The DBQ: 11 Steps to Success

Posted by Michael

Here are 11 tips that I used to ace the document-based question (DBQ) essay part of the AP US History exam.

1. Use the reading period to its full extent.
And, if you’re not done planning, spend an extra five minutes or so doing so. Planning helps to write a better (maybe shorter) essay as opposed to a longer and badly written one. Readers only have such little time to read each essay, and after reading thousands each day, they’ll look for the most clearly and well thought out to grade higher, and will frown down upon super long, unorganized essays.

2. (ⁿ/₂) + 1.
This is the golden rule in terms of how many documents to use (n = number of docs). It is not important to use all the documents, just use half of them given, plus

Marilee… she rolls along

Posted by Dee

Did you hear about MIT’s ex-admissions dean?

Yeah, the one who’s been preaching about not stressing out students and how people should just relax over college admissions and how doing what you love is more important than shooting for an incredible resume, etc. for the past few years?

Well, if you haven’t heard, she just resigned. Why? She lied on her resume… and not something small either! Here are the links to the articles about it… cream-of-the-crop college admissions gossip indeed!

Here’s the Associated Press article about it, and here are the statements released by MIT and Marilee Jones.

All I can say is… total irony.

Soon to be AP registration: season 2007

Posted by Dee

Well, AP registration is around the corner (early March for most of you), and there’s always many, many discussions, controversies, stress, etc. related to these annual AP exams.

And this year, the lovely and revered CollegeBoard has sprung upon all AP test-takers some new talking points!

1. Testing via computer?!?!

Oh yes, this year, the CollegeBoard has introduced two AP tests that you take on a computer — that is, what they’ve dubbed Internet-based tests (iBT). The AP Chinese Language and Culture exam and the AP Japanese Language and Culture are offered for the first time this year, and through the iBT method, where each

On recent comments…

Posted by Dee

I was quite heartened by the comments made recently by some readers.

First, Barbara wrote last week:

“Hi! Wow, I just found this today– thank you for not pulling the same shit counselors pull about “doing what YOU want” or “choosing classes you LIKE” or “sleeping” (what is that, anyway? Just kidding.).

Not that there isn’t some truth to that advice, but I’m glad to find something that offers advice that will actually be listened to by someone trying to be competitive for a spot at University of Pennsylvania.

Just wondering: what exactly are the consequences of not going to the Early Decision school that accepted you? I’m not so vain as to think it’s going to happen for me next year, but everything I’ve checked basically just refers to the consequence as “serious”. Do you know what it even entails?”

While I’ll respond to her latter concerns in a separate post, the start of her comment

Response to Theodore: why Princeton over Yale?

Posted by DeeTheodore commented on two of AdmitSpit’s blog posts yesterday regarding how to respond to a question about why he prefers one school over another, especially when two schools of similar status offer the same major and equally great social and learning environments. Here’s what he said on the posts titled, “Response to Edie” and “Ivy Leagues are not created equal.”

“I am nervous as usual about the encounter I will have in two days with the interviewer. My most feared question is why princeton over all the other schools; why princeton over for example Yale? Both offer majors i am interested in and lovely learning environments. I mean Yale and Princeton both offer economics and exciting environments. How can you simply decide which is “better” or what makes Princeton tick more than another?!!”

Well, Theodore, I’m really glad you came to AdmitSpit to ask this question because I think you’ll get a response you’ll be quite satisfied with!

When I had my Princeton interview last year, my interviewer was this really sweet young lady now studying at Stanford for grad school and I was the first person she had ever interviewed for Princeton. She told me that Princeton gave her and all their

I was deferred; now what?!

Posted by Dee

I was deferred from Stanford last year.

I checked my decision online during school at around noon, saw that I was deferred, and shrugged it off, until, of course, the second I got into my car at 3:05 p.m., I cried and screamed about how “f*cking unfair” and how “f*cking f*cked up” it was that I didn’t get in early!

Yes, I know, the language was crude indeed, but the point is, it’s fine, I think, to let out your frustration about being deferred; yes, I agree, it’s quite unnerving to have to wait even longer to find out about your admission decision, but there comes a point when you move on and say, “now what?”

