News from the Homefront:
Talent Development Advisory Committee
The Talent Development Advisory Committee is looking for an adult/guardian/parent representative for our school. This group’s purpose is to provide annual input on the how the division is meeting the goals of ACPS' Local Plan for the Education of the Gifted. Members can serve a maximum of three years on the committee and are expected to attend each in-person meeting.
When: The following Wednesdays
1. October 7
2. December 2
3. March 3
4. May 5
Where: Albemarle County Office Building, 401 McIntire Rd, Charlottesville, VA 22902
If you are interested in serving on this committee, please fill out this form to express your interest below by 25 September.
Regional College Fair:
The Regional College Fair will be held at Charlottesville High School on 21 September from6-8pm. Registration is Required: Students must register in advance to receive a barcode for college representatives to scan. When you register, select “Virginia” and “9/21/2026-Central Virginia Regional Fair at Charlottesville High School.”
Peer Tutoring Is Open for Business!
Peer tutoring is by appointment only (no drop-ins), and tutors can be requested by using this form. Students may request a tutor for themselves, and teachers, school counselors, and families can request a peer tutor for a student. Peer tutors are available every period and during Warrior Period. All tutoring occurs in TLC (room C103). Please contact Beth White or Melisa Larson with questions!
Parent Square:
Students who want to contact me for questions or for a meeting should use Parent Square. I will respond to you through there. Adults have access to all communications with their students through Parent Square. Adults, if you're having trouble seeing your student's communication, please refer to this article. It's not always easy to remember to do it this way so if you do email me directly, I will move the communication over to Parent Square.
Peer Tutoring Is Offering SAT Practice!
Peer tutoring will be offering a 2x a month SAT prep course run by our peer tutors. This is a free service and is open to 20 students per session. Interested in joining in? Let Beth White or Melisa Larson know. Interested in helping to tutor? We need you too! Again, Beth White or Melisa Larson
JMU is offering SAT/ACT Prep
Looking to boost those test scores? JMU has your back. SAT courses and ACT courses are live online.
Rice University Invites You to Pre-College:
Options include Aerospace, Entrepreneurship, AI, Psychology, Law and more. This is a virtual class. Check out their offerings.
Dartmouth Invites You to Pre-College:
Options include Regenerative Medicine, Entrepreneurship, Applied Math, Biology and more. This is a virtual class. Check out their offerings.
Talent Development Advisory Committee
The Talent Development Advisory Committee is looking for an adult/guardian/parent representative for our school. This group’s purpose is to provide annual input on the how the division is meeting the goals of ACPS' Local Plan for the Education of the Gifted. Members can serve a maximum of three years on the committee and are expected to attend each in-person meeting.
When: The following Wednesdays
1. October 7
2. December 2
3. March 3
4. May 5
Where: Albemarle County Office Building, 401 McIntire Rd, Charlottesville, VA 22902
If you are interested in serving on this committee, please fill out this form to express your interest below by 25 September.
Regional College Fair:
The Regional College Fair will be held at Charlottesville High School on 21 September from6-8pm. Registration is Required: Students must register in advance to receive a barcode for college representatives to scan. When you register, select “Virginia” and “9/21/2026-Central Virginia Regional Fair at Charlottesville High School.”
Peer Tutoring Is Open for Business!
Peer tutoring is by appointment only (no drop-ins), and tutors can be requested by using this form. Students may request a tutor for themselves, and teachers, school counselors, and families can request a peer tutor for a student. Peer tutors are available every period and during Warrior Period. All tutoring occurs in TLC (room C103). Please contact Beth White or Melisa Larson with questions!
Parent Square:
Students who want to contact me for questions or for a meeting should use Parent Square. I will respond to you through there. Adults have access to all communications with their students through Parent Square. Adults, if you're having trouble seeing your student's communication, please refer to this article. It's not always easy to remember to do it this way so if you do email me directly, I will move the communication over to Parent Square.
Peer Tutoring Is Offering SAT Practice!
Peer tutoring will be offering a 2x a month SAT prep course run by our peer tutors. This is a free service and is open to 20 students per session. Interested in joining in? Let Beth White or Melisa Larson know. Interested in helping to tutor? We need you too! Again, Beth White or Melisa Larson
JMU is offering SAT/ACT Prep
Looking to boost those test scores? JMU has your back. SAT courses and ACT courses are live online.
