focused blog series that we began last week with our first deep dive into a school curriculum: UVa!

UVa is the perfect school to start with because they have a wide variety of core curriculum options within one school - some that are open to all students and some that are application-only. Keep in mind that we are only going to look at the requirements for the College of Arts & Sciences, so the information in this post may not apply to your specific situation. 

Buckle up, because this is about to get complicated.

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To start with, UVa’s core curriculum has three components. It is helpful to become familiar with the three components at the start, because each of the available curriculum pathways incorporates some variety of these components. 

The curriculum components are: Engagements, Literacies, and Disciplines. 

Engagements

The College of Arts & Sciences defines Engagements as “small, seminar-style courses that put you face-to-face with many of UVa’s leading scholars and teachers…they ask big questions, and invite you to think and talk about what you know and value.” Sort of reminds me of UVa’s “flash seminar” essay question, if you remember that one!

There are four Engagements: Aesthetic Engagement, Empirical & Scientific Engagement, Engaging Difference, and Ethical Engagement.

To meet the Engagements component, all first-year students must take one 2-credit course in each Engagement. Here are some examples of Engagement courses from the 2020-2021 academic year:

Aesthetic Engagement: “Are Movies True?” “Art: Inside/Out,” “The Aesthetics of Trauma,” “The Politics of Popular Music,” “On Ghosts”

Empirical & Scientific Engagement: “The Big Bang,” “Poverty Counts,” “Thinking Like a Scientist,” “Why We Hold Hands,” “Exploring Your Genome”

Engaging Difference: “#StayWoke,” “The Individual & Society,” “Other People’s Music,” “Unnatural”

Ethical Engagement: “Mortality & Morality,” “Ethical Dilemmas and Science,” “What is Engaged Citizenship?” “Why We Work,” “The Ethics of Piracy”

With me so far?

Literacies

The next component, Literacies, “equip students with the necessary skills and fluencies needed to succeed in a rapidly-transforming world.”

Literacies has three aspects: World Languages, Rhetoric for the 21st Century, and Quantification, Computation, and Data Analysis. Students must achieve intermediate proficiency in a language and take 6 total credits (or two courses) in each of the other literacies. 

The Rhetoric for the 21st Century literacy is met first by a first-year “Writing and Critical Inquiry” seminar, and second by a more subject-specific writing course or an advanced writing seminar. The Quantification, Computation, and Data Analysis literacy requirement is met by many mathematics and statistics courses, as well as logic-heavy classes in other disciplines - such as Statistics for Psychology or Symbolic Logic for Philosophy. 

Disciplines

If you’re caught up on Engagements and Literacies, we’ll move into the third and last component: Disciplines. Defined as “the varied ways our faculty approach knowledge, learning, and discovery,” the seven disciplines more or less align with core academic subject categories.

The Artistic, Interpretive, & Philosophical Inquiry requirement can be met by many courses in cultural studies, anthropology, art history, studio art, drama, music, creative writing, literature, history, media studies, philosophy, political theory, religion, and more. 

The Chemical, Mathematical, & Physical Universe requirement can be met by courses in the hard sciences, such as astronomy, chemistry, physics, and environmental science, as well as mathematics courses.

The Culture & Societies of the World requirement can be met by many courses in cultural studies, anthropology, history, politics, sociology, and religion, as well as global studies courses across many departments. 

The Historical Perspectives requirement can be met by many history classes, including art history, as well as American History and other cultural studies courses with a historical focus. It can also be met by English courses that focus on historical works (like Shakespeare), as well as historically-focused philosophy, religion, and politics courses. 

The Living Systems requirement is looking for biology, chemistry, psychology, or environmental science courses, as well as select courses in anthropology and physics. 

The Science & Society requirement can be met by a large number of economics courses, as well as certain classes with a scientific focus in anthropology, philosophy, and sociology, and some select environmental science classes.

Lastly, the Social & Economic Systems requirement is fulfilled by a huge number of courses in economics, politics, and international relations, as well as some classes in anthropology, cultural studies, history, sociology, psychology, and media studies. 

