Application Tip 12: Go beyond your best.
I know students who say they want to attend top universities, and who say all they must do is, “Do my best.” Using that phrase can reduce personal effort the way a slow car in the fast lane blocks highway traffic. Both move you along, but both can also make you miss your scheduled appointment.
I attended excellent public schools. Each teacher encouraged each of us to do our best every day.
I remember hearing too frequently phrases such as these: “You can do better than that,” “Shame on you. Do it over, so you can be proud of your work,” and such admonitions as “You said you only read 4,700 plus pages this semester, not the required 5,000 page threshold for an A, so you earned a low B+.” These teachers were unimpressed with, “But I did my best.”
They reminded us routinely that we could each attend the University of California or Stanford University. Then, they insisted we meet those standards for our “best.” They accepted nothing less.
They stressed, “Now, do what you have to do for acceptance in the university. Do it one step at a time. No excuses. Just do it.”
Over time, my expectations for my best seemed closer to theirs than to my original standard. Here’s what they expected.
Have excellent grades, long term hobbies, leadership positions, musical performance participation, high standardized test scores, athletic competition, etc.
These were threshold performances in order for top university application reviewers even to consider me a competitor for admission. Without these accomplishments, I would have been out of the competition, even if I’d done my best.
That was yesterday. You live in school today and a top university tomorrow. Now the tips.
Do your homework about universities of your choice. This is like applying for a professional job. Actually, your application to a top university is a step toward a different set of information and a possible different lifestyle.
Find out who interviews applicants locally and what criteria they use to recommend an applicant for admission to your preferred universities.
Find out things like, What faculty members will likely offer courses you can take? What’s their current research? What would you like to learn from them? How do alumni live? What do alumni do with their lives? Use your Tablet PC to search out answers as you watch TV, wait for a ride home, etc.
Next, figure out how much you want to be around and work with these people. Do you think you can fit in? You can email them, ask an informed question about their specialty that you could not answer with disciplined research.
Figure out how you can use your homework information to your advantage.Remember, you are in a competition for admission. Don’t only do what they say. Figure out how to use that information as part of your life to advance your life.
It is your life. Make the most of it. Reach beyond your best. That’s how you grow. It’s a way of demonstrating that you can handle top learning venues. And, above all, have fun reaching. It’s a great way to live.