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Do a Project!Beat the College Admissions Game:

A Merit College Advisory Guide

by Susan Tatsui-DArcy

Director and College Advisor

at Merit Educational Consultants, LLC


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Need Help? Visit www.meritworld.com


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Beat theBeat theBeat theBeat theBeat theCollegeCollegeCollegeCollegeCollege

Admissions Game:Admissions Game:Admissions Game:Admissions Game:Admissions Game:

Do a PrDo a PrDo a PrDo a PrDo a Project!oject!oject!oject!oject!

bybybybyby

SusanSusanSusanSusanSusan TTTTTaaaaatsui-DArtsui-DArtsui-DArtsui-DArtsui-DArcccccyyyyy

A MERIT

COLLEGE ADVISORY

GUIDE

Director and College AdvisorMerit Educational Consultants, LLC


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Published by Merit Educational Consultants, LLCP.O. Box 2988, Santa Cruz, California 95063

First published in the United States of America by Merit Edu-cational Consultants LLC and Lulu.

Copyright ** Merit Educational Consultants, LLC, 2006All rights reserved

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Tatsui-DArcy, Susan, 20061. College advisory. 2. Tatsui-DArcy, Susan.

ISBN: 978-0-6151-3766-7

Printed in the United States of America

Except in the United States of America, this book is soldsubject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade orotherwise, be lent, copied, re-sold, hired out, or otherwisecirculated without the publishers prior consent in any form of

binding or cover other than that in which it is published andwithout a similar condition including this condition being im-

posed on the subsequent purchaser.


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Table of ContentsTable of ContentsTable of ContentsTable of ContentsTable of ContentsIntroduction................................................................ 5What is a Project? ...................................................... 11Why do a Project? ...................................................... 15How to Get Started? ................................................... 17Research: Is Your Idea Viable?...................................... 21Select a Name for Your Project ..................................... 25The Plan: Fine-Tune the Scope of the Project ................. 27Consider the Following:................................................ 29Set up a Timeline and Lay Out Milestones....................... 31Plan Tasks ................................................................. 35Sample Merit Planner ................................................... 40Find a Mentor............................................................. 43Set up a Budget ......................................................... 47Schedule Weekly Meetings ........................................... 49Make a Sponsor Kit ..................................................... 51Make a Press Kit ......................................................... 55Apply for Non-Profit Status .......................................... 59Apply for Grants ......................................................... 61Create Informational Literature ..................................... 65Set up Website to Promote Your Project on the Internet ... 73Organize Your Event .................................................... 77Invite Press to See Completion of Your Project ................ 83Update Website with Completion of Your Project .............. 85Set up Project to Continue Without You When You Go to

College................................................................. 87The College Application Essay ....................................... 89Beyond College Admissions ........................................... 93Final Words of Advice: Do This Project Yourself ............... 97Conclusion ............................................................... 101Support................................................................... 103Index ...................................................................... 104


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This book is dedicated to the threemost important people in my life:Rob, Nicole, and Jaclyn.

Special thanks to Sumi Tatsui and

Marianne Mitchell.


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IntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroduction

If youre like most students, youve heardnightmare stories about friends or acquaintances with4.0 GPAs or higher and perfect SAT scores being rejectedfrom Harvard or Stanford. While that may be true inisolated circumstances, that is not the norm. You justhear the horror stories about the handful of veryselective schools that reject top applicants because ofthe medias focus on them. Selective universities, those

colleges that accept less than 30% of their applicants,are a small percentage of all colleges in the United Statesand the world. Eighty percent of high school graduatesenroll in public colleges. There are many ways to getthe education you want, so keep reading to learn moreabout how to improve your chances of getting into thecollege of your dreams.

Before you choose a college, you need to consider

what careers interest you. You dont have to have madea firm decision, but you should have an idea of whatyou would like to do and what you have an aptitude for.Schools vary widely in the types of degrees they offer,


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so you dont want to end up at a college that doesntoffer degrees in your major. If you wanted to be anurse, it wouldnt make sense to apply to Harvard, whichhas no nursing program. Explore your career options

by talking to your academic counselor and participatingin several internships during your high school years. Evenif youre set on going to law school, try an internshipwith a doctor, business executive, computerprogrammer, journalist, environmental non-profit,orthodontist, and medical researcher. Once you narrowdown your real interest in your future career, you canmake smart choices about which colleges to apply to.

After narrowing down career possibilities, you stillshouldnt choose your college based primarily on theirselectivity and prestige. Whats more important is tofind a school that youll be comfortable at, one that willoffer the programs that interest you and that will bestprepare you for your future career. Although prestigious,big-name colleges are the craze, but going there doesnt

necessarily mean that theyll provide the best educationor prepare you for your future. Thats why its importantto do careful research and to seek the guidance ofsomeone who can help, such as a parent or academiccounselor. You may be surprised to find that the selectivecollege you had your heart set on since you were 10years old doesnt turn out to be the best choice foryou.

