By Leslie Merchant
Ask a typical high school freshman or sophomore about post graduation plans and the usual response is, “I have years before I need to start thinking about college or university, right?” This might have been true for students a decade ago, but times have changed.
The admissions staff at Saint Martin’s University has some valuable advice for potential future undergrads: Start thinking now! Academic and personal track records begin when students enter high school, not when they are about to leave it. Any supplementary activities, or lack thereof, can have significant influence when it comes to handpicking incoming students.
“We review all applicants holistically and personally,” says Sarah Weiss, Director of Admissions for Saint Martin’s University. That is to say that Saint Martin’s looks at the whole package, not just an applicant’s test scores. Sarah emphasizes that academic and personal growth during one’s high school career is just as important as a final grade point average. “Service, leadership, the rigor of coursework, you just can’t do it all at once,” she explains. Saint Martin’s looks for trends of growth demonstrated by an applicant throughout several years prior to graduation, not just in the junior and senior years.
Letters of recommendation from personal associates can be more influential than standard letters from a summer boss or school principal. “We can tell when a person really knows a student versus the generic letter from an acquaintance,” explains Sarah. “Saint Martin’s wants to see clearly who the applicant is and their academic potential.” In other words, a heartfelt recommendation from someone who obviously knows the applicant speaks volumes compared to the standard form letter that has had the name changed hundreds of times. The University is looking for honest opinions about an applicant’s preparedness for the rigors of university life, and not just how well they performed in a single situation or role.
Not all applicants are in their final years of high school. A percentage of candidates have been out of school for a while and apply with the realization that higher education brings greater opportunities. Consistency of growth between applications must be demonstrated if an applicanthopes to be considered for admission.
When applying to Saint Martin’s, candidates have a couple of options to consider. One is the traditional practice of using good old pen and paper. Another more contemporary method is to utilize the Common Application. Applicants create a profile and can use it to apply to any of the schools that are members of the Commonapp.org organization.
Some final advice for Saint Martin’s hopefuls to keep in mind:
1) Be Timely! Priority consideration is given to early birds and March 1st is just around the corner for next fall.
2) Be Honest! Don’t be cliché and present yourself in a contrived light.
3) Be Succinct! Describe what you will gain from and what you will bring to Saint Martin’s, but do not pontificate about it.
4) Be Present! Visiting the campus, sitting in on a class or two and attending Spirit Days show a commitment to the path ahead.
For more information on the application process or to schedule an appointment with a Saint Martin’s representative, visit www.stmartin.edu.
