How To Charm College Representatives
A guide on how to make an unforgettable first impression and secure acceptance.
If you are a senior at a large high school, chances are you have had at least one college send over a representative to lead an informational meeting. These meetings are seen as a chance for students to learn about educational options after high school, but I see it as an opportunity to get the college’s attention. Here’s a guide on how to do so.
Take Copious Notes
Through a thirty-plus minute informational meeting, it can be hard to stay engaged. The average teenage dumb ass typically can’t comprehend information for a sustained amount of time before drifting to a different, likely meaningless, thought. Taking extensive notes forces you to focus throughout the whole meeting. It also shows the college representatives and your classmates how dedicated of a student you are. I am typically the center of attention at these meetings by frantically scribbling notes on any tidbit of information I learn in my notebook. I plan to use an old fashioned, extremely loud typewriter to take my notes in the future to make my presence heard by all whether they like it or not.
Run a Background Check
Before the meeting, learn any and everything about the representative coming to your school through finding and looking through their social media pages. I tend to do this with most people I cross paths with. Having some knowledge on the person makes it easier to chit chat with them once the meeting has ended. Ice breakers like “congrats on your cousin Kathleen getting married” and “I saw you had foot surgery last month, how’s your recovery going?” are a great and friendly way to get a conversation going.
Play Hard to Get
Wooing over a college is much like winning over a lover. I understand that my audience may not be as well versed in this as I am, so I’ll break it down. When talking to representatives, be friendly, but assure them that their school is simply another safety in a long list of colleges you are applying to.
Create a Fake Legacy Family Member
When talking to the college representatives, make sure to mention that a grandparent of yours attended and worked for said college. Obviously this isn’t true, but it will make you stand out regardless. Here’s an example I used the other day: “I’m sure you’ve heard of my great grandfather Johnny Brooks, who won a Nobel Peace Prize for his groundbreaking research in psychology while teaching at (College name)”. Very rarely will the representatives question the validity of your supposed grandparent. Most of the time they will nod their head, acting as if they are obviously aware of this non-existent person.
Give Them Your Business Card
Give them your business card after you are done talking to your representative. This gives the college an easy way to contact you for interviews and free merchandise in the hope of winning you over. If you haven’t made a business card yet, heres mine for reference.
I hope this guide helps you. I know that this is a stressful time for seniors applying to colleges, but you will get through it! Keep the tactics I shared in mind the next time a college visits your school, and I wish you luck!