This book is not designed as a guide to pick acareer or to pick a college. While these decisions shouldnot be taken lightly, there are dozens of other booksthat cover these topics and there is a wealth ofinformation available on the internet. This book isdesigned for students who have already thought carefullyabout those decisions and have decided that they willbe best served at a highly selective college. If thats

you, then youre going to need all the help you can getplaying the college admissions game. This book will giveyou that help by showing you how to do your own

Introduction


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independent project that will separate you from the otherapplicants.

Youre going to need a high GPA and strong SAT

scores. Each year as the admissions game becomesmore competitive, the admissions officers look for morequalified students. It used to be that a 4.0 and perfectSATs would mean an automatic admission into anycollege. As the admissions process has become moreselective over the years, the colleges started lookingfor more well-rounded students. They wanted studentswho belonged to clubs and participated in team sports.

They wanted students who were involved in communityservice. They wanted students who held part-time jobs.As a result, high schools offered more clubs and studentsbegan signing up for two, three, or more clubs. Highschools also began to require a certain number of hoursof community service as part of their graduationrequirements. And then the colleges started to receiveapplication forms that were bursting with unbelievable

numbers of hours of sports, community service andjob experience and then this soon became the norm.

Because most students participate in school clubs,sports, and community service, selective colleges arenow looking for students who do more than theminimum high school requirements. Anybody can attendclub meetings or show up for sports practice. Collegesand employers alike seek students who have theinitiative and tenacity to start and complete a projecton their own. Students who follow their passion anddevelop it over their high school careers show morepromise than those who simply do what is required ofthem. Rachel Toor, a former Duke University admissionscounselor, says that admissions officers are drawn toangular kids, those with a much more focused interestor talent.

Many colleges post their selection criteria on theirwebsites so you can informally calculate how yourapplication may rank. The University of California, for

Introduction


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example, considers 14 selection criteria in addition tominimum requirements in their admissions decisions.With each criteria weighted with a different number ofpoints, they consider factors such as student projects

in academic areas, special talents, leadership in cross-cultural activities, proficiency in other languages, rigorof the senior year, and overcoming adversity. Theminimum high school requirements include 4 years ofEnglish, 3 years of Mathematics, 3 years of laboratorysciences, 2 years of History and 1 year of Civics/Economics, 2 to 3 years of Foreign Language, 1 year ofVisual and Performing Arts, and 1 year of electives.

Naturally, youll want to take the most challengingcourses offered at your high school or a few courses atyour local college. Some colleges use a formulaicprocess to select their incoming students, while othersbuild a class by selecting students to create a well-balanced class (not to be confused with a well-balancedstudent). In the well-balanced class, a student whoplays the clarinet may not be admitted simply because

theyre looking for an oboe. Some colleges give specialconsideration to legacies (students whose parents orgrandparents attended the same college) or underrepresented groups in particular fields like women inengineering. Check admissions criteria for each of thecolleges you plan to apply to so you understand theprocess and know what each college considersimportant in the admissions game.

Remember, college admissions officers are reallylike corporate employee recruiters. What theseadmissions committees want are students who alsoexcel outside of the high school setting, students whodemonstrate true creativity, initiative, and leadership,students who show the potential to become the nextBill Gates or Hilary Clinton.

They need to determine which students will besuccessful in college and even more successful oncethey graduate four years later. College admissions

Introduction


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officers build a class of incoming freshman who areindependent leaders, team players, and talented artists.

How can you convince colleges that you have

this level of talent and potential? The best way to do itis with an independent projectnot just a class projectthat consists simply of posters and presentationsanoriginal undertaking outside the classroom that reflectsthe students vision, initiative, tenacity, and leadership.

What could this project be? Ideally the projectshould reflect a students current passions and future

aspirations. Students have started businesses, startednon-profits, written publications, produced films,conducted experiments, advocated for change,published their own books, and built hydrogen fuel cells.Dont feel overwhelmed, using this book you will beable to conduct your own project. It is designed tohelp you identify, organize, and complete your project.If you need support, Merit Educational Consultants offers

in-person phone and online guidance to college-boundstudents.

Introduction


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Chapter IChapter IChapter IChapter IChapter I

What is a Project?What is a Project?What is a Project?What is a Project?What is a Project?

A high school project for a college-boundstudent is a unique undertaking. It can be anoriginal event, organization, business, publication,production/film, or experiment. Not to be confusedwith class projects that consist simply of posters, videos,or presentations, a project is the culmination of an idea,planning, producing, and presenting an original idea.Students are encouraged to do one long-term project

by themselves. Starting as early as 8th grade, studentsbegin to brainstorm about doing something they arepassionate about. This project doesnt have to be inthe students future declared major, but it should besomething the student is curious about or engaged in.Selecting the project can be as easy as choosing yourfavorite hobby or as difficult as researching ideas formonths or even years. Its essential to select a project

that you are very interested in because you will beintimately involved with the project for years at leastuntil high school graduation.


