Sometimes everything just comes together.

No application component is independent of the other. I think, sometimes, people don't realize that their file is read as one whole and not scored on its individual parts.

The best applications are those where a student's biography, courses, choice of major, essays, resume, and recommendation letters work together to put forward the most compelling arguments why you deserve admission.

Much of the work I do with clients is combining all of these things to appeal most to the person reviewing your file. I speak about "integrating" your essays and resume in a previous post worth reviewing.

Use the essays as an opportunity to expand upon something you are doing outside of the classroom that adds colorful context to your application portfolio.

For transfers, integrating your application parts into a whole is particularly important. Since reviewers only have one academic data point to assess - your college GPA - your essays and resume become all the more important. What factors went into your initial college choice? Are you working, and if so, what is your work place like? Has it been a while since you have taken college courses? 

Talk about it!

Especially for veterans, your reviewer may not understand fully what the experiences of a service member may be like. Though there are similarities between veteran experiences, talk specifically about how you view your service and deployment. Especially if you oversaw equipment or people, the essays are a great opportunity to illustrate the contents of your resume.

What may be obvious to you may not be evident to your reviewer. If there are parts or even gaps in your resume you want to clarify, use your essays.

This is also an opportunity to submit a recommendation letter that adds new information to your application. I talk about recommendation letters in my next post.

Let's work together on putting your application pieces together. Complete this questionnaire to get started.