Rice University Invites You to Pre-College:
Options include Aerospace, Entrepreneurship, AI, Psychology, Law and more. This is a virtual class. Check out their offerings.
Dartmouth Invites You to Pre-College:
Options include Regenerative Medicine, Entrepreneurship, Applied Math, Biology and more. This is a virtual class. Check out their offerings.
La Ofrenda de WAHS
Voice of America:
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Virginia National Bank Programming:
Inklings Call for Submissions:
Next Gen Skilled Trades Day:
Early Education Career Pathway:
Common App Crash Course:
TOMORROW Common App Crash Course continues at 8:00 in the Library. There are multiple sessions and we start at the beginning and move through the whole thing. The sessions are as follows:
TOMORROW Common App Crash Course continues at 8:00 in the Library. There are multiple sessions and we start at the beginning and move through the whole thing. The sessions are as follows:
- 18 September – Supplemental Essays (including VT's Ut Prosim)
- 25 September – Open Workshop Time
College Visits:
Sign up in Schoolinks
Sign up in Schoolinks
- 17 September – Davidson, Dickinson
- 22 September – University of Richmond, Mary Washington
- 23 September – Hobart William Smith, ODU
- 24 September – Hollins, Longwood
- 29 September – Richard Bland
- 6 October Hampden Sydney
- 7 October – UVA
- 8 October – VA Tech, Randolph Macon
- 14 October – Colby
- 19 October – Elon, Tufts
- 20 October –CNU
- 22 October – College of Charleston
- 28 October – Wofford
- 29 October – Bard
- 5 November – UC Berkeley
Use Your Brain for Fun (&$)!
Photo by Judy Beth Morris on Unsplash
Humanities & Social SciencesJust Poetry is taking submissions up to 30 September. This is open to all students in high school. Poems must be 20 lines or fewer.
Tales of Winter is an international writing contest open to people ages 6-16. Submit your writing about a winter festival by 2 October. The VFW Voice of Democracy contest is open to people in grades 9-12. This year's theme is "What a Veteran Taught Me About America." Submit your entries by 31 October. Hollins University sponsors the Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest. They invite you to submit your work by 31 October. Eligible students are women (identifying) in 10th or 11th grade. Want to be a Page in the General Assembly? Get your application in by 16 October. We've had folks get in this program before! |
Photo by ThisisEngineering on Unsplash
STEMRegeneron Science Talent Search is on and they want to give you $250,000. That is not a typo! Get on it before the deadline of 5 November.
The Virginia Junior Academy of Science invites students in grades 7-12 to do mentored original research and present it at the symposium. The National Space Club and Foundation Keynote Scholar receives up to $50,000 for their proposed keynote speech. There is a prompt to answer. Due 30 October. Interested in a career in engineering? The Virginia Space Grant Consortium offers a number of free (my favorite price!) programs for students interested in STEM. There is programming for students in 6th-12th grades. The high school programs come with a week at NASA's Wallops Island for top performing students. Applications open tomorrow! |
Visual and Performing ArtsConnectHer invites women (identifying) to submit a video on a topic that has an impact on women and girls. Submit your entry by 1 October.
The NRA Youth Wildlife Art Contest is open to people in grades 1-12. You could win up to $2,000 towards college. Submit your art work by 1 October The Naval and Maritime Photography Contest invites amateur photographers to submit their work for consideration by 30 September. Prizes are up to $500 Young Arts recognizes talented students in the visual, literary and performing arts. Submit your application by 8 October. The Jack Kent Cook Scholarship awards artists up to $10,000 for college. It's open to people 8-18 so get your fall app in! It's due by 15 November |
Skilled TradesAmericanMuscle offers scholarships for those planning to continue their education in the automotive industry. Submit your application by 15 October for a chance to win up to $5,000.