BA candidates must earn 3 credits (usually one course) in each discipline, by taking courses across at least 6 different departments. But for BS candidates, the disciplines are a little more complicated. BS candidates can take 9 credits in disciplines 2, 5, or 6, and double-count one 3-credit course to meet both 3, 4, and/or 7. BS candidates must take courses across 5 different departments.

If that seems like a lot of information, that’s because it is! But don’t worry, students will have academic advisors who can help guide them through this process (and as previously noted, we have helped students with this kind of thing for years as well!). But at this point, if you’re thinking okay, I get it, I just have to take all of those courses… - nope! There are a few different pathways through the curriculum at UVa, some of which require separate applications and others which are randomly assigned to students in the incoming class. 

Here are the two most common options to which incoming students are randomly assigned: 

Engagements

Nope, this is not the Engagements component from above - this is Engagements pathway.

Students in the Engagements pathway take courses in all three components described above, and they take the credits exactly as we listed. That was easy! 

Disciplines Plus 

Students in the Disciplines Plus pathway do not take Engagements component courses at all. Instead, they fulfill their requirements through 30 credits of Disciplines courses. In addition to the requirements described above, they take an additional course in Discipline 1, an additional course in 2, 3, or 4, and an additional course in 5, 6, or 7, for a total of 9 additional credits (or three additional courses). They complete the regular Literacy requirements as detailed above. 

When it comes to these two pathways, students are notified of their randomly assigned pathway in May. Current high school seniors can apply to switch pathways between May 22-June 1, 2021 by submitting a 500-word statement detailing why they wish to switch.

In general, students who enjoy debates and discussion may prefer the Engagements pathway, while students who prefer a more traditional lecture approach to coursework may prefer the Disciplines Plus pathway. Regardless, students seeking to switch pathways need to make sure that their 500-word statements show that they clearly understand the differences and have well-thought-out reasons for seeking these changes.

But didn’t I mention more applications earlier? You bet!

There are two more selective approaches to the general education requirements at UVa, as well:

Forums

Forums are made up of 40 students who take a tailored group of courses around a particular topic or theme. Forum faculty select the courses that students will take over their first two years. In addition to this selection, students must also complete the World Languages and Rhetoric for the 21st Century requirements. All Forum students must take a required forum class for the first two years in addition to other required courses. Forums in 2020 included “American Dreams,” “Information and Disinformation,” and “Democratic Statecraft.” Students apply separately to this program in the spring before they enter UVa. 

Echols

Echols Scholars are exempt from General Education requirements entirely, though they must complete them in order to transfer outside of the College of Arts & Sciences. First year Echols Scholars also participate in the living-learning community and receive priority registration. Students also have the option to declare the Echols Interdisciplinary Major. Students are selected as Echols Scholars by the Office of Admissions when their applications for admission are reviewed, without a separate application. However, students who are not initially selected can apply for admission during their second semester, with the application deadline in May of their first year on Grounds. 

Whew! If your head is spinning, you’re not alone. Let’s highlight three key takeaways from the College of Arts & Sciences’ curriculum:

1. You’ve got options!

While this list of requirements may seem daunting, students really do have a lot of flexibility to complete core classes. There are a huge variety of classes across multiple departments that fulfill most of the requirements, so you have some structure while still being able to take classes that interest you.

2. You can explore

Despite all of the flexibility mentioned above, the College of Arts & Sciences does require that students take classes across five or six different departments! This means that you can’t stick too close to your comfort zone, so you can explore other things while still playing to your strengths. For example, an English major who loves to write could explore courses in history, anthropology, and philosophy while a chemistry major who loves science could focus on fulfilling her requirements in physics, environmental science, and psychology. And if you want to take something totally outside of your field, you have that option too! 

