On Wednesday, Oct. 2, the KO College Counseling Office hosted College Application Day for seniors. This annual event offers an opportunity for students to break out of the classroom and spend time working on their college profile, whether that’s by meeting with college representatives, drafting supplemental essays, writing descriptions for an activities list, or revising a personal statement.
Not only were all three college advisors available to answer questions and help students throughout the day, but every single teacher in the English department also spent time offering advice to students seeking a second set of eyes on their writing.
Director of College Counseling Jami Silver ’96 mentioned that this opportunity is a time-saver for students and faculty alike. “A lot of our students have worked with their college counselor to talk about their essays, and we do a lot with content,” she said, “but our English teachers are the ones who teach writing. That is their wheelhouse.”
Seniors could also opt into a mock interview with one of KO’s own admissions officers. In these 30-minute sessions, students were posed questions often asked in college admissions interviews.
Another part of the day’s schedule were visits from admissions officers at the following universities: University of Connecticut, Wesleyan University, George Washington University, Franklin and Marshall College, Clemson University, University of California (Los Angeles), Fordham University, and Brown University. “We reached out specifically to colleges that had at least five to 15 students looking at them,” Ms. Silver said. Students were able to sign up for these visits on SCOIR, the college network KO uses to connect students, families, advisors, and applications digitally. While some admissions counselors visited KO in person, others hosted online information and Q&A sessions.
Ms. Silver discussed the variety of workshops available to students as well, including an activities list workshop with Trinity College Dean of Admissions Matthew Hyde, and guidance for completing the Self-Reported Academic Record from Associate Director of College Counseling Matt Waldman.
Senior Mohan Palanki said he enjoyed spending time checking major items off his agenda heading into the busiest time of senior year. “I went to two college visits, and then I worked on my essay,” he said. Working with English teacher Michelle Caswell, Moh was able to make final revisions on some of his writing. “She helped me make sure it was good because I had finished drafting, but I wanted a second opinion,” he said.
Senior Pindar Chen had a similarly positive experience with English teacher Rachel Heffner-Burns, although he focused on a different form of revisions. “She helped me cut out a ton from my essays,” he said.
The senior class hopes this tradition continues in the years to come. “During the school year, it’s hard to find time balancing classes and college apps,” Moh said. “Having a day off to work on college apps was really refreshing.”
Ms. Silver agreed with this sentiment, and is excited to see the program continue to grow next year. “We will do everything we can to make sure that this event happens again,” she said. “If this is a way that we can support students and help them de-stress, we feel like it’s a benefit.”