American Truck has a scholarship for people in trade school (like CATEC) or who plan to pursue an education in Building Trades (including HVAC, Electrical, and Carpentry). It's worth $2,500. Submit by 15 October. DEED Funding for Students is a program for students who are planning to pursue a career in the power industry. They have two cycles, 15 October and 15 February. Submit your application today. The American Academy of Chefs has a series of scholarships for those who want to pursue a career in culinary arts. Scholarships are worth $1,500 and up. |
Scholarships for Seniors
UVA Jefferson Scholars Program
The Jefferson Scholars Program offers a full tuition and housing scholarship to approximately 45 incoming first year students to the University of Virginia. Applicants must first earn their school's nomination and then go through a rigorous application process that involves recommendation letters, essays, group interviews, and individual interviews. This program is elite and only the highest achieving students qualify. The scholarship committee at WAHS selects our nominee. If you would like more information about the Jefferson Scholars Program you can find it here
This is a highly competitive scholarship. Typically, our nominee has over a weighted 4.4 GPA, has taken the highest-level classes in all areas, has a demonstrated record of leadership and accomplishment both in and out of school, and has maintained the highest standards of character during high school. If you would like to be considered for this scholarship you must complete the essay questions and upload a resume in the attached Google Form by 11:59pm Thursday Oct. 15th. The resume, essays, your transcript, and any experience we may have had with you while in high school will be reviewed by the scholarship committee as part of our voting process.
In house application
The UVA Walentas Scholars Program offers a full tuition and housing scholarship to approximately 45 incoming first year students to the University of Virginia. Applicants must first earn their school's singular nomination and then go through a rigorous application process that involves recommendation letters, essays, group interviews, and individual interviews. This program is unique because it is only awarded to students who are first generation college students. First generation college students are defined as students whose parents and grandparents did not complete college. If you are the first in your family to go to college, you are first generation college student. The scholarship committee at WAHS selects our singular nominee. If you would like more information about the Walentas Scholars Program you can find it here
This is a highly competitive scholarship. Typically, our nominee has over a 4.0 weighted GPA, has taken the highest-level classes in all areas, has a demonstrated record of leadership and accomplishment both in and out of school, has maintained the highest standards of character during high school, and is a first-generation college student. If you would like to be considered for this scholarship you must complete the essay question and submit a resume in the attached Google Form by 11:59pm Thursday, October 15th. The resume, essay, your transcript, and any experience we may have had with you while in high school will be reviewed by the scholarship committee as part of our voting process.
In house application:
Emily Couric Leadership Forum Award
The Emily Couric Leadership Forum offers an $18,000 scholarship to 9 graduating students who identify as female, one scholarship per school. The scholarship can be applied to any college or university. Applicants must first earn her school's singular nomination and then go through a rigorous application process that involves recommendation letters, essays, group interviews, and individual interviews. The Couric Leadership Forum then selects one winner for a $50,000 scholarship from the 9 high school winners. The scholarship committee at WAHS selects our singular nominee. Our nominee is guaranteed a scholarship. If you would like more information about the Emily Couric Leadership Forum Award you can find it here.
This is a highly competitive scholarship. The major focus of the Emily Couric Leadership Award is demonstrated leadership both in and out of school. Applicants must identify as female to qualify. If you would like to be considered for this scholarship you must complete the essay questions and upload your resume in the attached Google Form by 11:59pm Thursday, Oct. 15th. The resume, essays, your transcript, and any experience we may have had with you while in high school will be reviewed by the scholarship committee as part of our voting process.
In house application:
Indiana University Wells Scholars Program
The Wells Scholars Program is looking for outstanding students with exceptional academic accomplishments who have shown excellent leadership, significant commitment to extracurricular activities, a concern for their communities, and interest in the larger world.
Among the factors that will be considered are the student’s high school GPA and class rank, as well as the range and depth of academic courses taken; SAT and/or ACT scores; special academic honors and awards; unusual personal qualities as indicated by extracurricular activities, community service, or independent initiatives in any area; and exceptional talent in a specific area. There is, however, no rigid model for a Wells Scholar; and no single factor will determine the evaluation by our selection committee. If you apply Early Decision to another college, you are not eligible. WAHS is able to nominate 2 students to this program. If you become one of the WAHS nominees then you will go through a rigorous application process that involves recommendation letters, essays, group interviews, and individual interviews to compete to win the full tuition scholarship to Indiana University. Please complete this Google form with essays and resume no later than Tuesday, September 30th at 11:59pm.
Link to in house application
Davidson College invites high schools to nominate up to two students with extraordinary potential to compete for the John M. Belk Scholarship.
