More Than a Test Score

There are a ton of tips and articles out there helping you to navigate your college admissions process. Whenever we can, we like making you aware of the ones we find to be the most poignant and of most affect. The Daily Beast reports on how one such tip, “demonstrating interest”, can be a late-in-the-game win for your application.

Most of what goes into your college app is written in the history books by the time you actually apply–your test scores, GPA, service and experiences. One of the few things that matters in the present is how you indicate your level of interest to the school.  Signaling your interest, or demonstrating interest, can come by attending events, writing a personalized thank you note, or other thoughtful ways.

“A report put out by the National Association for College Admission Counseling found that the percentage of colleges rating demonstrated interest as a “considerably important factor” increased from 7 percent to 21 percent from 2003 to 2006. It’s held steady at about 20 percent since that time. In 2008, the last year data were available, that 20 percent made demonstrated interest more important than class rank and the interview.”

Top 5 ways to “demonstrate interest” as reported by The Daily Beast:

- Take all opportunities to demonstrate interest
- Focus on demonstrating interest at the schools where it counts most
- Students should demonstrate interest–not parents
- Make interest undeniable and clear in your application
- Don’t become a pest

Winners are coming in like crazy around here. Congratulations to the Weekly “Three Sentence Essay” Scholarship winner, Luis Catacora! With an inspiring and heartfelt essay like his, he was sure to win.

Here is his winning essay:

My role model, the goals my family and I have accomplished, and my bright future. My dad is my role model, once a struggling Hispanic, now a proud American citizen who created a better life for himself and his family. I hope to make him and my family proud in college, with help.

Here is a little more about our winner:

I really, really, really love this electronic era full of top-notch technology and mind-boggling scientific discoveries. I understand that family is important and believe that I am extremely gifted to have such a loving/caring family that ALWAYS supports me in times of happiness and in the other extreme. I firmly believe that one should take FULL advantage at whatever education/enlightenment there is to offer.

Here are a few runner-ups:

Derek Shaffer: Motivation is music that immediately catches the ear and captivates the mind. Motivation is a tune that takes days to get out of your subconscious and years to forget. Music creates feelings and emotions that drive me to new possibilities, and refresh my life until the next tune.

Mei Ng: Music, the arts and other medias filled with passion motivates me the most. When people show others all the effort they put into a project, it inspires and motivates me greatly. Passionate moments, passionate people–passion is the key to motivation and the first steps.

Kayley Angele: I am motivated to beat my personal best. I block out the success and achievements of others and focus solely on myself. There is always room for self improvement and I am motivated to constantly raise the bar.

Arabel Hector: People who do the right thing motivate me. My failures motivate me. Wanting a better life for myself motivates me. Nature motivates me. People’s mistakes motivate me. The tiny slivers of hope left in the world motivate me. Because of these things, I’m determined to do my best.

Chelsea Coffey: My grandmother, Maureen, is my motivation to achieve anything and do anything in my life. After she lost both of her legs from cancer, by sheer will power, she was walking with prosthetics within the year. The fact that she never gave up, motivates me to keep trying my best.

Arielle Bass: The prospect of discovering the cure for my father’s physical and mental disabilities motivates me to excel in school. I recognize all obstacles as merely minor stops on the path to truth and a renewal of his former character, failing to feel discouraged in the face of adversity.

$1,000 winners are chosen every week so take the opportunity to submit your 2-3 sentence essay and maybe you’ll be next.

We’ve got another winner! Congratulations to the Weekly “Three Sentence Essay” Scholarship winner, Michael Hatch! His essay made us confident that we were awarding the right person.

Here is his winning essay:

America is the paragon of tolerance in all forms. When Muslim and Christian can pray in adjacent buildings peacefully, we can be proud of ourselves. Where the poor and the wealthy can live without barbed wire or riots, they enjoy a life not shared by those in any other nation.

Here is a little more about our winner:

I’m a very hard working student, and I’ve managed to remain near the top of my class while participating in varsity sports, ASB and community service. I’m a member of the local Fire Explorer’s Post, and I’ve attended the Rotary Club Pathways to Peace Model United Nations for two years, and plan on attending again. I’m also very well-read; I’ve read everything from Nietzche to Chesterton, Ayn Rand to C.S. Lewis. I am currently reading works by Barack Obama and Margaret Thatcher, and plan on moving to Thomas Hobbs and John Locke next. I hope to either become a doctor or join the state department.

Here is one of the runner-ups:

Shelby McCowan: America is best at racial tolerance with many leaps, such as electing minorities to high places and judging them by their actions. America is worst at religious tolerance with the debate over the mosque at ground zero. Sadly, many believe radicals are the main Islam group but they’re not.

Want the opportunity to win $1,000 for college? Enter this week’s essay and you could!

The college admissions process is hard enough without you shooting yourself in the foot.

Zinch’s very own Steve Cohen, college admissions’ mastermind, having authored the largest-selling book ever written on college admissions, Getting In!, recently articulated the top 10 mistakes to avoid when applying for school.

The top three mistakes to avoid:

1. Mistake: Keep Your College Search Narrowly Focused.
2. Mistake: “Top” College Lists Matter.
3. Mistake: Colleges Are Looking for Well-rounded Students.

Save yourself the heartache and read the full article, 10 Costly Mistakes in College Admissions, on Forbes.

Syllabi have been passed out, backpacks have been stuffed to the brim and new friendships are already blossoming. It sounds like the new school year is in full bloom. What better a way to start off the academic year than to give one lucky student the chance to win a free laptop from HP?

Today we’re announcing our top 64 applicants from the HP Academy Laptop Scholarship: How Amazing Are You? contest. They’re the top students whose Zinch profiles blew us away and now they have the opportunity to win a great new laptop just in time for classes. We’re doing things March Madnezz-style, so we’ll start out with 64, but in the end we’ll have one very lucky winner.

You know what that means–they need your help to make it on to the next round! Vote for the most amazing talents and help someone win a sweet new laptop!

And if you’re haven’t already signed up for a student discount at HP Academy, sign up here for a free account.