When I give presentations on the process of applying to college and specifically on the process of writing a personal statement, I encourage students to write with emotion. It's my personal belief that writing with emotion means the author of the college essay is writing on a topic that has significance for him/her. And a topic with[…]
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Prior to entering Bronx Science for my annual presentation to the senior class on PSAT day, I have this routine. And the routine begins as soon as I walk out the same venue the year prior. I ask myself, "What can I do differently? How can I continue to keep their attention for an hour[…]
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This summer, I taught fourteen high school students. My course lasted two weeks, and we spent 8:30-11:30 a.m. together in the classroom. I had a variety of students. One young woman from Seattle, WA, was a rising high school freshman. I also had older students who were from New York City, Chicago, the suburbs of[…]
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This July will be my third year teaching "Imagining and Managing Your Future." I am very excited to be once again in the classroom for two weeks with high school students from across the country. I am fortunate to have had a very enthusiastic and diverse group of students who are excited to be on our beautiful college[…]
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Dear Joe, I am a parent of a 16 year old daughter who is a Sophomore at small parochial High…
Eminem's lyrics to "Lose Yourself," particularly the beginning, are on my mind a great deal. "Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity, to seize everything you ever wanted, in one moment, would you capture it or just let it slip? Yo. His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy . . . "[…]
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My name is Joe Latimer, and I am the Assistant Dean of Diversity and Outreach here at the University. I currently have twenty-two years of college admissions experience, spanning a midsized public university in southeastern Massachusetts, a private university with a cooperative education program in Boston, a small liberal arts college in central New York, and now[…]
Read MoreIf obstacles are presented to you in high school, you need to overcome them. Admissions officers are human. We are empathetic and compassionate. And more importantly, we were once teenagers ourselves. Between the ages of 14 and 17, life is going to present you with challenges, challenges that are beyond your control at times—your parents[…]
Read MoreThis is what I have shared with my daughter. I changed my major a couple of times. It…
It’s okay to enter college undecided. Some of you know what you’re going to be when you grow up, and some of you have no idea. Some of you who think you know will change your mind. Most of my friends in college changed their minds, as have many current college students I know. College[…]
Read MoreLeadership is more important than membership. This is related to the previous topic. When students apply to colleges and universities, we see their activities sheet—their résumé. There is also a section on the Common Application where students list their extracurricular involvement. Students attempt to demonstrate their engagement in their school and home community, as well[…]
Read MoreFind your cocurricular passions. Do the things that are important to you, not the things you think are important to an admissions office. At times I am asked, “Do you think this particular experience will be helpful for me to get into your university?” This question points to a student who is thinking through an[…]
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This if full of wisdom and great advice.Thank You.I also think that it is the personal statement that makes us…