A candidate’s record and recommendations must demonstrate academic excellence and purposeful engagement beyond the classroom. While academic achievement is paramount, Belk Scholars also exhibit intellectual curiosity and a commitment to both their local and global communities.
The Belk Scholarship provides comprehensive funding plus special opportunity stipends that allow great flexibility in the on- and off-campus experiences scholars choose to explore. Those experiences, paired with our academic programs, deepen students' insight, maturity
and understanding of global issues. Website for more information about this program.
If interested, please fill out this Google Form by Thursday October 8th:
Other Scholarship Opportunities of Interest:
UNC Chapel HIll is pleased to announce that The Thomas Wolfe Scholarship for Creative Writing will open for applications on September 1, 2025. This scholarship provides full undergraduate funding for four years, including tuition, room and board, textbooks, and a new laptop, along with a $5,000 annual summer stipend to support the recipient’s creative work. The application process consists of two steps:
Step 1) Apply to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill by October 15, 2025.
Step 2) Apply to the Thomas Wolfe Scholarship by November 15, 2025. Students must apply to both the University and the Scholarship to be considered. Preliminary screening will be completed in January 2026, with final screening concluding in early March 2026. Three to five outstanding candidates will be interviewed virtually and a final decision will be made in early April 2026.
Complete information about The Thomas Wolfe Scholarship, including the application form, is available on the University's website. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].
The Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship:
Eligibility: US Citizen
Judging Criteria: Academics, Leadership, Service, Financial Need.
Applications can be found at
Awards between $4,000-$30,000
Deadline: Nov. 12th.
Application
The Flusche & Fitzgerald Undergrad Scholarship Contest Award: $500 scholarship
Deadline: NOVEMBER 30, 2025
Where to Apply: The Flusche & Fitzgerald Undergrad Scholarship Contest
Interested in Reserved Officer Training(ROTC) scholarships for one of the branches of the US Military? Check out this website to learn more about eligibility and the process of how to apply. This is an amazing opportunity to get your college paid for and start your career!
The Jefferson Scholars Program offers a full tuition and housing scholarship to approximately 45 incoming first year students to the University of Virginia. Applicants must first earn their school's nomination and then go through a rigorous application process that involves recommendation letters, essays, group interviews, and individual interviews. This program is elite and only the highest achieving students qualify. The scholarship committee at WAHS selects our nominee. If you would like more information about the Jefferson Scholars Program you can find it here
This is a highly competitive scholarship. Typically, our nominee has over a weighted 4.4 GPA, has taken the highest-level classes in all areas, has a demonstrated record of leadership and accomplishment both in and out of school, and has maintained the highest standards of character during high school. If you would like to be considered for this scholarship you must complete the essay questions and upload a resume in the attached Google Form by 11:59pm Thursday Oct. 15th. The resume, essays, your transcript, and any experience we may have had with you while in high school will be reviewed by the scholarship committee as part of our voting process.
In house application
The UVA Walentas Scholars Program offers a full tuition and housing scholarship to approximately 45 incoming first year students to the University of Virginia. Applicants must first earn their school's singular nomination and then go through a rigorous application process that involves recommendation letters, essays, group interviews, and individual interviews. This program is unique because it is only awarded to students who are first generation college students. First generation college students are defined as students whose parents and grandparents did not complete college. If you are the first in your family to go to college, you are first generation college student. The scholarship committee at WAHS selects our singular nominee. If you would like more information about the Walentas Scholars Program you can find it here
This is a highly competitive scholarship. Typically, our nominee has over a 4.0 weighted GPA, has taken the highest-level classes in all areas, has a demonstrated record of leadership and accomplishment both in and out of school, has maintained the highest standards of character during high school, and is a first-generation college student. If you would like to be considered for this scholarship you must complete the essay question and submit a resume in the attached Google Form by 11:59pm Thursday, October 15th. The resume, essay, your transcript, and any experience we may have had with you while in high school will be reviewed by the scholarship committee as part of our voting process.
