Last month, as I sat down with a new student for the first time, I began my usual inquisition – a perfectly balanced barrage of questions that blends numeric stats with slightly pesky probing. Like any diligent educational consultant, I try to make sure that I have the full picture before I offer college admissions advice. Junior’s proud parents were also present, and they shared Junior’s ambitious goal of gaining acceptance to a highly selective college, (you know, the schools with acceptance rates approaching zero).
2 pages into my intake, things were looking bright for Junior. Test scores: top .1%, GPA: 4.0, class rank: poised for Valedictorian. With approving nods and smiles around the table, somewhere around page 3, my questions become more objective. I lead off with an easy question that for most high-flyers is a no-brainer: “What books are you reading this summer?” A pained look spreads across Junior’s reddening face, accompanied by dead silence.
It turns out that Junior doesn’t read. Nobody needs a lecture on the benefits of reading. But let’s discuss the specific benefits of reading as it applies to the college admissions process and share some strategies that may not seem obvious.
3 Benefits of High School Reading
1) Colleges Will Ask.
“List the books for pleasure that you enjoyed in the past year”. This prompt was taken off of Columbia’s supplement. Besides Columbia – Stanford, the University of Chicago and many other schools have their version of this question. Last year, Columbia’s supplement to the Common App devoted 3 entire questions to reading for pleasure, totaling 600 words of precious word capital.
The schools that ask about your reading for pleasure are offering you a freebie – a strategic advantage if you know what to do with it. Be smart and tactical. Use these (600, in the case of Columbia) words wisely. Just like your personal statement, make smart choices – every word must count. Tell them something about you that they don’t already know. Take this opportunity and craft a thoughtful thread including new information about your strengths and interests by strategically sharing what you read. You can also use this as a way to demonstrate additional depth of knowledge in something you may have already mentioned but did not have the opportunity to fully explain elsewhere in your application.
2) Colleges Want to Get to Know You.
Everything on the Common App forces you into a little square box. Sure, your personal statement allows you to paint a vivid portrait, hopefully awakening the senses of your admission reader. But now you are getting an additional chance to share more – consider this a gift. Don’t underestimate the opportunity that these short essays and supplemental questions offer.
Colleges expend great effort crafting their school supplements for the Common App. The schools that ask about what you read really want to know; otherwise it would not be on their supplement.
Respect this; do not underestimate the importance of these small but mighty questions. The college is tipping their hand, showing you that your choice of reading is very important to them. Don’t blow this opportunity.
Admission reps want to feel warm and fuzzy, getting excited as they swiftly read your application materials. Remember, they are conducting a quick holistic review. They are looking for students who stand out since they are trying to build a well-rounded class. Reading interesting topics just might give you that edge. Be smart. Use your reading list as a strategic advantage. Prove to them that you are irresistible and that they need you on their campus. Read a range of works, print and on-line: get inspired, ignite your curiosity, and laugh. Every title that you include in your application offers admissions a more thorough and authentic understanding of who you are.
3) Interviewers Will Ask.
Trust me, this is one of the go-to questions for every interviewer. Be ready, prepare, do your homework. When prepping for a college interview, try to find out who will be interviewing you. College interviewers are often alumni living in your area. Once you know the name of the person interviewing you, Google them. Ask around your hometown if anyone knows them. Find out as much as you can about them: what kind of business they are in or what kind of community projects they are involved with. Then look for any patterns and overlap with your interests and what you are reading. Are they a tech entrepreneur or a Wall Street banker? Check how your reading interests might align or even contrast theirs. Think about ways to leverage those overlaps during your interview. For example, if you were interested in majoring in economics or finance, and your interviewer is a banker, you could discuss The Billionaire’s Apprentice or mention that you just finished Ferguson’s The Ascent of Money. Chances are he may have read these. You can take control of the conversation by confidently talking about what you have read. When you can make a connection with the interviewer you can really stand out.
In Part 2, I will follow up and share what I advised Junior and how you can excite your non-readers to start reading.