adl
August 19th, 2008, 07:57 PM
How to Get Into the Ivies
Aiming for the Ivy League? Admissions consultant Derek Meeker can give you advice on how to get in.
"There are a lot of myths out there about what school officials are looking for in an application," said Meeker, who specializes in law school admissions. Part of his job is to steer clients in the right direction and, hopefully, increase their chances of getting into a school that's right for them. He helps with everything from selecting an appropriate school to writing personal statements.
An admissions consultant's work often begins with assessing clients' strengths and weaknesses and discussing possible schools to consider. During this initial consultation, Meeker covers a few basics. "It's sort of a counseling process," he said. "I ask them about their personal background, academic interests, jobs that they've held. And I help people to identify what's unique about themselves."
One challenge in this work arises when clients' aspirations outshine their qualifications. "While I get clients from all over the spectrum, the majority want to go to the top schools -- those that have a 6- to 15-percent acceptance rate," said Meeker. "I am very realistic with people. Sometimes, that's not an easy conversation to have."
But, other times, admissions consultants are challenged with convincing their clients that they actually have more potential then they think. For example, one of Meeker's clients originally hadn't planned to apply to the most competitive schools. After hearing her story and her background, though, Meeker encouraged her to apply to top-tier schools; he knew that she had an excellent chance of getting accepted anywhere she applied. And he was right: Ultimately, the woman was accepted to one of the highest-ranked law schools in the country.
How much help an admissions consultant provides, and the amount of time spent with a client, vary based on each client's needs or desires. In addition to helping clients choose schools, consultants frequently offer advice on letters of recommendation, résumés and essays or personal statements. They might, for example, suggest that a client write about a specific topic, such as overcoming a challenge, to provide the admissions committee with a more complete picture of who he or she really is.
Being able to identify good writing -- and suggest improvements -- is critical for admissions consultants, as is attention to detail. "I love helping people with their writing and with becoming better writers," said Meeker, whose undergraduate degree is in journalism. "It's not just about helping them get into the best school. I try to give detailed and specific advice that can help my clients even after they get into school."
Admissions consultants work with prospective undergraduates and with law, medical, business and other graduate students. Meeker said there is ample work for admissions consultants because there is strong competition to get into good schools -- particularly graduate or professional schools.
Formerly the dean of admissions at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Meeker and others on the admissions committee reviewed as many as 6,500 applications for 250 openings. And that was several years ago. "All of the top schools have more than enough applicants who are qualified," said Meeker. So, he says, prospective students have become increasingly willing to seek help in applying. "Admissions consulting has definitely become more common in the last decade."
Many of Meeker's clients are older, working adults who are interested in returning to school. "I've had some really great success stories," he said, "and those clients are really happy."
People seek consultation for a range of reasons. Some applicants struggled academically in high school or as undergraduate students. Others have personal issues that affected their grades or admissions test scores. Still others might have a criminal record and want to know how to handle it on an application. "It's really rewarding to help someone through the process who comes to you and is lost," he said.
A common problem, said Meeker, is that applicants often are so focused on trying to impress the admissions committee that they say only what they think the committee wants to hear. This can hurt applicants if they don't understand what admissions officers are really looking for.
For example, he says, working the night shift at a fast-food restaurant is just as important to note on your application as a prestigious internship or part-time job at a law firm. And if a teaching assistant is the best judge of your academic work, then that's the person who should write your letter of recommendation -- not necessarily a department chair or a high-profile faculty member.
Derek's advice highlights the importance of being genuine. Applicants' credentials are important, but it's their character that counts. "At the end of the day," he said, "you just have to be who you are."
Aiming for the Ivy League? Admissions consultant Derek Meeker can give you advice on how to get in.
"There are a lot of myths out there about what school officials are looking for in an application," said Meeker, who specializes in law school admissions. Part of his job is to steer clients in the right direction and, hopefully, increase their chances of getting into a school that's right for them. He helps with everything from selecting an appropriate school to writing personal statements.
An admissions consultant's work often begins with assessing clients' strengths and weaknesses and discussing possible schools to consider. During this initial consultation, Meeker covers a few basics. "It's sort of a counseling process," he said. "I ask them about their personal background, academic interests, jobs that they've held. And I help people to identify what's unique about themselves."
One challenge in this work arises when clients' aspirations outshine their qualifications. "While I get clients from all over the spectrum, the majority want to go to the top schools -- those that have a 6- to 15-percent acceptance rate," said Meeker. "I am very realistic with people. Sometimes, that's not an easy conversation to have."
But, other times, admissions consultants are challenged with convincing their clients that they actually have more potential then they think. For example, one of Meeker's clients originally hadn't planned to apply to the most competitive schools. After hearing her story and her background, though, Meeker encouraged her to apply to top-tier schools; he knew that she had an excellent chance of getting accepted anywhere she applied. And he was right: Ultimately, the woman was accepted to one of the highest-ranked law schools in the country.
How much help an admissions consultant provides, and the amount of time spent with a client, vary based on each client's needs or desires. In addition to helping clients choose schools, consultants frequently offer advice on letters of recommendation, résumés and essays or personal statements. They might, for example, suggest that a client write about a specific topic, such as overcoming a challenge, to provide the admissions committee with a more complete picture of who he or she really is.
Being able to identify good writing -- and suggest improvements -- is critical for admissions consultants, as is attention to detail. "I love helping people with their writing and with becoming better writers," said Meeker, whose undergraduate degree is in journalism. "It's not just about helping them get into the best school. I try to give detailed and specific advice that can help my clients even after they get into school."
Admissions consultants work with prospective undergraduates and with law, medical, business and other graduate students. Meeker said there is ample work for admissions consultants because there is strong competition to get into good schools -- particularly graduate or professional schools.
Formerly the dean of admissions at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Meeker and others on the admissions committee reviewed as many as 6,500 applications for 250 openings. And that was several years ago. "All of the top schools have more than enough applicants who are qualified," said Meeker. So, he says, prospective students have become increasingly willing to seek help in applying. "Admissions consulting has definitely become more common in the last decade."
Many of Meeker's clients are older, working adults who are interested in returning to school. "I've had some really great success stories," he said, "and those clients are really happy."
People seek consultation for a range of reasons. Some applicants struggled academically in high school or as undergraduate students. Others have personal issues that affected their grades or admissions test scores. Still others might have a criminal record and want to know how to handle it on an application. "It's really rewarding to help someone through the process who comes to you and is lost," he said.
A common problem, said Meeker, is that applicants often are so focused on trying to impress the admissions committee that they say only what they think the committee wants to hear. This can hurt applicants if they don't understand what admissions officers are really looking for.
For example, he says, working the night shift at a fast-food restaurant is just as important to note on your application as a prestigious internship or part-time job at a law firm. And if a teaching assistant is the best judge of your academic work, then that's the person who should write your letter of recommendation -- not necessarily a department chair or a high-profile faculty member.
Derek's advice highlights the importance of being genuine. Applicants' credentials are important, but it's their character that counts. "At the end of the day," he said, "you just have to be who you are."