3. You need to know this stuff

Once you are on campus, you will have an academic advisor who will help to guide you through your course selection. However, there are 12 advisors for all 12,000 or so Arts & Sciences students at UVA, so you will definitely still need to keep track of requirements on your own. You also need to be aware of the pathways with May due dates - often, these can sneak up on students who don’t think they need to worry about course selection until August! You don’t want to miss out on any interesting curriculum opportunities.

Still feeling overwhelmed? Book a strategy session with us to begin mapping out your four-year curriculum plan. We can help you make the best course selection choices for your goals! 

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LOOKING FOR MORE TIPS FOR SOON-TO-BE UNDERGRADS? CHECK OUT THESE POSTS!

General Education Curriculum Series 1: Understanding Undergraduate Curricula

Many of our seniors have already committed to their schools for next year - hooray! At this point in the cycle, we tend to get a lot of questions from students about how to approach their freshman year. Soon, students will receive information about housing, course registration, healthcare, orientation, recommendations for sorority recruitment… no wonder it can get overwhelming! 

[Side note: if any of our current seniors do need help with this, let us know and we can assist! We don’t typically advertise this but we help a whole bunch of students each year with all of the above upon request! Just last week I had a meeting with a graduating senior to start mapping out her four-year plan at UVa, which inspired this post!]

At the same time our seniors are getting bombarded with course registration information, our juniors continuing to plan their lists, and many don’t have a sense at all about why it’s important to pay attention to the types of general education requirements that their schools of interest have.. let alone the differences between curricula and figuring out where their own preferences come in to play!

In our new midweek blog series, we’ll be covering some of the different general education requirements across several different colleges and universities. But to kick it off - what are general education requirements, anyway?

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The answer definitely depends on the school. At some colleges and universities, there are certain required courses that every single student must take. At Notre Dame, for example, every single student on campus has to take the Moreau First Year Experience course during the fall and spring of their freshman year.

At other institutions, there are types of required classes (i.e. students must take one history class, one math or science class, etc.), but within that category, there’s a lot of variation between the flexibility offered. At Vanderbilt, every student needs to take a lab science class - that’s hardcore for a non-science major - but there’s choice involved because the students can pick from chemistry vs. biology and so on. Other schools approach the idea of choice from a more flexible and liberal standpoint, with a lot of options for courses that fulfill a very broad requirement (so students can take the Mathematics of Flight instead of Linear Algebra if that is more their speed!).

There are also schools that have only a few requirements, typically including one or two writing-intensive courses and a language requirement, but no other general education requirements. And finally, there are the supremely liberal schools which don’t have required classes at all! 

But that isn’t all that students have to consider. Sometimes, specialized colleges, divisions, or programs within a university will have their own curricula that are separate from the general curriculum of the institution (our post next week on UVA’s curriculum will offer some examples of this from a liberal arts standpoint). This is true in many schools’ pre-professional divisions; for instance, during the first year of an engineering or business program, most students take a very similar course load before choosing a specialty in their second year.

So with all that confusing information, is it really worth the time it takes for prospective students to parse through the curriculum options when choosing a college? YES, YES, and YES! At the end of the day, this is one of the criteria that is most going to impact your college experience. Here are some things to think about when deciding which undergraduate curriculum is right for you:

1. Do you know what you want to study, or do you need more time to explore?

Students who are eager to jump right into specializing in their field might get frustrated with a core curriculum - why am I taking this history course if my true passion is engineering?? These students might look for schools that will allow them to focus on their major right from the beginning, with fewer breadth requirements. 

Some students don’t know exactly what they want to do, or they want to consider a few different options. Students like this might benefit from the structure of the core curriculum, that will allow them to stretch in new directions and take classes that they might not have considered on their own. The core curriculum can really aid students in discovering their passions and strengths! 

2. Do you like to forge your own path, or do you thrive under structure?

At a school like Brown with an extremely open curriculum (which we’ll describe in more detail in a later post!), students really need to be self-motivated in order to make the most of their opportunities. For a student that does not have a clear vision for their college experience, this huge amount of choice can feel more overwhelming than exciting. It’s like the college version of the menu at the Cheesecake Factory!

