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Did you ever think applying to college could be fun, inspiring, and fulfilling? Row New York students discovered that it can be this week during College Pride Week.  At the office and the boathouse, rowers dove into discussions, uncovered the mysteries of the process, and learned to take ownership of their college experience.

 

Redefining Anxiety: Manhattan Novices heard from  coaches Sasha Bailey (University of Buffalo alum) and Catherine Hicks (NYU alum), about the application process. They discussed the common application, essays, and supplementary items for applications.

Discussing college was a new and formative experience for many of the athletes.  With a few years to go before they click “send” on their college aps, they were able to shape their perspective of the process. Anxiety turned to optimism and a desire to be knowledgeable about how to submit a good application.

During one activity, Amayda Arroyo drafted an email to calm someone who was anxious about applying to college:

“Dear Friend,

You’ve come a long way and you’re going to keep going a long way. Remember, it’s not about where you go, it’s about what you do when you get there. Also, keep in mind that you will go to college if you believe you will. It’s not up to anyone but you. Stick to what you know and express what you know in the most extraordinary ways. At the end of the day it’s about you and not about anyone else.

Being Strategic: Ready to actually apply, Queens Varsity brainstormed the value of supplemental application materials. They mused over what to submit if their dream school allowed prospective students to send in a supplement of their choice with their application.

Gislaine Garcia: I would submit a picture of an eye. This embodies me in many ways. For example, I am observant and pay attention to detail. An eye is very intricate and hard to capture, which is how I would describe myself.

Xatziri Ponce: I would submit a film I am making for my class about a friends story and her experience of coming out to her family and friends as bisexual. This is a project I am proud of, especially since it will be shown at the Tribeca film festival.

Emma Parsons: I would send in a photo of myself wearing a Kenyon shirt – my dream college – while serving food at a homeless shelter.

Bianca Pickering: A score that I am proud of is my 500 on the reading section of the SAT. I’ve always had a hard time with tests, so it shows how hard I work.

Arwa Farrag: I would submit an iphone app I made that contains  information for diabetics.

Kristal Rendon: I would send information about the greenhouse I helped my father build.

Taking ownership: Coaches and tutors asked their rowers to think of clubs they would create to help them take ownership over their social and extracurricular experiences on campus.  The exercise helped students highlight their unique and varied interests—qualities that could help them stand out on a college application.

Clubs1

Clubs2Can Rowing Help Me in the Application Process?  Coaches fielded questions about college rowing. As students learned about the recruiting process and the difference between Divisions I, II, and III, they started to understand the value of their athletic experience and how it could be used as a tool to show their determination and hard work to a school.

Graphic 3 redo

To envision what it would be like to row in college, groups spent time talking about the day-to-day schedule for a student-athlete, including juggling classes and practice. Sasha and Catherine focused on getting their team to understand the importance of academics as the primary reason to seek out a school. Then, of course, see if they have a rowing team!

The process was enlightening for most of our students, but many of them are already looking up to our seniors! This year 100% of our seniors have been accepted to college. Now it’s just a choice of which offers to accept! 

Check out our post to LinkedIn about college recruiting and rowing.

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