In house application:
Emily Couric Leadership Forum Award
The Emily Couric Leadership Forum offers an $18,000 scholarship to 9 graduating students who identify as female, one scholarship per school. The scholarship can be applied to any college or university. Applicants must first earn her school's singular nomination and then go through a rigorous application process that involves recommendation letters, essays, group interviews, and individual interviews. The Couric Leadership Forum then selects one winner for a $50,000 scholarship from the 9 high school winners. The scholarship committee at WAHS selects our singular nominee. Our nominee is guaranteed a scholarship. If you would like more information about the Emily Couric Leadership Forum Award you can find it here.
This is a highly competitive scholarship. The major focus of the Emily Couric Leadership Award is demonstrated leadership both in and out of school. Applicants must identify as female to qualify. If you would like to be considered for this scholarship you must complete the essay questions and upload your resume in the attached Google Form by 11:59pm Thursday, Oct. 15th. The resume, essays, your transcript, and any experience we may have had with you while in high school will be reviewed by the scholarship committee as part of our voting process.
In house application:
Indiana University Wells Scholars Program
The Wells Scholars Program is looking for outstanding students with exceptional academic accomplishments who have shown excellent leadership, significant commitment to extracurricular activities, a concern for their communities, and interest in the larger world.
Among the factors that will be considered are the student’s high school GPA and class rank, as well as the range and depth of academic courses taken; SAT and/or ACT scores; special academic honors and awards; unusual personal qualities as indicated by extracurricular activities, community service, or independent initiatives in any area; and exceptional talent in a specific area. There is, however, no rigid model for a Wells Scholar; and no single factor will determine the evaluation by our selection committee. If you apply Early Decision to another college, you are not eligible. WAHS is able to nominate 2 students to this program. If you become one of the WAHS nominees then you will go through a rigorous application process that involves recommendation letters, essays, group interviews, and individual interviews to compete to win the full tuition scholarship to Indiana University. Please complete this Google form with essays and resume no later than Tuesday, September 30th at 11:59pm.
Link to in house application
Davidson College invites high schools to nominate up to two students with extraordinary potential to compete for the John M. Belk Scholarship.
A candidate’s record and recommendations must demonstrate academic excellence and purposeful engagement beyond the classroom. While academic achievement is paramount, Belk Scholars also exhibit intellectual curiosity and a commitment to both their local and global communities.
The Belk Scholarship provides comprehensive funding plus special opportunity stipends that allow great flexibility in the on- and off-campus experiences scholars choose to explore. Those experiences, paired with our academic programs, deepen students' insight, maturity
and understanding of global issues. Website for more information about this program.
If interested, please fill out this Google Form by Thursday October 8th:
Other Scholarship Opportunities of Interest:
UNC Chapel HIll is pleased to announce that The Thomas Wolfe Scholarship for Creative Writing will open for applications on September 1, 2025. This scholarship provides full undergraduate funding for four years, including tuition, room and board, textbooks, and a new laptop, along with a $5,000 annual summer stipend to support the recipient’s creative work. The application process consists of two steps:
Step 1) Apply to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill by October 15, 2025.
Step 2) Apply to the Thomas Wolfe Scholarship by November 15, 2025. Students must apply to both the University and the Scholarship to be considered. Preliminary screening will be completed in January 2026, with final screening concluding in early March 2026. Three to five outstanding candidates will be interviewed virtually and a final decision will be made in early April 2026.
Complete information about The Thomas Wolfe Scholarship, including the application form, is available on the University's website. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].
The Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship:
Eligibility: US Citizen
Judging Criteria: Academics, Leadership, Service, Financial Need.
Applications can be found at
Awards between $4,000-$30,000
Deadline: Nov. 12th.
Application
The Flusche & Fitzgerald Undergrad Scholarship Contest Award: $500 scholarship
Deadline: NOVEMBER 30, 2025
Where to Apply: The Flusche & Fitzgerald Undergrad Scholarship Contest
Interested in Reserved Officer Training(ROTC) scholarships for one of the branches of the US Military? Check out this website to learn more about eligibility and the process of how to apply. This is an amazing opportunity to get your college paid for and start your career!
