As all of you 06'ers know, college application season is now in full effect. Like many of you I am spending time on retaking tests, working, filling out applications, scholarships and everything else in between.As we do all of this new issues are arisin'.
Right now, I am preparing to write my essays, something I originally planned to do in the summer. One of my top priority essays is for Spelman---my problem is that I don't know which one to write. When I say "which one" I am speaking of one of the following:
1) the essay Spelman asks you write you submit an online application or
2) One of the Common application essay questions (Spelman is one of 277 colleges that accept
the "Common Application.")
I want to complete the application that has the best essay questions.
Does anyone know what Spelman's online application essay is? I'm directing this question primarily at the 06' class (high school) because it would be most accurate. They (Spelman) might've changed the question from last year.
I have called Spelman's Admission office several times, and the officers I spoke with did not now what the online essay was. I was told it was different from the hardcopy.
I do not want to create an account on Spelman's Bannerweb/Online Application System until I am ready to apply. For this reason, I cannot find out the essay question that way.
Any relevant info would be highly appreciated!
Peace
I'm currently a freshman at Spelman and I advise you to go ahead and register to complete an online application on bannerweb. You don't need to have all your materials in order to use the system...you can go back and modify or add any information to any section that you want--until you hit that 'submit' button, no one will see your information. I submitted my application online and I preferred that because I was able to track whether or not they had reviewed my application. So my future Spelman sister, go ahead and sign up for an online app--that way you can see wut the essay question is and get started on applying! I wish you luck in the app process!
I'm currently a freshman at Spelman and I advise you to go ahead and register to complete an online application on bannerweb. You don't need to have all your materials in order to use the system...you can go back and modify or add any information to any section that you want--until you hit that 'submit' button, no one will see your information. I submitted my application online and I preferred that because I was able to track whether or not they had reviewed my application. So my future Spelman sister, go ahead and sign up for an online app--that way you can see wut the essay question is and get started on applying! I wish you luck in the app process!
Thanks sis. I will go ahead and submit online b/c as you pointed out, I can track what they've received.
If I'm not mistaken, the application fee is less. I found your reply helpful in that you confirmed I can go
back and edit my application. I wasn't sure if I had to complete the application in one sitting and if the admission
officers has access to a new user's account.
~Peace!
I'm also a new freshman at Spelman College. Spelman actually has a choice of 4 essays to write and I believe that you write 2 of them. One of them wont be that long actually so its not that bad.
.. I think the internet option is great and everything but my school encourages us not to apply that way becuase it is difficult for the counselor to see what we are doing but I guess everyone's situation is differnt... am applying to Spelman as well and these are the Essay options that was able to choose from:
• Identify a social or political issue that concerns you, and explain what action you have taken in your community to address it.
• Please discuss why you wish to study at a liberal arts college. Furthermore, why do you wish to study specifically at
Spelman College?
• In your 17 or 18 years of life, in what do you place the highest value, what is your passion, and what do you have a
commitment towards? Explain why.
• What cultural work (a specific work of literature, art, dance, music, or science) has had a significant effect on your life?
Name that work and describe its impact?
Suggested length: 500 words.
I went with option three because it fit me the best personally out of all of the others... I am applying for early action so I in the final stages of completing my application... if you have any questions feel free to PM me BlakStar ... I may be able to help you out. But good luck girl ! =]
Thanks to juiCy_SweEts and every one else who replied. I'm applying early action as well and I plan to be finished with my application by October 29. The early action deadline is November 15 and I wanted my application (teacher recs., etc) completed and turned in at least a month before the deadline, but that was yesterday and there is still work to be done.
Only a month ago, including when I first made this post, I was pro-paper application and anti-online application. That has changed though- at least for Spelman.
I’ve read “Black Excel’s Black Student’s Guide To College’s by Isaac Black,” “The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College” by Jacques Steinberg, and “Admissions Confidential: An Insider's Account of the Elite College Selection Process” by Rachel Toor. I have also been on numerous websites about the application process and I have thoroughly read the special college magazines US Business and Newsweek put out last year. As far as the essays go I have read Collegeboard’s “The College Application Essay” by Sarah Myers-McGinty.
I've also visited several colleges and listen to admission officers speak.
That being said, I feel I do not need my counselor's guidance with my application. She has been helpful to me, but not necessarily in this area. She has helped with the dual enrollment and is usually available when I need to see her, but as far a all-college related things, I had to figure everything out through seeing examples of essays, reading books and finding out the "dos and don'ts."
A few weeks ago I found out that Spelman’s hardcopy application could be downloaded (pdf) from their website here. The essay questions are similar to the one’s juicy_sweets posted. The essay questions are:
-Identify a social or political issue that concerns you, and explain what action you have taken in your community to address it.
-For Honors Program Applicants Only- In 500 words or less, agree or disagree with this quotation, “No one can rule guiltlessly.” Louis-Saint Just (1767-1794)
-In your 17 or 18 years of life, in what do you place the highest value, what is your passion, and what do you have a commitment towards? Explain why.
-What cultural work (a specific work of literature, art, dance, music, or science) has had a significant effect on your life? Name that work and describe its impact?
Suggested length: 500 words.
The application can be downloaded here: http://spelman.edu/students/prospective/getting_in/pdf/application.pdfThe essay questions for the Common App are:
1. Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
2. Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you
3. Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence
4. Describe a character in fiction, an historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.
5. A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
6. Topic of your choice.
The online essay questions are:
-Identify a social or political issue that concerns you, and explain what action you have taken in your community to address it.
-What will you contribute to the Spelman community and what do you expect to receive from your Spelman experience?
-What is the funniest incident that has happened to you and what did you learn from it?
-What cultural work (a specific work of literature, art, dance, music, or science) has had a significant effect on your life? Name that work and describe its impact.
-Optional Essay: Are there any special circumstances regarding your personal or academic background that would assist us in evaluation of your application?
I’m doing option two (“What will you contribute…”)
Good luck to all!
Just visited Spelman College last week... it exeeded my Expectations by far... I spoke with Ms Johnson(admissions board member) and she said that the application deadline had been extended due to the large number of applicants applying in Louisiana (by extending the deadline it would allow those affected by Hurrican Katrina to apply) so if you want to Spelman for for early action and missed the deadline (this is to anyone who cares) you can still apply because the deadline has been extended :-) yae! Good luck everyone
-(helle
