Southwestern University

As part of a recent whirlwind trip to eleven campuses in two states, my tenth visit was at Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX (outside of Austin). I was rather impressed! Here are a just few notes about my time on campus: My first stop was the brand new Admission Center, which opened in February 2009. It is a LEED certified building, which struck a chord with my "green" personality. I was also quite thrilled that in each restroom stall, there is a large cut out shelf for placing items, particularly backpacks. Let this be a model for public restrooms everywhere!

Student visitors, as well as myself, were welcomed with a sign showing our names. My own undergraduate alma mater did this (maybe still does?), but it is a tradition fewer and fewer campuses seem to take the time to do for their guests. It was a welcomed…welcome!

Pirate Bikes. Love this program! Donated in 2004 following the death of a Southwestern alum in a cycling accident, these bright yellow bikes are found everywhere on campus. If as a student you need a ride, find a bike and use it to get to your next campus destination. Then simply leave it outside the building for the next person to use. If a bike is in need of repair, park it as usual, just upside down!

When students prepare for and return from study abroad or longer term service projects, they participate in a "debriefing" of sorts, an opportunity to discuss the experience and to reflect upon the "why" and "how" and "what next" regarding the trip. I have never heard another campus representative mention such follow-up to national and world travel.

The Peideia (pronounced py-day-uh) Seminar is an interesting enrichment opportunity, allowing a cohort of ten students from different academic disciplines to enhance their education over the course of three years by discussing current issues, how coursework relates to real life, and making connections across fields of study. Peideia groups are also provided with a small budget to fund additional educational activities together. What a unique way to facilitate learning for more than a grade or a credit earned!

Close to my heart is the fight against breast cancer. What does this have to do with Southwestern? The cross country coach is Francie Larrieu Smith, who is not only a five-time US Olympian, but whose likeness was printed nationally on Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure t-shirts prior to the foundation rebranding and creating a new logo. Francie is on MANY of the shirts in my closet!

And finally, the Southwestern Honor Code is both an oath and a pledge. The Honor Oath, recited during orientation, says, "As a student of Southwestern I hereby pledge my full support to the Honor Code. I pledge to be honest myself, and in order that the spirit and integrity of the Honor Code may endure, I pledge that I will make known to the Honor Code Council any case of academic dishonesty which I observe at Southwestern." And the Honor Pledge, which is written and signed on all assignments reads, "I have acted with honesty and integrity in producing this work and am unaware of anyone who has not."

Pictures from my visit to Southwestern University are posted on the Essential Elements: Comprehensive College Planning fan page on Facebook.

October, Seniors' Least Favorite Month

October is a tough month in the lives of high school seniors. Continued academic testing, higher expectations and demands in course work, leadership roles in extra-curricular activities, mid-term exams, and college applications all take away from personal downtime, as well as much needed sleep. Especially during this season of high anticipation over the flu, seniors need to remember to take care of themselves, not just academically, but physically. Too often, I have seen seniors neglect sleep in order to accomplish their "to do" list. The immune system is weakened and illness settles. Seniors push on, not slowing down during the onset of symptoms. And the illness progresses to far worse proportions. This is when a nasty cycle is set in motion; student misses school to heal, student gets behind in class, student returns to school before the body is ready, student misses sleep trying to catch up on assignments and activity commitments, student's illness returns. Repeat. Time management is key. Advanced preparation is paramount. Effective communication is required. Be aware of approaching deadlines, especially when related to college applications. Set aside a block of time each day to preview the days ahead. Don't wait until the night before to study for an exam or write the college application essay; in neither case will it be your best work. Speak up when you need help or when you are feeling your health decline. No one expects a super hero out of a 17 or 18 year old student! Applying these positive habits now will allow for a smoother transition into collegiate life and will certainly be a benefit later throughout your personal and professional life. Here's to your emotional and physical health during what is the most stressful month in the life of a high school senior!