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Self Care:
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Scholarships
Start Here:
JLV College Counseling Or Schools with Full Ride Merit Scholarships Bold has a $25,000 scholarship for people in high school and college. It's due 30 September The Jack Kent Cook Foundation offers up to $55,000 a year for outstanding students who have financial need. The deadline is 11 November. Regeneron Science Talent Search is on and they want to give you $250,000. That is not a typo! Get on it before the deadline of 5 November. Chick-fil-A has a scholarship program for people engaged in community service and who have financial need. It's worth $25,000 and the cycle closes on 3 November. Voice of Democracy invites you to submit an audio essay on "What a Veteran Taught Me About America." First prize is $35,000. Submit by 31 October. Stamps Scholars receive scholarships of $20,000-$98,000 per year depending on the college. This is an amazing merit based program. Deadlines vary by school. Questbridge is a program that connects outstanding students with financial need to colleges. It is a full tuition scholarship program. Apply by 30 September Coca Cola offers a $20,000 scholarship to students with financial need. Apply by 30 September. Dr. Pepper has a scholarship sweepstakes worth up to $10,000. Golden Doors is a scholarship program for students who are DACA eligible or undocumented. They partner with 21 different schools. There is career counseling, mentorship, and more. Apply by 1 October. Young Arts recognizes talented students in the visual, literary and performing arts. Submit your application by 8 October. The Jack Kent Cook Scholarship awards artists up to $10,000 for college. It's open to people 8-18 so get your fall app in! It's due by 15 November Do Good Things for PeopleSPARC of Hope is a suicide prevention program that hosts a 5K run/walk. It's 17 October at Zion Crossroads.
Sign up for the Cville Pride 5K Run/Walk on 26 September. Check out Cville Volunteer for ways to give back to our community. |
How to High School
Leadership
Students applying to honors societies, competitive schools, and scholarships are encouraged to show their “leadership.” This is especially true for scholarships like Emily Couric, Moorehead Cain, Jefferson, and Johnson. So what is leadership? And how do we show it?
Firstly it’s important to understand that leadership isn’t a title or a class. It’s actions. Leadership is about what you do, how you rise to the occasion, and solve problems. You can be a leader in just about any sphere you can think of. Showing “leadership” is hard if you haven’t got the characteristics of a leader and aren’t engaged in it.
Good leaders have many different traits. But some of the most important are these: Accountability, integrity, resilience, adaptability, confidence, ability to communicate, and being a good listener. Leaders take the initiative and own responsibility for their choices. They make sure that people are included and that they communicate effectively. Relationships are important to them and they make sure that they are building bridges.
It’s easy to look at someone else and think they were born this way, but these characteristics do not come naturally to anyone. They are habits we choose to have and cultivate. The way to become confident is to try things that are hard. The way to be resilient is to keep at it when we don’t succeed the first time. We learn communication by, well, communicating. Most notable about leaders is that when they make mistakes they learn from them, and readjust their goals. The reality is that becoming comfortable with failure is essential to good leadership. It’s also the only way to fix mistakes we make (and we all make mistakes!).
When asked to show your leadership qualities, think carefully about what you do and how you do it. Leadership doesn’t mean you have to be the captain of the team or the class president. You can show leadership at a job where you work with others and have made the work run more smoothly. You can show leadership by becoming a peer tutor and helping other struggling students learn material. You can show leadership through community service by taking on challenges and responsibilities. You can show it at home, in school, through sports, and in clubs.
But remember what you are showing isn’t the name of your position. It’s the actions you are engaged in and your understanding of your role in them. True leadership is often seen in people who have no title but who take on responsibilities without being asked. As more and more schools and scholarships ask about leadership traits you have, remember that it’s those traits you want to talk about. Being the president/captain/grand poo-bah alone isn’t enough. Take the time and really reflect on your actions. Actions always speak louder than words.
Firstly it’s important to understand that leadership isn’t a title or a class. It’s actions. Leadership is about what you do, how you rise to the occasion, and solve problems. You can be a leader in just about any sphere you can think of. Showing “leadership” is hard if you haven’t got the characteristics of a leader and aren’t engaged in it.
Good leaders have many different traits. But some of the most important are these: Accountability, integrity, resilience, adaptability, confidence, ability to communicate, and being a good listener. Leaders take the initiative and own responsibility for their choices. They make sure that people are included and that they communicate effectively. Relationships are important to them and they make sure that they are building bridges.
