College Admissions Expert Elizabeth Levine: How’s that in box looking lately?
How’s that in box looking lately?
| 21 Nov 2019 | 03:15
Elizabeth Levine
Attention all rising seniors (And juniors, you listen up too!)!
Receiving all of your texts and reading them within minutes, if not seconds, of when they arrive, wanting to be 100% sure that you don’t miss something very important that may come across that messaging screen of yours? I’m sure you are doing the same with your email as well, right?!? No? Could that be?
Well, if you’re a rising senior (and rising junior’s, listen up, it’s never too early to get into this habit) and not religiously reviewing all of your emails in your in box every day, you better start now, otherwise you may have significant regrets down the road.
I have worked with over 250 families, and that means 250+ high school graduates, and from the moment they start working with me I begin the process of training them to check their email in box on at least a daily basis. Why do I say this? Well, let’s lay this out:
1. First and foremost, CLEAN OUT THAT IN BOX! You have received probably thousands of emails from a million different colleges and you are probably like many of your peers who haven’t deleted 1 of them. See #2.
2. Why do you need to delete them? I’m all about getting rid of the clutter. Clutter only clouds your view, makes life seem overwhelming and, most importantly can mask the very important items that are imperative you read and act on. I would say 99%, if not 100%, of the emails you receive from colleges are marketing material and, although you are special, these emails are mass marketing efforts. See #3.
3. Now that you have gone through your email and deleted ALL of those useless emails, you now can manage your inbox on a daily basis, deleting useless and junk emails and reading and acting on the important ones every day. See #4
4. What can be the important ones, especially for you rising seniors? Your teachers, your guidance counselor, your recommenders, your college counselor, your essay coach, just to name a few, will be sending you emails that are pertinent to college. Yes, YOUR college journey. Not your mom or dad’s, yours! See #5
5. Here’s the really important piece of information. When you start to apply to your colleges, you WILL be receiving emails confirming that your application was received and, with many colleges, asked to set up a portal so you can check on the status of your application. This is crucial! This is the place where you will be able to see what information they are missing to begin reviewing your application and know, for sure, that everything has been received. It will also be the place where you may receive your acceptance and follow up information on next steps. See #6.
6. I will tell you that your email is where colleges will be communicating with you. And, if you don’t check your emails on a daily basis, or God forbid, not at all, you will miss very important information they are wanting to convey onto you, that can mean the difference between acceptance or rejection on your application. See #7 and my final point (Well, as far as this post goes).
7. It’s time to take the steps to become an adult. EMail will be a mainstay in your life and will be a critical part to your success, in college and beyond, or not, if you choose to ignore this very sound advice. There’s no better time than today to make your life better and more productive.
I will now get off of my soap box but don’t tell me, down the road, that I didn’t forewarn you to start doing this now, and I mean now, this minute. I’ve seen too many blank stares coming back at me from my students from emails that I sent to them with critical information that were never read. I happen to copy their parents on every email but colleges won’t and, certainly once you get to college, you are on your own and, once you get into the real world, no one waits for you.
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If you have any questions about the college admissions process or the above information please do not hesitate to contact me at info@signaturecollegecounseling.com or by phone, 845.551.6946.