For students that like more structure and guidance, especially in the first year or two at a new place, required courses (such as a mandatory, small-sized freshman seminar) can make it more comfortable to ease into course selection and meet classmates. If everyone on your freshman hall is taking some of the same classes, it gives you something to bond over while working on those papers! 

3. Do you intend to pursue more education after college?

Some post-graduate programs, like law school or medical school, will have particular classes that they want to see on a student’s transcript. While pre-professional advisors on campus can help with that, it is important for a student who is interested in further education to make sure that their intended school’s curriculum provides them with enough flexibility to take the courses they need, and enough structure so that nothing gets left out. 

4. Do you really struggle with certain subjects or really find success with others?

If having to take a math class is going to ruin your entire first semester, it is better to know that sooner rather than later! While some schools have so many options for their requirements that any student could find something that would enjoy, others really stress a breadth of knowledge. Only you can know for sure whether having to take a certain class is a dealbreaker for you when thinking about your college of choice. 

5. Do you like to be pushed outside of your comfort zone?

Some students who answered “yes” to the question above may still be better served by a core curriculum which allows them to push out of their comfort zone and expand their knowledge base. Some core curricula even include experiential learning opportunities, like internships and community service experience, as part of the requirements for students to graduate. If you are someone who really likes to take on new adventures, but isn’t sure quite where to start, a core curriculum that forces you to move outside of your comfort zone could be for you! 

In every single one of our initial brainstorming sessions with students, we bring up these issues. One thing we’ve learned is that curriculum considerations can present a brand-new idea for many students - but we hope that as you’ve read this post, you’ve discovered that it is worth doing the research!

One important thing to remember is that wherever you go to school, it is unlikely that the core curriculum will look like what you are used to from high school. Rather than only a handful of courses to choose from, you may have hundreds, and you likely will have a lot more flexibility in your schedule - even at the school with the most strict requirements (looking at you, Columbia!). 

You might also surprise yourself. When I applied to college, I was positive that I wanted a flexible curriculum because I knew exactly what I wanted - and didn’t want - to study. I am one of the only people I know who never took calculus (yep - in high school or college!) and I was dead set against going to a school that would require me to take specific courses. But then I ended up changing my entire major and undergraduate division because I fell in love unexpectedly with the subject matter from the ONE course that Wash U did require. Go figure, right?

Whatever curriculum you choose, we hope that your college experience will open doors and let you explore new subjects as well as specialize in something you love. 

Stay tuned for an in-depth look at the curricula at some of our students’ top choice schools!

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LOOKING FOR MORE TIPS FOR SOON-TO-BE UNDERGRADS? CHECK OUT THESE POSTS!

Should I Apply to Transfer?

As we finish up work with our seniors, we have started to get busier with transfer applications in advance of the March deadlines. In this particularly tumultuous year, we’ve gotten a lot of questions about transferring during the 2020-2021 transfer admissions cycle.

Here are some considerations if you are thinking about making a switch next year:

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1. COVID-19 Won’t Last Forever

This is not the first semester of college that anyone was hoping for - and it made what can already be a difficult transition even more challenging. But if you are thinking about transferring just to attend a school with a different learning model (going from virtual to hybrid, for instance), think again. Individual schools’ responses to the pandemic can change quickly, and just because a college or university was in person this semester does not mean it will stay that way. 

And if you are feeling like you haven’t quite met ‘your people’ yet, that’s okay too! Clubs, sports, and other social activities are limited, so it can be even more difficult to find your niche than it would be during a normal year. But if there are other things that you love about your school, it may be worth sticking out this challenging time and becoming more involved when campus opens up to normal operations. Remember why you chose the school in the first place!

2. Neither Will Homesickness

Even in a typical year, the first semester away from home can be tough for some students. If missing your own bedroom and a home-cooked meal is making college challenging, you are not alone. Just keep in mind that homesickness may not be solved by a change of scenery - you may be better off allowing yourself to get more comfortable with your current campus and social circle before you jump ship.