It’s easy to look at someone else and think they were born this way, but these characteristics do not come naturally to anyone. They are habits we choose to have and cultivate. The way to become confident is to try things that are hard. The way to be resilient is to keep at it when we don’t succeed the first time. We learn communication by, well, communicating. Most notable about leaders is that when they make mistakes they learn from them, and readjust their goals. The reality is that becoming comfortable with failure is essential to good leadership. It’s also the only way to fix mistakes we make (and we all make mistakes!).
When asked to show your leadership qualities, think carefully about what you do and how you do it. Leadership doesn’t mean you have to be the captain of the team or the class president. You can show leadership at a job where you work with others and have made the work run more smoothly. You can show leadership by becoming a peer tutor and helping other struggling students learn material. You can show leadership through community service by taking on challenges and responsibilities. You can show it at home, in school, through sports, and in clubs.
But remember what you are showing isn’t the name of your position. It’s the actions you are engaged in and your understanding of your role in them. True leadership is often seen in people who have no title but who take on responsibilities without being asked. As more and more schools and scholarships ask about leadership traits you have, remember that it’s those traits you want to talk about. Being the president/captain/grand poo-bah alone isn’t enough. Take the time and really reflect on your actions. Actions always speak louder than words.
"The Best School" and "The Best School for You" should be one and the same. You're not buying a pair of shoes. You're going to school for four years. Just because it's a good brand name, doesn't mean it fits you or that you're comfortable there.
College Corner
University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California
The Selectivity Game
This is an editorial by Jeffrey Selingo called “The College Game is Changing. It’s Still Rigged.” Selingo is the author of Who Gets In and Why and his newer book Dream School: Finding the College That’s Right for You. It should come as no surprise that I am a huge fan of him and his sensible and considered approach to identifying the right school for you.
If you read his editorial you’ll see that the response to schools getting more selective is to simply apply to more of the same schools. Ups your chances right? Well, no. In fact it does not. It definitely does turn up the stress level and the panic though.
Let me suggest another approach to thinking about applying to schools. If we all agree (and I think we pretty much do) that the “top 10%” of anything is the cream of the crop, what does this mean when we look at any field? Would you want your physician to be in the top 10% of doctors? Probably. (Of course, you do know what they call the physician who comes in last in their class? Answer: Doctor). Want your lawyer to be in the top 10%? Unquestionably. You’ve likely chosen this community because of the way the schools rank, quality of education, teaching, etc.
So why don’t we take this approach to colleges and universities? There are close to 6,000 institutions that are classified as being Title IV (meaning they are authorized to participate in the federal student aid program). Some of these are 4 year institutions (about 2700), some are 2 year (about 1500) and some are less than 2 year institutions which grant certifications, etc. (about 1600). Even if we only consider the 2700 schools which offer a 4 year Bachelor degree, the top 10% of them would equal 270 colleges.
For the most part when people talk about a “good school” one that is in the top 25 of US News’ Rankings (which do not get me started on how flawed those are!). But that number is only 1% of colleges in the US. Does that mean that those are the only schools who will provide a quality education? That is laughable! Is the education from NYU, University or Southern California, University of Texas Austin or Georgia Tech not quality? In the 2% category we include Virginia Tech, Northeastern, William and Mary, George Washington, and Penn State. What if we look at even lower down on that ladder? Clemson at 80, American at 91, and University of Colorado Boulder at 98. University of Vermont and South Carolina come in at 121 together, VCU is at 136. JMU at 148, DePaul at 165. All of these schools are still in the top 5% of universities in the country. It doesn’t even include the colleges. Does anyone think the education at Kenyon or Oberlin is terrible because they are in that top 2%? Trust me you will get a knockout education at Washington and Jefferson, St. John’s, or Sarah Lawrence as well.
Not only can you get an excellent education at any of those schools, but it is likely you will get other perks. Honors colleges, merit scholarships, special programming, and more can be found at many of these schools. You can often find a much more reasonably priced college experience, research opportunities, and close relationships with professors. This is how my daughter managed to go to an (expensive) college for the price of in state. Instead of going to Middlebury (number 19) she went to Macalester (number 26). There was no compromise whatsoever in her choice. In fact, because she was at Mac she was able to make some very important connections, study things she might not have known she wanted to, and had experiences that changed her views on the world. And if she’d chosen to go to Beloit (number 95) it would have cost us less than instate (not bitter at all nearly 10 years later. LOL!).
