FIFTH ANNUAL OPT-ED FIFTH ANNUAL OPT-ED ALLIANCE DAYALLIANCE DAY

Sheraton Greensboro

at Four Seasons

Greensboro, North Carolina

September 22, 2006

““Making Yourself Competitive for Making Yourself Competitive for College”College”

Dr. Herbert L. Davis, Jr.,

Associate Director

Office of Undergraduate Admissions

University of North Carolina

at Chapel Hill

Competitive for College?Competitive for College?

Dictionary.com says: compete

• "to improve one's competitive position"

• The act of competing, as for profit or a prize; rivalry.

Six million students throughout America are currently at risk of dropping out of school. Students who fail to graduate from high school are more likely to participate in criminal activity than students who do graduate. Likewise, students with low levels of achievement in high school are more likely to engage in crime than students with high levels of achievement. Investing in education would save millions of dollars in crime related expenditures annually.

Approximately 75 percent of state prison inmates did not complete high school. (Harlow, 2003)

High school dropouts are 3.5 times more likely than high school graduates to be arrested in their lifetimes. (Catterall, 2001)

A one percent increase in high school graduation rates would save approximately $1.4 billion in costs associated with incarceration costs, or about $2,100 for each male high school

graduate. (Lochner and Moretti, 2001)A one-year increase in average education levels would reduce arrest rates by 11 percent.

(Lochner and Moretti, 2001)About 47 percent of drug offenders do not have a high school diploma or a GED. (Harlow,

2003)About 23 percent of the difference in incarceration rates between blacks and whites would be

eliminated by raising the average education levels of blacks to the same level as that of whites. (Lochner and Moretti, 2001)

A male high school graduate with a D average is fourteen times more likely to become incarcerated than a graduate with an A average. (Arum and Beattie, 1999)

For juveniles involved in quality reading instruction programs while in prison, recidivism was reduced by 20 percent or more. (Open Society Institute, 1997)

The Effects of EducationThe Effects of Education

Myths about CompetitivenessMyths about Competitiveness

• DOUBT: “I’m from a high school with few advanced courses. There is no way that I can compete with students in a big high school .”

• STEREOTYPES: “Some colleges are large predominately, white school. There’s no way that I can compete with prep school students.”

• FEAR: “I didn’t do well in 9th grade or in my advanced coursework. I’m not going to make it.”

• MISINFORMATION: “I’m totally involved in many extra-curricular activities. That should be enough to get me in.”

Myths about Colleges Myths about Colleges CompetitivenessCompetitiveness

North Carolina CollegesNorth Carolina Colleges

Appalachian State Appalachian State UniversityUniversityBartonBarton College College Beaufort County Community CollegeBeaufort County Community College Belmont Abbey Belmont Abbey College College Bennett CollegeBennett College Bladen Community CollegeBladen Community College

Blue Ridge Community CollegeBlue Ridge Community College Brevard CollegeBrevard College Brunswick Community CollegeBrunswick Community College

Cabarrus College of Health SciencesCabarrus College of Health Sciences Caldwell Community College and Technical InstituteCaldwell Community College and Technical Institute Campbell UniversityCampbell University Cape Fear Community CollegeCape Fear Community College

Carolinas College of Health Carolinas College of Health SciencesSciencesCarteretCarteret Community College Community College Catawba CollegeCatawba College Catawba Valley Community CollegeCatawba Valley Community College

Central Carolina Community CollegeCentral Carolina Community College Central Piedmont Community CollegeCentral Piedmont Community College

Chowan CollegeChowan College

North Carolina CollegesNorth Carolina Colleges

University of North Carolina at AshevilleUniversity of North Carolina at Asheville University of North Carolina at Chapel HillUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of North Carolina at CharlotteUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte

University of North Carolina at GreensboroUniversity of North Carolina at Greensboro University of North Carolina at PembrokeUniversity of North Carolina at Pembroke

University of North Carolina at WilmingtonUniversity of North Carolina at Wilmington Vance-Granville Community CollegeVance-Granville Community College

Wake Forest UniversityWake Forest University Wake Technical Community CollegeWake Technical Community College Warren Wilson Warren Wilson College Watts School of Nursing Wayne Community College Watts School of Nursing Wayne Community

College Western Carolina University Western Piedmont College Western Carolina University Western Piedmont Community College Wilkes Community College Wilson Community College Wilkes Community College Wilson

Technical Community College Wingate University Technical Community College Wingate University Winston-Salem State UniversityWinston-Salem State University

AdmissionsAdmissionsCompetitiveness Terminology Competitiveness Terminology

• Early Decision: - For those who want an early response to have time to consider options if necessary.

Regular Decision:- For those who want more time to submit senior year grades or other supporting materials. Decision made usually by April 15.

AdmissionsAdmissionsCompetitiveness Terminology Competitiveness Terminology

• DENIED: Your goal may be delayed. Consider applying to the University as a sophomore or junior transfer.

• DEFERRED: Your intended goal continues. You have not been admitted or denied. The University needs to continue to review your qualifications. You will be notified of your admission status by the end of March.

