Songs to Read By

I  generally like to keep my music upbeat when reading applications; it helps me set and sustain a good pace and keeps my energy level high, even when I’m pushing through into the third or fourth consecutive hour.  In no particular order, some of my favorites lately have been:

1) Ophelia - The Band
2) And Your Bird Can Sing – The Beatles
3) Into the Mystic – Van Morrison
4) Morning Sun – Al Barry and The Cimarons
5) Animal - Miike Snow (Punks Jump Up Remix)

So now you can probably guess my picks on the Songs to Wait By list last week. My favorite place to read is by far my house. Lucy, my puppy dog, can hang out and is more than happy to distract me for a minute or two in between each file. That way I can start each one with a fresh eye. Snacks are also in close proximity, a clutch component of being well-prepared for an afternoon of reading.

Aaaannnndddd we’re back!

Happy New Year!  It is great to be back in the office after our winter break.  The students are still gone for another two weeks, so it is a touch lonely here on campus without them.  As I write this, it is 20 degrees and there is still some snow on the ground – it is quite pretty.  I hope you all have been able to enjoy your winter breaks, despite the looming deadlines!

Speaking of deadlines, just a quick reminder that the Regular Decision application deadline is fast approaching: January 15, 2011!  Turn your pieces in early so you can devote some time to hounding your teachers and counselors if necessary.

If you have questions about the application, please get in touch: (877) 462-9448 or admission@whitman.edu

We look forward to reading your applications!

Thinking About Letters of Recommendation

So, it’s the summer before your senior year, college applications loom in your future, and everyone is telling you to spend the summer working on college essays. While it’s not a bad idea to devote some time to this project, an often overlooked portion of the college application is the letter of recommendation. At Whitman, we only require one letter of recommendation, but many schools do require more. It would behoove you to think about which teachers would make the best letter writers for your Whitman application. Begin by asking yourself these questions:

1. Which teacher have I gotten to know the best in the last three years?
2. Who could best speak to my ability as both a student and a person?
3. How well could this teacher speak to my academic drive?

Hopefully, the same teacher’s name will answer all three of these questions. If you are submitting more than one letter of recommendation, it would benefit your application to have the teachers who could address these questions write letters for you.

You will also want to consider the academic subjects your letters writers represent. Whitman’s teacher recommendation requires you to submit your one letter of recommendation from a core academic teacher – meaning someone who taught you math, science, social studies, English, or a foreign language. If you submit more than one letter, be sure that these letters are not from two English or two math teachers. Most likely, teachers of the same subject will say very similar things about you, so submitting one English teacher recommendation and one math teacher recommendation would provide a more well-rounded picture of who you are as a student. Be sure to pick people with varied perspectives. When I applied to Whitman, I had my physics and my English teachers write letters. At the end of the day, you want to find the one (or two) who will best represent you.