3. You Need Time to Prepare

This is true of every type of application, but transfers especially have a lot going on as they adjust to a new college schedule and workload. If you are thinking about applying to transfer in the spring, the time to start working is now! The holiday break is a great opportunity to spend some time becoming familiar with the transfer requirements for different schools and working on applications. If you haven’t chosen second semester classes yet, this is also a great time to see what the course and credit requirements are for the schools that interest you. And whether you’re ready to begin the transfer process now or are just starting to discover the overwhelming range of different requirements, it is a great time to book a Transfer Strategy Session.

4. ThIs Is an Especially Unpredictable Cycle

We all know by now that this is, wait for it, an unprecedented time (I hope I never hear that phrase again!). While some students are banking on the increased number of deferrals this year to give them a second shot at their dream schools, this is not necessarily going to be the case. Most of the schools we’ve heard from this cycle say that they are not making up for deferrals with transfer students - instead, they will admit the usual number of freshmen and will limit the number of transfers to keep the size of the student body consistent. Good news for our first-year applicants, but not as promising for transfers! Assume that your chance of being admitted to a school is the same or lower than in previous years, and ask yourself if you truly want to go to school elsewhere. 

5. Get involved

If you do decide that transferring is the right decision for you, you may feel like you want to pull away from the social life on your current campus. Resist the temptation! Now is actually the time to become even more involved. Why? Because schools are looking for someone who is going to be an asset to their community, and as a transfer student, you will be able to provide a direct comparison with how involved you are at your first school. Prove to the schools that interest you that you will be a valuable member of their community by getting involved now. 

6. Pay attention

As we’ve mentioned before, transfer applications are not at all like first-year applications, even though students can and should still apply through the Common App. Take our word for it - it’s not the Common App you grew to know well as a high school senior! Beyond the fact that the application components are completely different, transfer requirements vary substantially from school to school. If you thought it was confusing to track requirements the first time around, you haven’t seen anything yet! It’s absolutely essential to be sure that you are keeping track of all of the different pieces of the applications to set yourself up for success during this process.

7. Keep it to yourself

Keep in mind that there is a chance you will return to your current campus next year, so you want to be careful not to burn any bridges before you go. While you will need to ask professors for recommendations, make it clear that it is not about any failing of your current school, but rather your desire to find a better fit for you. When it comes to friends, it is better to keep quiet about your transfer plans - otherwise, you may find that other students don’t want to invest in a friendship with someone who isn’t sticking around. Again, this is not the time to disconnect or pull away from your academics or social life - grades and involvement matter.

8. Stay out of trouble

We’ve encountered a number of situations recently where our students are facing disciplinary action for violating Covid restrictions. This will make the transfer process infinitely more difficult, so please try to abide by the rules on your campus. As a judge ruled earlier this week, you probably won’t be able to escalate the issue into the legal system if you do get into trouble!

9. Take a deep breath 

Remember to stay present in the moment and enjoy your year, whether you already have one foot out the door or are just testing the waters. For better or worse, the current academic year will represent a quarter of your time in college; you should try each day to look for the good in your experience and make the best of where you are. You never know - you may find that your school is a better fit than you thought!

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Thinking of transferring this cycle, or have questions that we didn’t answer here? Comment to let us know!

Top Tips for Success as a College Freshman (a.k.a. Read the Syllabus)

Today’s post is brought to you by Alan Montroso, one of our fantastic essay coaches!

Side Note: This was very much an unplanned coincidence, but this serves as a great example of a piece of writing that “shows voice,” as I discussed in my last post. You can really hear Alan in your head while you read his words. He’s a funny guy and a gifted writer, and that’s why our clients love him! Thank you, Alan!

As an instructor of undergraduate courses in literature, a teaching assistant in writing courses across various disciplines, and an adjunct professor of freshman writing, I want to offer some first-hand advice for students beginning their college journeys. Here are some tips from the front of the classroom, some things that your professors would like for you to know or keep in mind when you enroll in our courses.

