Wow Them with “KILLER” College Application Essays

Whether you, or someone you know, already have/has written your (his/her) personal statement, THE MOST IMPORTANT part of your college application package, or still are/is struggling to identify that “perfect” topic,  it is time to consider taking advantage of an opportunity to meet for a private session.

JUST in case you’ve been wondering……

Where has Joyce been, particularly on Thursdays when she promised to write? The truth?  She, as she  is known in this expert, professional persona, succumbed, which much too embarrassingly translates to, “life” got in the way.  (It does have a habit of doing so at times, n’est pas?) The details do not matter, but suffice it to say, preoccupation with love (spectacularly wonderful), duty (the “must do’s”), and a complete reversal of a three-decade perception (marked by shock; disappointment; concern for the effects of a process and its aftermath upon loved ones) can, most decidedly, shake up anyone’s reality.

I agree, it takes a while for that wise unknown author’s words to sink in, “Everything will be all right in the end, and if it’s not all right, it’s not the end.”  And, I know we all will emerge stronger, wiser, and less likely to fall victim to perceptual bias, but that (as they say) is another story.  And so, we take baby steps…putting one foot in front of another…living platitudes we once believed applied to  “others” and never to us.

So, if you, too, got knocked “off track” and your compass also clouded, what matters is the ability to sing Jerome Kern’s lyrics as loudly as possible.  “Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.”  So, now what?

If you think of yourself as college or graduate school-bound, you no doubt have work to do. Do you need to take, or retake, those standardized tests?  How will you prepare for them?  Do those oh-so-necessary campus visits loom as your “must do’s?”  Do you have applications to complete? Essays to write? When, oh when, do you plan to get started?  Now is the right time, and do you know what? It’s always now!

If I can prod or help you or someone you know get started, you know how to find me.  I am only one telephone call, e-mail, text or IM (203) 858-1687 away.  How good are you at tracking???

Ciao for now–

Joyce

November Special!

Are you, or is anyone you know (including parents) still obsessing over your college application essays or about your SAT or ACT preparation?  From now through the end of November, I am offering a $100 discount to new clients (prepaid retainer required).

Relax and enjoy the process!  

I am available for in-person, Skype, and FaceTime conversations and look forward to seeing you soon!

See my website for successes and testimonials. http://www.joycesinger.com

February ACT Score Release PLUS Some Advice

To all juniors (and parents) waiting anxiously for the results of the February 11 exam:

Multiple-choice test scores will be available online Monday, Feb. 27.  If your return to school that day marks the end of Winter Recess, you have two reasons to get into gear!

ONE – Second semester has started, and you’ve already met new teachers for some courses and received new syllabi. Even if you have year-long courses, you have a new opportunity to increase your GPA.

ADVICE – If you have not yet done so, take out your planner, and fill in important due dates and test schedules.  If you participate in a team sport, you also should have received the practice schedule and game dates. Add those to your planner as well.  Now, add YOUR schedule. Yes, I mean the dates on your social calendar.  Notice how much time you do have to study!

TWO – You now have your scores from both the January SAT and the February ACT.  Now what? 

ADVICE – It is time to ask yourself some questions and to make some decisions. 

• Where did you earn the highest scores?
•  Which exam do you prefer? 
• Which one will you target?
• Are you going to take one, or both, again in the spring? 
• Which exam dates best fit into your schedule?  [SAT – March 10, May 5, June 2; ACT – April 14, June 9 ]
• Do you have enough time to prepare for these tests? 
• Do you prefer to study during the summer months and take the test(s) again in the fall?

Decisions, decisions, decisions!  Revisit my blog post of January 30 to help you make them.

JS 🙂

www.joycesinger.com

When Less is More

As you know, my daily experiences prompt the majority of my posts.  Tonight, I attended a tw0-hour informative event at my local library.  I attended because I wanted to know more about the subject and had looked forward to learning valuable strategies I could apply to my practice.

The speaker came prepared with a PowerPoint presentation. Both professional and knowledgeable, he held my attention–that is–for the first forty-five minutes.  Then he became repetitive, redundant, and went off on tangents.  I began to get bored.

Just before a brief break, he proceeded to define terminology he assured the audience we needed to know.  As the PowerPoint pages grew longer and more complicated, he lost me.  Had I enrolled in a college course, no doubt I would have needed to know and understand the field-specific vocabulary.  However, as a lay person hoping to gather practical advice, as he went on, and on, and on, all I wanted was out!  Less information would have been much more effective. 

So, when you speak or write, remember to assess your audience.  Determine how much detail they need to know.  Decide which facts stand out as most important; then highlight them. Stick to your topic. Strive for clarity, and re-emphasize only the most salient facts. As you conclude, perhaps your audience will think of new questions they want answered; perhaps they will leave your presentation or writing with a sense of closure and appreciation of a job well done.  But for heaven’s sake, whatever you do, do not let them leave glad their experience has finally ended.

I hope you all had a Happy Valentine’s Day!

JS 🙂

www.joycesinger.com

Be Smarter!

The smartest people are not the ones who know all the answers;

THEY ARE THE ONES WHO KNOW WHAT QUESTIONS TO ASK!

Never leave class with your questions unanswered!    

“WHY?” is a good way to start!

JS 🙂                                                                  

The BEST Way to Learn!

Talk! 

Talk in class. 

Talk to your classmates. 

Form a study group with others to whom you connect.  When it comes time to write a paper or study for an exam, talk it through.  We learn best when we engage in dialogue with other people.

Become a “Semi-Expert”!

A good way to impress your professors and teachers is to be  up-to-date about a current topic of interest. Whether it’s . . .

• Hurricane Irene and its Aftermath;
• The “Arab Spring”‘;
• President Obama’s Decision to Postpone his Televised Speech to Congress;
• FEMA’s Response to Natural Disasters;
• The Controversy Surrounding Mayor Bloomberg’s Decision to Ban the Clergy from 9/11 Commemorations at Ground Zero; 
• The Four-day School-week Initiative in Oregon;
• The Economy,
• or whatever else interests you . . . 

no doubt, you will win the respect of others!   Don’t be too pedantic though, or you won’t have any friends!   Just a friendly tip from . . .

JS 🙂

A Thought For Today

Like it or not, people judge you by how well you write.

Soooo, whether you’re writing your personal statement, writing a report, making a business proposal, or sending e-mail, someone is paying more attention than you think!

JS 🙂