Don’t apply to more schools that are basically the same. Feel free to reach into the 100s and even 200s for schools that match you: your values, interests, pocketbook, and curiosity. It’s worth it. I promise.
If you read his editorial you’ll see that the response to schools getting more selective is to simply apply to more of the same schools. Ups your chances right? Well, no. In fact it does not. It definitely does turn up the stress level and the panic though.
Let me suggest another approach to thinking about applying to schools. If we all agree (and I think we pretty much do) that the “top 10%” of anything is the cream of the crop, what does this mean when we look at any field? Would you want your physician to be in the top 10% of doctors? Probably. (Of course, you do know what they call the physician who comes in last in their class? Answer: Doctor). Want your lawyer to be in the top 10%? Unquestionably. You’ve likely chosen this community because of the way the schools rank, quality of education, teaching, etc.
So why don’t we take this approach to colleges and universities? There are close to 6,000 institutions that are classified as being Title IV (meaning they are authorized to participate in the federal student aid program). Some of these are 4 year institutions (about 2700), some are 2 year (about 1500) and some are less than 2 year institutions which grant certifications, etc. (about 1600). Even if we only consider the 2700 schools which offer a 4 year Bachelor degree, the top 10% of them would equal 270 colleges.
For the most part when people talk about a “good school” one that is in the top 25 of US News’ Rankings (which do not get me started on how flawed those are!). But that number is only 1% of colleges in the US. Does that mean that those are the only schools who will provide a quality education? That is laughable! Is the education from NYU, University or Southern California, University of Texas Austin or Georgia Tech not quality? In the 2% category we include Virginia Tech, Northeastern, William and Mary, George Washington, and Penn State. What if we look at even lower down on that ladder? Clemson at 80, American at 91, and University of Colorado Boulder at 98. University of Vermont and South Carolina come in at 121 together, VCU is at 136. JMU at 148, DePaul at 165. All of these schools are still in the top 5% of universities in the country. It doesn’t even include the colleges. Does anyone think the education at Kenyon or Oberlin is terrible because they are in that top 2%? Trust me you will get a knockout education at Washington and Jefferson, St. John’s, or Sarah Lawrence as well.
Not only can you get an excellent education at any of those schools, but it is likely you will get other perks. Honors colleges, merit scholarships, special programming, and more can be found at many of these schools. You can often find a much more reasonably priced college experience, research opportunities, and close relationships with professors. This is how my daughter managed to go to an (expensive) college for the price of in state. Instead of going to Middlebury (number 19) she went to Macalester (number 26). There was no compromise whatsoever in her choice. In fact, because she was at Mac she was able to make some very important connections, study things she might not have known she wanted to, and had experiences that changed her views on the world. And if she’d chosen to go to Beloit (number 95) it would have cost us less than instate (not bitter at all nearly 10 years later. LOL!).
Don’t apply to more schools that are basically the same. Feel free to reach into the 100s and even 200s for schools that match you: your values, interests, pocketbook, and curiosity. It’s worth it. I promise.
Note to families:
The enrichment opportunities listed in The Thursday Round Up are provided for informational purposes only and are not sponsored nor supervised by Western Albemarle High School nor Albemarle County Public Schools. These programs may take place after school, on weekends, or during the summer. WAHS/ACPS does not monitor or oversee students’ participation in these programs and is not responsible for the programs, their providers, or any related activities. Parents/guardians are responsible for determining whether an opportunity is appropriate for their student and are strongly encouraged to accompany or chaperone their student at these programs. Families should independently review each opportunity, including its safety policies, supervision arrangements, and requirements, before participating.
The enrichment opportunities listed in The Thursday Round Up are provided for informational purposes only and are not sponsored nor supervised by Western Albemarle High School nor Albemarle County Public Schools. These programs may take place after school, on weekends, or during the summer. WAHS/ACPS does not monitor or oversee students’ participation in these programs and is not responsible for the programs, their providers, or any related activities. Parents/guardians are responsible for determining whether an opportunity is appropriate for their student and are strongly encouraged to accompany or chaperone their student at these programs. Families should independently review each opportunity, including its safety policies, supervision arrangements, and requirements, before participating.