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Sumi wrote a historical fiction novel about howher family was separated and their experiences duringWWII. By researching historical archives and historyreference materials and interviewing family members,

she collected the information needed to write her novel.She worked with a university professor to learn whatsocial attitudes were like and how people interacted inJapan during WWII. Family members who were aliveduring WWII contributed stories, events, and personaldetails. After completing her novel, Sumi submitted itto publishers and to historical societies and museumsfor publication and endorsement.

Nicole was one of the first students in the worldto assemble a hydrogen fuel cell. Interested inalternative energy, she attended local meetings to learnabout clean, sustainable energy. Then, after a middleschool debate about the 1991 Gulf War, she questionedthe need for using petroleum oil for energy. She workedwith research scientists at a California State University

campus and received financing from the Department ofEnergy. She provided demonstrations of her hydrogenfuel cell at universities and conventions across the nationfor 4 years and then gave speeches and told her storyto over 20 publications. Nicole published several articlesfor industry magazines, organizations, and newspapers.

Trevor started a baseball clinic for low-incomestudents. Having enjoyed the luxury of having his ownpitching machine in his backyard, he organized Saturdayclinics for a group of 25 seven to twelve-year-oldchildren. First, Trevor asked his parents if he could usethe familys pitching machine for his project. Next, headvertised his program by distributing brochures andposters to schools, Girls and Boys Club, YMCA, andlibraries. He sought out and received sponsorships fromthe local Kiwanis to finance equipment and uniform

purchases. Trevors story was told on the front page ofhis local newspaper.

What is a Project?


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Amidst the terrorism scare of 9/11 and the IraqiWar, Jaclyn vowed to change Americas dependence onforeign energy. She researched viable alternatives anddecided that she wanted to convert an internal

combustion engine (ICE) to use gaseous hydrogen.Jaclyn contacted the leading researchers in the industryand went to hydrogen conventions. She started a non-profit organization, Kids 4 Hydrogen, built her websiteto educate and track members, and wrote grants tofinance her educational outreach. Jaclyn gave an eight-minute speech at Governor Arnold SchwartzeneggersAwards Ceremony and at the National Hydrogen

Associations Conference. She also met with SenatorDiane Feinstein and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo inWashington DC to promote Kids 4 Hydrogen. Jaclynselected a mentor who introduced her to the mostrespected ICE Conversion engineers in the world. Sheplans to convert an ICE vehicle, take a nationwide tourdemonstrating how she redesigned the ICE vehicle totake gaseous hydrogen, and write guidelines for ICE

hydrogen conversion certification.

In response to Americas resistance to teachingworld religions in public schools, Curtis wrote, directedand produced a satire on world religions. A self-proclaimed movie critic, he thought that the Americanaudience was ready for a humorous overview of theworlds five major religions. Curtis did his religiousresearch to learn about the doctrines and histories ofChristianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism.Then he wrote his screenplay and had it reviewed andcritiqued for revision. Curtis ran auditions, set his cast,designed the sets, organized volunteers to build the setsand sew the costumes, and selected the music for hisscreenplay. After taking courses at the local communityTV station, Curtis filmed the short at the TV station.Using their digital editing software, he edited the movie

and copied it to DVDs. Curtis plans to shop his movieto major motion picture studios.

What is a Project?


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Chapter IIChapter IIChapter IIChapter IIChapter II

Why do a Project?Why do a Project?Why do a Project?Why do a Project?Why do a Project?

The obvious answer to this question isthat the college admissions officers will be impressedwith your application package if you have completed acomprehensive project on your own. Youll have theopportunity to tell them what youve done todemonstrate your passion, drive, leadership, tenacity,and follow through. This is quite a feat in comparisonto most other college applicants. While most students

will write about their dreams to do a project somedayin their personal statements, you will be able to writeabout how youve already successfully completed yours.Admissions officers will quickly see that you are anexceptional student because you have alreadydemonstrated thatnot only can youbut you alreadyhave accomplished one of your dreams.

Theres another reason to do a projectnow isthe best time to start pursuing your dreams. Althoughyou might not fully appreciate it now, teenagers have aluxury that disappears as they enter the adult world. Asa teenager, you might have to pay for your gas, but


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you probably dont have to worry about working topay the rent or to buy your groceries, and you probablydont have a spouse to support or children to take careof. While becoming an adult certainly doesnt end your

freedoms, it might reduce the amount of time you candevote to your own personal pursuits. You might neverhave the chance to do a project like this again, so takeadvantage of this opportunity!

Projects also make the world a better place forall of us. While other teenagers worry about what clothesto wear, who to hang out with, or who to talk to on

instant messenger, you can do something that makesa difference. If every student completed a project inhigh school, imagine how many social, political, andenvironmental problems would be solved. Imagine howmuch compassion wed have for one another. Imaginethe injustice that would end and the barriers that wouldfall.

Why Do a Project?

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