I mean “now what” not with a sarcastic tone, but rather “now what do I do to complete my application for my early admission school?”

You may be confused; “Didn’t I already finish my application?”

The answer is no! In all likelihood, the school you were deferred from will ask you to

Judgment day

Posted by Luke

Judgment day has finally come and passed. To those of you who were admitted under Early Decision, I offer my sincerest congratulations and I hope that you excel and are truly happy with the decision you have made. To those of you who were rejected or deferred, I have a few words of advice:

1. Don’t worry about it

Lots of people are not admitted early. The schools tell you that there is a higher rate of admittance for early appliers, but the rate is still rather low and does not guarantee a spot at the university. Consider this one of life’s little lessons that not everything is certain, but just because you were not accepted does not mean that your life is over. If it is any consolation, I was deferred from the Huntsman Program at Wharton at the University of Pennsylvania, but I rebounded and am now attending a very prestigious university with great students and faculty and I couldn’t be happier if I were freezing in Philadelphia. The trick is to not get discouraged, which brings me to my next point…

2. Don’t lose your confidence

Just because one school doesn’t want you in December does not mean that you are not worthy to be there in the spring. You must look within yourself and see if the

Sporadic posting in December

Posted by Dee

As you may remember, all of us contributing to the AdmitSpit site are college students, which means, yes, we do get a nice winter break, but we also have FINALS! Ah!

So, just letting you readers know that if your comments don’t get addressed as quickly or if we aren’t able to get a post up on a particular day, we’re sorry, but we have to study too!

The status on the site is that a lot of comments came in last week so we’re working on getting research done to address those, and otherwise we’re just working on getting more posts on academics at different schools. We put up a post about Tufts earlier this week, and we’re still working on Princeton and Georgetown and some others!

Response to Ralph on applying from Canada

Posted by Dee

Ralph commented on the post titled, “Response to Stephanie and stressed applicant on changing UC apps.”

He said:

“Hi there. My question is on how big a factor test results, nationality and race are in the American admissions process.
I just took the SAT subject tests for the first time last Saterday. I think I got about 700 on the math 1, 650 on the level 2, and no idea on the chemistry, but it’s probabaly in the 500’s. How will the top schools see this, and how much difference would the fact that I’m a Canadian Indian (which legally means I’m also an American Indian) make?
Otherwise, I have a 90% grade average, and scored 88% and 85% on the two Alberta Diploma standardized tests (chem. and pure math) I’ve taken about 8 months ago. I paticipate in a volunteer organization and student government, and I’m sure I could get good teacher references and essays done.
The big question I have is: Would it be worth it to make a 10 hour drive this Saterday to the nearest ACT test center (I haven’t taken it or the SAT before) or should I just forget it? Thanks for your time.”

Here’s what I’d say:

Ralph–

I think it will help tremendously that you are an American Indian! All the US private schools love to up their diversity statistics and American Indians are very well

Response to Stephanie and stressed applicant on changing UC apps

Posted by Dee

Wow! AdmitSpit’s been getting comments galore the past few days (which we’re loving by the way!) and here’s two we received regarding changing your UC application after the due date.

Here’s Stephanie’s comment on the post titled, “Recommended SAT Subject Tests for special UC programs.”

“I just applied to 6 UC’s: Berkeley, LA, San Diego, Davis, Irvine, Santa Barbara, with mostly undeclared majors in biological/life sciences. I took the Math Level 2 in June 2006 and scored a 650. Since I wanted to raise my score, I took it again in December.. but I don’t think my score improved much. My Chinese SAT 2 score is 790, and my SAT score is 2080. Will my math score greatly hurt my chances of getting in? And is there any way to change what major I put on my application? Or is it pretty much set in stone…”

And, stressed applicant wrote on yesterday’s post titled, “Response to Britt on SAT retakes,” the following:

“Hello! This comment is not related to the post. I know that I can add an additional campus after I’ve submitted my application. But can I change one of the campus I’ve applied?
Thank you!”

Let us address Stephanie’s comment first: You applied for biological/life sciences-type majors and submitted a decent SAT Math Level 2 score of 650, and a very high