Last month, I attended an industry conference where Henry Winkler (aka “The Fonz”) was one of the keynote speakers. Before becoming an Emmy award-winning actor, director, and author, he struggled terribly in school. He felt he was constantly disappointing his parents (it wasn’t until after high school that he found out he had dyslexia). Thankfully, he had one teacher who told him, “Henry, if you can just get out of high school, you will be fine.” He used this one positive message to motivate him to pass his classes, finally graduate, and pursue the path that made him happy. To this day, when he meets young students, he asks them, “What are you really good at doing?”
While listening, I thought about students who have been struggling with school, stress, or lack of motivation during the pandemic. This past year is not necessarily indicative of who you are and your best work. If that is the case, ask yourself, “Where do I show my best self/effort/work?” Find more of those opportunities this summer, and make sure your colleges see in your applications evidence of where you are “really good” at doing something.
Over the last several weeks, I have been guiding my rising seniors through the college essay brainstorming and drafting processes. As we brainstorm, I explain how the essay is all about self-reflection and being able to show vulnerability and self-awareness, among other key characteristics. I remind students that colleges don’t want students who are perfect but rather those who have a growth mindset and who view stumbles and criticism as opportunities for improvement.
I encourage all high school students to take time to reflect on how the pandemic has affected their learning and use that self-assessment to create an academic success plan going forward. In fact, colleges ask students if they would like to share how COVID-19 negatively impacted them in the Common Application (this question was added last year and will remain for at least one more year).
After this challenging year and the expected learning gaps it will bring, it is imperative that students prepare to start the academic year strong. Summer is a great time to get back on track by getting extra support on subjects where students struggle. Prepping for the SAT or ACT is an excellent way to brush up on math and English skills, and reading for pleasure is one of the best ways to improve your writing skills. If you consistently struggled with motivation and organization during remote learning, you might benefit from developing study and executive function skills.
With the current test optional and holistic admissions trend, colleges are looking for evidence in a student’s application of their character. This can come across in their activities (Do you spend time helping others?), in their essays (What are your values, what matters to you and what do you do about it?), and in letters of recommendation (What do you contribute to your school community?). So in addition to showing colleges that you are really good at doing something, show colleges that you really care about something.
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