It’s Probably on the Syllabus

Professors are required to design rich, complex, detailed syllabi that align with university policies and indicate classroom rules and regulations. We take great care in making these syllabi and trying to predict every possible question that might arise over the course of the semester; that is why we usually spend the entire first class discussing the syllabus. While it is possible that the course schedule might change due to unforeseen cancellations or the need to adjust based on student performance, policies and procedures WILL NOT CHANGE. The syllabus is like a contract with our students to ensure that they know how to succeed in our classes – and what could lead to their failure.

The syllabus is also a source of much information. Among your professor’s pet peeves, I guarantee, are questions from students that are plainly answered in the syllabus. “How many absences before I fail this class?” “See the syllabus.” “Am I allowed to use my cell phone in the classroom?” “See the syllabus.” “What texts are we required to purchase?” “SEE THE SYLLABUS.” Before you approach or email your professor with a logistical question, check your syllabus!!

Attendance Matters

One mistake that many of my freshman students make is assuming that attendance is simply not a big deal. You’re an adult now, right? Free to make your decisions about what to do with your time! Sure, but that does not mean your professors are unaware of your absences. How can we allow you to pass our classes if you are not present for them? Your professor will make very clear at the beginning of the semester how many classes you can miss before you are asked to withdrawal from the course or receive a failing grade, so take note and only miss class if you are ill. We will not exempt you from the policy if you suddenly take ill at the end of the semester but have already skipped a few classes early on.

Note as well that letters from your parents or doctors do not have the same weight as they did in high school. While we certainly want to know – and may excuse you based on circumstance – why you are absent, a dentist appointment or even a doctor’s visit due to a cold or flu does not likely mean that your absence is excused. Generally, only rare or severe situations will lead to an excused absence. Again, we do want to know where you are if you have to miss class, and we are more likely to pardon a student who has shown their commitment to our class by keeping us informed, but unless the circumstances are dire, we are not likely to excuse those absences.

Let Your Professor Know if You Are Struggling

Too often students are scared to let their professors know if they are having troubles with certain assignments. I have had many students simply choose not to submit assignments rather than let me know that they needed more time or did not know how to complete their work. While we expect that you can follow basic directions, we also understand that you are all coming from different schools in different parts of the country where you have been taught differently. Many professors – not all, but many – are willing to work with you by adjusting due dates as needed, scheduling office hours appointments, or finding other solutions to address your needs. However, we cannot help you if we don’t know that you need our assistance.

Moreover, we also understand that many students will encounter emotional and mental challenges as young adults. While we cannot make exceptions for a project due to a bad breakup, we TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY matters related to your emotional and mental health. We are not qualified to serve as counselors, but we will ALWAYS find a way to get you the help you need. NEVER hesitate to let us know if you are struggling in such a way.

Learning Outcomes versus Test Scores

Most professors that I know loathe tests as much as I do. We hate writing them. We hate assigning them. We hate grading them. What we want is to know that you have learned from the material we are teaching, rather than merely memorized what you thought would earn you an “A” on an exam. While we do often give tests, what we truly value is all the other evidence of your learning. Most of the learning outcomes described in our syllabi cannot be measured by exams alone. Participate actively in class. Take your writing assignments seriously. Produce a truly groundbreaking or creative project. Ask questions during guest lectures. Chat about our classes with us during office hours. We value these other proofs of your learning much more than your ability to ace an exam.

Alan S. Montroso will be receiving his PhD in English Literature from the George Washington University in May. His scholarship focuses on the relationship of humans and the environment in medieval literature. He has taught English Literature courses and served as a writing instructor at GW while working on his PhD, and is presently employed as an Adjunct Professor of English at Northern Virginia Community College.

Future clients interested in more tips to succeed during freshman year in college can book a Strategy Session here.

Current students interested in working with Alan on their college essays should contact Rebeccah at admin at dccollegecounseling dot com - Alan works mainly via skype during the academic year, so we don’t have him up on our online scheduling portal for in-office meetings.

Thinking About "Going Greek"?