Hart's Helpful Hint #2

Planning a campus visit? Here is an easy way to keep all of the sights front of mind and connected to the correct college/university. This is especially helpful when you are visiting more than one school a day, several days in a row. Before you go anywhere on campus, find a sign with the school's name. It does not have to be the largest sign on campus or the sign at the entrance to campus. I am infamous for finding a utility or maintenance vehicle! Take a picture of the sign and then every picture behind it will be taken on that campus. When you arrive at your second campus visit destination, repeat. This makes it easy to upload organized campus visit photos into whichever photo software you use. If you take good pictures (of the freshman residence halls, the building that houses your intended major(s), etc.), these photos will help later when you make your final college decision and choose where you will live freshman year.

Top Ten "DON'T DO ITs" on Your College Application Resume

(in no particular order) 10. "Who's Who Among American High School Students" and other similar "awards" are not considered by colleges/universities to be legitimate. 9. Th does not belong. Simply us (9,10,11,12) to indicate the grade level during which a particular activity was performed. Those th notations can become difficult to read when the admission representative has reviewed 50 other files that same day. 8. There is no need to double up on your academic record. Your official transcript is where the admission office will refer for your course selection and grades earned, not your student resume. 7. Eighth grade does not count. Your resume should be based upon your accomplishments in high school, not what you did in grade school or junior high. Exceptions might be a particular activity that you started in seventh grade and continue to do consistently now. 6. Don't include your school's contact information on your resume. That information is included in other places within your application for admission. Save the space to highlight your own personal achievements. 5. Skip the abbreviations. Opt to spell out National Honor Society (NHS), Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), and similarly named student organizations. 4. Don't turn your resume into a novel. Remember, this is your resume, not your essay. 3. Inconsistency can make your resume difficult to read. Don't bold one heading and not the next. Don't put a period at the end of one description and not at the end of others. 2. Don't let information get away! Keep a block of text for a particular activity on the same page. This may require moving margins, deleting extra words, etc. You don;t want the reader to forget what the activity was when they have to flip the page to continue reading. 1. Do not submit a first draft of your resume. Take time to edit and revise, just as you do for your essay. Seek advice. Get your resume to a perfect state so that you have it ready to submit with each application for admission and scholarship.

Top Ten "YES, PLEASE DOs" on Your College Application Resume

(in no particular order) 10. Make sure to list your name, mailing address, home phone number, and email address at the top of the first page of your resume. 9. Brag about how you spend your time! Include everything in your first draft. Revision may allow you to delete less important items, but don't edit yourself at the start. 8. Create categories for your high school activities and accomplishments. Typical groupings may include honors and awards, athletics, community service, extra-curricular activities, and employment. 7. Use numbers (9,10,11,12) to specify which grades each activity was performed. Freshman year, sophomore, junior year, and senior year is quite wordy when you have a several page resume. 6. On that same note, stick to grade (9,10,11,12) years versus calendar years (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010). No reader wants to calculate what grade you were in during which year. 5. Longevity (9-12) and most recent (12) should be listed first within each category, then work backward to (9) items. This more clearly demonstrates where your heart lies and establishes a more uniform approach for easy reading. 4. Put your name on every page. The best place is usually on the top right corner. Pages can easily become unstapled while on the reader's desk. You don;t want your hard earned work to end up in the recycle bin because they do not know to which resume the missing page belongs. 3. Pick a format that works best for you. Some will have a grid/table, others will opt for a bullet point list. There is no right or wrong format, only the layout that best emphasizes what you have pulled off in high school and what you will be bringing to the college campus community. 2. Indicate your time commitment for each endeavor. Let the admission representative know how many hours you put into an activity. Be consistent with how that time is reported (hours per week, weeks per month, etc.). 1. Include BRIEF descriptions of your participation in an activity or of an award received. Were you elected to a leadership position? Did you co-found the club? What is the goal of the organization?