Explain Fully on a Separate Sheet: The Special Circumstances Essay - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Explain Fully on a Separate Sheet: The Special Circumstances Essay

Hanna Stotland, Admissions Consultant HECA Fall Conference, Portland June 17, 2013

Hanna Stotland

Hanna Stotland

• Flunked out of Francis Parker; G.E.D.

Hanna Stotland

• Flunked out of Francis Parker; G.E.D.
• Harvard College Class of 1999
• Harvard Law School Class of 2002

Hanna Stotland

• Flunked out of Francis Parker; G.E.D.
• Harvard College Class of 1999
• Harvard Law School Class of 2002
• Counseling since 1998

Hanna Stotland

• Flunked out of Francis Parker; G.E.D.
• Harvard College Class of 1999
• Harvard Law School Class of 2002
• Counseling since 1998
• Specialize in working with kids who

have lost their way or ruined their records

Who is in the room?

• Counseling for how many years?
• Supported a student writing this

kind of essay?

• Admissions officers who have

evaluated them?

What needs explaining?

• Psychiatric issues
• Eating disorders, depression,

anxiety

• School discipline
• Criminal record
• Substance use/abuse
• Family crisis
• Prolonged absence

Should I refer?

• This is not Consulting 101
• Trust your gut
• What is your knowledge level

about their particular problem?

• These clients are not a good

fit for less experienced consultants

• Who else is on the team?

Initial Considerations

• Is this student ready for college?

Initial Considerations

• Is this student ready for college?
• Would I want my child to be his/

her roommate?

Initial Considerations

• Is this student ready for college?
• Would I want my child to be his/

her roommate?

• Think 5-10 years down the road

Initial Considerations

• Is this student ready for college?
• Would I want my child to be his/

her roommate?

• Think 5-10 years down the road
• Is the record rehabilitated?

Initial Considerations

• Is this student ready for college?
• Would I want my child to be his/

her roommate?

• Think 5-10 years down the road
• Is the record rehabilitated?
• YOUR integrity/reputation

Criminal Questions

• Think like a lawyer.

Criminal Questions

• Think like a lawyer.
• Advocate, not judge.

Criminal Questions

• Think like a lawyer.
• Advocate, not judge.
• Guilty people need help, too.

Criminal Questions

• Think like a lawyer.
• Advocate, not judge.
• Guilty people need help, too.
• Tell our side of the story

honestly.

Criminal Questions

• Think like a lawyer.
• Advocate, not judge.
• Guilty people need help, too.
• Tell our side of the story

honestly.

• If your client has a lawyer, talk to

the lawyer.

Criminal Questions

• Think like a lawyer.
• Advocate, not judge.
• Guilty people need help, too.
• Tell our side of the story

honestly.

• If your client has a lawyer, talk to

the lawyer.

• If it’s too tough, refer.

Should you include the supplement?

• Will this be disclosed

elsewhere?

• Missing pieces
• Schools’ liability
• Ethical considerations
• Student’s true story

Getting started

• Trust with student

and family

• Start with a lengthy

confession/memoir and find the essay

Rule 1

• It’s about the

recovery, not the problem.

Rule 2

• Everything was

completely your fault, even if it wasn’t.*

*Except where criminal liability is in doubt

Rule 3

• Come clean

completely.

Rule 4

• Pity can be given,

but not requested.

Rule 5

• Remember your

audience.

Rule 6

• Your application

should not repeat itself, but it should rhyme.

Rule 7

• It’s still an essay.

Make it good.

• Go small
• Form over content
• Write what you know
• Omit needless words
• Structure
• Etc.

Success Stories

• Eating disorder,

voluntary disclosure, Wellesley

• Rebellion,

emancipation, Hampshire, Yale Law

• Cheating, G.E.D.,

transfer, Cornell

You CAN start over

You CAN start over

• No asterisk on my

degree

You CAN start over

• No asterisk on my

degree

• Imagine your tenth

reunion

You CAN start over

• No asterisk on my

degree

• Imagine your tenth

reunion

• America gets this

right.