At DC College Counseling, we love keeping in touch with our past clients and hearing about their lives in college. Sorority recruitment at many schools just ended within the last week, and it has been fun to hear stories from our freshmen all around the country!

Along the same lines, many high school seniors watch their older friends on social media and come back to us with lots of questions about the process.

PC: Vanderbilt University

Here are a few thoughts that I put together for girls (and their parents!) to consider:

1. GREEK LIFE TODAY IS NOT THE GREEK LIFE OF YESTERDAY. At least for girls, anyway. Rush has been replaced with recruitment, pledges have been replaced with new members, and hazing is NOT TOLERATED within the National Panhellenic Council. Sorority membership gives women the chance to make new friends, gain leadership experience, and be a part of something bigger. Yes, there are social events too, but this is not the main focus of greek life today - truly.

2. THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT WHICH HOUSE IS YOUR TOP PICK. A friend gave me some great advice before I went through this process myself: choose the house with girls that are already like you, not the house with the girls you want to become. Do you like spending Friday nights watching a movie with friends while eating popcorn? That’s the house you want to join - not the one that is throwing mixers every night. Know who you are and what will make you happy. This is not the time to reinvent yourself. I found - both while in college and now as an adult watching girls go through the process - that the girls who were true to themselves ended up very happy. The “horror stories” are typically from girls who were set out to join the “top house” at any cost.

3. DON’T FORGET TO ASK FOR RECOMMENDATIONS. You should have learned this already in the college admissions process! When a component of an application is optional, it’s really not optional. Same goes for sororities, particularly at competitive Southern state schools. It’s really best to make sure that you secure at least one recommendation from an alumna of every national sorority on campus. Don’t feel overwhelmed by this process - people are happy to help. I LOVE writing recommendations for girls with whom I have worked and I know most women feel the same way. Ask your teachers, friends’ mothers, and neighbors: you will be surprised to learn how many have a sorority affiliation. Trust me, they would love to do this for you.

4. ALL CHAPTERS ARE NOT THE SAME. Part of the beauty of a national organization is that chapters are very different from school to school. Life in a sorority at the University of Alabama is going to be incredibly different from life in a sorority at the University of Michigan, which in turn will be incredibly different from life in a sorority at Boston University. Many schools do not have houses, for example. Learn about the culture at your own school as you determine whether you want to pursue greek life. The same goes for costs, by the way. Sorority membership is incredibly expensive at some schools, and it’s very inexpensive at others.

5. “CHI OMEGA IS FOR A LIFETIME.” This statement was drilled into my head in college and I’m sure that every other organization has their own version of it. At the time, though, I did not really understand the value of being part of something bigger. It was not until after I graduated, when I moved to New York City knowing no one, that I began to appreciate what this meant. I was able to jump right in and become involved with a great group of women that I never would have met otherwise. When I moved to DC four years later, I was able to do the same thing. Now that I am a mother of two children, I have a built-in network of babysitters by calling the local chapter at George Mason. I can honestly say that I’ve gotten even more out of my sorority affiliation post-college than I did as an active member, and I’ve never even used it for networking purposes the way many women do.

6. GRADES MATTER - Most senior girls are shocked when I tell them that their high school grade point average is a big part of the selection process, especially at big Southern universities that are not known for being as academically competitive in terms of admission. This is a good reason to keep grades up at the end of senior year. No matter how much a sorority wants to take a certain potential new member, they are forced to cut her if her grades do not make the cutoff (refer back to #1 - academics are a priority today!).

Wondering why this entire blog post is about sorority recruitment? The process - and experience - is very different for boys and girls, in both positive and negative ways. If you are interested in fraternity recruitment, we recommend picking up a copy of Alexandra Robbins’ new book, Fraternity: An Inside Look at a Year of College Boys Becoming Men. She wrote a similar book on sororities over fifteen years ago that is now outdated and an inaccurate representation of sorority life today.

All in all, this should be a fun and exciting time. If you have specific questions, please reach out to us!