Happy August to my College Application Families! August 7 marked the first student from my Class of 2019 to complete/upload their personal essay to the Common Application website. More on that soon!
It has been fun to email $5 Starbucks gift cards to parents & students who refer a friend to me for college application advising. I will email a gift card to you after your friend’s first college application prep appointment. Cheers!
Please continue to utilize my calendar link to schedule appointments: https://calendly.com/machiele-m
Here is your news and ideas:
1. Since the Common Application opened weeks earlier than in previous years, August 7 marked my first student’s personal essay completion and upload to the Common Application website. While I feel excitement as this is the earliest personal essay completion in the history of my college application advising, I pass along this information with caution as some families may feel pressure for their student to go faster. Writing takes time, polishing takes time…better to trust the college application process than to hurry to the finish line.
2. Look for timely info on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MichellesCollegePrepCareerPrep/
3. Looking ahead, keep in mind that for November 1 deadlines, all materials need to be completed and sent to the colleges by mid October (think October 10). Nine weeks from now, most work for college applications will be finished.
4. My Advisor role on the Common Application allows me to view (not change) your student’s Common Application materials. This has proven helpful to review all materials with students before they submit their application to colleges, and to answer questions – most often calls from parents around 10:00 PM. There are two steps to adding me as an Advisor on your student’s Common Application. I am available to walk students through this process, sending info below as helpful too.
Here is a screenshot of the “Invite Recommenders” section of the Common Application. This is found on the My Colleges tab, select a college, look on the left side menu for Recommenders and FERPA, complete the FERPA Release Authorization, click on the Invite Recommenders section.
Use the drop down menu for Advisor, select ‘Mrs.’ and add Michelle Machiele, machiele.m@gmail.com
Secondly, there is a section for Additional Application Support – my info will auto load then the student selects ‘Yes’ so that I have permission to preview the application.
5. Next free session: August 22, 7:00-8:00PM, “College Application Road Ahead” for families with students in grades 9-12
6. For my students entering college this fall, there will be one more free session of “What to Expect Your First Semester of College” for rising college freshmen. Email me for details and then feel free to invite friends.
Happy summer!
Michelle
