Waiving SAT, ACT Causes Huge Uptick in Applications to Top Schools
Another casualty of the pandemic was the college application process for the class of 2025.
When social distancing measures resulted in students’ inability to sit for the SAT and ACT tests, many of the Ivies and other highly sought-after colleges decided not to use them as part of the calculus for admissions. This led thousands of students who otherwise would not have applied to do so, overwhelming admissions officers at campuses across the country and potentially creating a freshman class unlike previous ones.
© The Wall Street Journal
Without the test scores–which critics say favor students from wealthy households—admissions committees were forced to gauge a student’s potential for success at their institutions by relying on a more holistic approach, which may have benefitted non-traditional students.
Another factor affecting the profile of the class of 2025 is the broader pool of applicants. This application season allowed students from rural areas as well as Black and Latinx students to partake in virtual rather than in-person tours, further opening up the possibilities for a very different freshman class.
How this experiment will play out is anyone’s guess. Experts say colleges won’t know what their classes of 2025 will look like until enrollment begins for the fall semester.
Source: Korn, M., & Belkin, D. (2021, March 16). College admission season is crazier than ever. That could change who gets in. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from https//:www.wsj.com
Grab Hiring Managers’ Attention
When applying for a position, job hunters have to make a good impression instantly, and that means grabbing hiring managers’ attention with a compelling e-mail. Experts offer pointers about how to attract the right eyes to a job application e-mail.
- Craft a clear subject line. Don’t try for cute or catchy—indicate the exact job you’re going for.
- Address a specific person. Do the research to find the correct individual to read the e-mail. Dear Sir or Madam is a deal-killer to most hiring managers.
- Describe what you can provide. Hirers want to know what skills and talents a new-hire will bring to the position. Never write about what the job would do for your career.
- Show you want to work. Be enthusiastic about the company to which you are applying. Refer to an actual motivator that drew you to the organization, such as hearing an interview with the CEO, listening to a company executive’s speech, or admiring the firm’s involvement in the community.
- Customize each e-mail. Tailor your application e-mail to the specifics listed in the job spec. Never use a template when applying for a job.
Source: Leibowitz, S., Cheong, W., Teng, M. (2021, January 24). How to write an email that gets the hiring manager’s attention at your dream company. Business Insider. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com
Novel System Improves Note-Taking
Whether in a lecture or a meeting, taking meaningful notes can be challenging. Writer Ria Tagulinao came up with a system that may take you from gibberish to an organized way of revisiting details you want to remember.
Tagulinao divides her notes into four categories she labels “mind banks” and creates sections for each. She either divides one sheet of paper into four sections or uses notebook with tabs. When she takes notes, she puts information into the category that best represents what she wants to keep track of. Her four categories are:
Question bank—Ideas you didn’t understand or want to learn more about
Minutes bank—Important concepts, new ideas, factual information, quotations, or key takeaways
Idea bank—Aha! moments such as an idea for a new project or a thought about something you’re working on
Reaction bank—Opinions, thoughts, ideas that come as you listen
Note-taking not only serves as a repository for what was said. Research suggest that we retain information better when we handwrite our notes than when we type them in class using a notebook or laptop.
Tagulinao, R. (2020, October 14). A better note-taking system for your scattered brain. Forge.com. Retrieved from https://forge.medium.com