• WAITLISTED: Your intended goal is delayed. You have not been admitted or denied. You will be notified by the middle of June.

• ADMITTED: Congratulations, you have been admitted.

So what characteristics are the So what characteristics are the admission committee looking for?admission committee looking for?

• ACADEMIC RECORD

- Course Selection- Grades- SAT / ACT

• PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

- Extracurriculars/- Leadership- Recommendations- Essays

Hints to a stronger Hints to a stronger admission applicationadmission application

• ASK EARLY.– Request recommendations from counselors or

teachers early.• BE THOROUGH.

- Complete every section of the application carefully.

- Put thought and energy into your essay.- Be Neat.

• DON’T BE MODEST.- Attach a sheet of activities, if necessary.- Include all achievements.- Include recommendations.- We accept SAT II’s, AP scores, IB scores.

• GET YOUR APPLICATION IN BEFORE THE DEADLINE.

Hints for Writing the Hints for Writing the College EssayCollege Essay

• Start early.• Be yourself.• Be honest.• Stay focused on your topic.• Write and re-write.• Get a second opinion.• Proofread.• Know which school you are applying to.• Don’t confuse applying on-line with

sending an e-mail.

Competitive ApplicantsCompetitive Applicants

The OPT-ED ALLIANCE DAY Admissions Office has randomly

selected 4 applications to review and discuss. Get ready to evaluate the

following applications!

Jason LocklearJason Locklear

• Attends a large, public high school– School offers several AP & Honors courses

• Active in 2 varsity sports, National Honor Society, works part-time, and earned several school academic awards

• Strong, thoughtful, and well-written essays• Challenging curriculum, including senior

schedule• A/B grades in academic courses and top 20% of

graduating class• SAT within the middle 50% range of 1130-1300• Strong school support in recommendations

Isabel HerreraIsabel Herrera

• Attends a small public high school– School has limited AP and Honors courses

available• Active in Key Club, Beta Club, and some

leadership with school clubs• Average essays, not well-developed• Mostly Bs in a weak program, did not take

advantage of curriculum available in high school• SAT slightly below middle 50%• Solid recommendations

Derek ReedDerek Reed

• Attends a large public high school– School offers many AP and Honors courses

• Not active in school, community, or church• Weak essays, not well-written or developed• Mostly Bs and Cs in a weak curriculum (no AP

and few Honors classes) and poor senior schedule, ranked top 55%

• SAT was slightly below middle 50%• Weak school support from counselor and

teachers

Jasmine JohnsonJasmine Johnson

• Attends a small private school – School has a limited number of AP or Honors

courses• Active in community and church organizations,

summer research program, and several school awards for leadership and academics

• Average essays, but still well-written• Straight As in the best curriculum offered at the

high school, ranked top 2% of class• SAT was slightly above middle 50% range• Strong school support from recommendations

So who do you think is So who do you think is competitive?competitive?

• Jason Locklear: Decision

• Isabel Herrera : Decision

• Derek Reed: Decision

• Jasmine Johnson : Decision

The The OPT-ED ALLIANCEOPT-ED ALLIANCE committee has decided…committee has decided…

• Jason Locklear….– Admit

• Isabel Herrera…– Waitlist

• Derek Reed…– Deny

• Jasmine Johnson…– Admit

OPT-ED ALLIANCE OPT-ED ALLIANCE

COMPETITIVENESS HINTSCOMPETITIVENESS HINTS

OPT-ED ALLIANCE HINTSOPT-ED ALLIANCE HINTS

Admissions CredentialsAdmissions Credentials

• High School Transcript

We surveyed 100 college-bound high school seniors. We asked them to name the top 5 items needed to compete their

admission application.

• SAT or ACT score

• Application Essay(s)

• Recommendations

• Extra-Curricular Activities

OPT-ED ALLIANCE HINTSOPT-ED ALLIANCE HINTSCOMPETITIVE MYTHSCOMPETITIVE MYTHS

We surveyed 100 college-bound high school seniors. We asked them to name

the top 4 myths associated with being competitive.

• Stereotypes

• Doubt

• Fear

• Misinformation

OPT-ED ALLIANCE HINTSOPT-ED ALLIANCE HINTSCOLLEGE APPLICATIONCOLLEGE APPLICATION

• Ask for recommendations early

We surveyed 100 admission counselors. We asked them to name the top 4 hints for

high school seniors to make their admission application more competitive.

• Thoroughly complete entire application

• Don’t be modest on activities

• Apply before the application deadline

OPT-ED ALLIANCE HINTSOPT-ED ALLIANCE HINTSCOLLEGE ESSAYSCOLLEGE ESSAYS

• Start early

We surveyed 100 admission counselors. We asked them to name the top 5 hints to a

successful application essay.

• Be yourself and be honest

• Write and re-write

• Proofread, proofread again

• Write to the topic

Competitive for Life?Competitive for Life?

Competitive for College?Competitive for College?

The Office of Undergraduate The Office of Undergraduate AdmissionsAdmissions

Dr. Herb Davis

919-966-3993

drherb@unc.edu