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Kurowski Offers Advice On
How to Find ‘The-Right-Fit’ School
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Transcribed by Alex Holachek
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 Recently, the journalism class sat down with George Mason’s college counselor, Ms. Kurowski, to ask some probing questions about college admissions. The group ranged in grade level from anxiety-ridden seniors to freshmen who have yet to realize the daunting fact that they, too, will someday have to face the formidable task of applying to college. But not to fear! (Or at least not to fear too much!) Ms. Kurowski, entreating the young journalists to “ask anything,” offered edifying practical advice on how to best pursue admission to a student’s dream school.
Q: What should seniors be doing now?
A: I hope that by the end of October, seniors have at least a preliminary list of schools. It may not be narrowed down, but they do need to be at that point. They definitely should have been to visit at least a few of the schools on their list. The number one thing that students need to do is go on that visit, and set all the brochures and promotional materials aside. In terms of what they should be doing right now: definitely, the best advice is to print off the applications to some of the schools you are interested in, and find out the application deadlines for the schools on your list. You have to remember that each school handles the application process a little bit differently. For example, some schools don’t require an essay. Some schools require two essays. You need to find out now what you are going to need to do. Hopefully seniors are at that point.
Q: How early should seniors start writing the college essay?
A: Students shouldn’t assume that they can write the essay the day, or even the week, before it’s due. You should edit it several times for everything: content, form, grammar, and spelling. I tend to find that by the third go-around, students really have a piece they can be proud of, and that process can take awhile. So I would say that the summer before senior year is a good time to start brainstorming.
Q: How important is the essay?
A: It’s important. The essay is a wonderful opportunity to differentiate yourself. What’s the one thing that you want the admissions committee to know about you that they wouldn’t get from your test scores and grade point average? That question should guide you in the essay writing process. Look at it that way. The one thing they should know about you. And if you can tell that in a story, that’s really the best way to get that across. Many colleges are not interviewing students personally because they don’t have the time. So this is your opportunity to convey your personality, and remember that you can do that best by writing in your own words, your own style. It might be helpful to ask your friends and family about “so you” stories -- stories about you that they think describe you well. Those can offer great starting points.
Q: Any advice for underclassmen?
A: My best advice is that younger students should be visiting some college campuses. Brochures, websites and careful research cannot replace firsthand impressions of a school. And remember that your grades and the rigor of your program will be central to the college admissions process that you will face in a few years. Figure out how many years of core classes and what grades the colleges you have begun to look at require or recommend. If you’re a sophomore or a junior, know that colleges like to see an upward grade trend, so you still have time to distinguish yourself.
Q: What are the most common mistakes on college applications?
A: Actually, a really common mistake is not spell-checking everything, allowing small errors to slip through. I would recommend doing a draft copy of your application, whether you’re going to be filing the real one online or on paper. That can help eliminate some mistakes. And for a paper application, you never want to use white out. Get a clean form. Grammar, obviously, should be perfect. Oh, and some students use an essay for more than one school and forget to change the name of the college mentioned in the essay. You don’t want to do that. But that’s not to imply that you can’t use a personal statement or essay for all of the schools that require it, provided that it answers each school’s question. That’s fine.
Q: How many colleges should students apply to?
A: The average number is five to seven. That’s not a set number, and some students apply to more, or fewer, schools. What I do when I talk to students is get them to split up their list of prospective colleges. First, you have one or two reach schools, with a 20%-30% chance that you may get in. Most of the schools you want are at that target range, the schools where what you have is typically the type of student they’ve accepted in the past. And I always say to students that they should have one or two “most likely” schools, where you’re pretty confident that you can get in.
Q: What do you think about gap years?
A: I think a gap year is a wonderful thing, if you use it well. A lot of 17-and 18-year-olds aren’t quite ready for college. But I like to think of a gap year as “time on,” not time off. You should be working to save money for college, traveling, interning or studying
something that interests you. I took a gap year and loved it.
Q: How many times should the average student take the SAT test?
A: There’s no magic number, but I recommend that the average student take it twice. Scores are not typically going to go up after the second time. Remember that most schools will combine your best math score and best verbal score, even from different sittings of the test. But they will see all of your scores. Students may also consider taking the ACT exam.
Q: How do students decide which teachers to ask for recommendations?
A: The teacher to ask for a recommendation is not always the teacher who gave you the best grades. Think of the teachers with classes that you were really interested in. Also, try to get a teacher who knows you well, maybe even outside the classroom, as a coach or leader of some other extracurricular activity that you’re involved in.
Q: Can students send in more recommendations than strictly required by the school?
A: I would advise students to limit their recommendations. Don’t go over the number the schools ask for except for one recommendation that you think will really offer another dimension to your application.
Q: How much should students worry about financial considerations?
A: Finances definitely need to play a part in the process. You need to ask your parents what extent they are prepared to pay for your college education, and you also need to think how well you could cope with taking out student loans that you will pay after graduation. But don’t be totally occupied with the money aspect. There are a lot of scholarships that go un-awarded because not enough kids apply. To begin researching scholarships, try going to the website www.fastweb.com. That site is really a great clearing house for scholarships. Also, consider community college as a wonderful option. After going to community college for a year or two, you can transfer to a four-year college. Remember that it’s easier to transfer to a school than to get in as a freshman. A final note is that the counseling office is holding a financial aid workshop for juniors, seniors and their parents on December 8th from 7:00 to 8:15 in the GMHS library.
Q: Any final advice?
A: The college admissions process is about finding the best fit college for each individual student. Don’t be too wrapped up in college ratings like those in the US News and World Report. Focus on finding the college where
you “feel right.”
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