News

By Kristen Kaczynski
Director of Strategic Initiatives & Special Projects; College Counselor

Though the school year is over, the North Shore Country Day Class of 2026 is already hard at work preparing for senior year and ensuring their college applications are ready to submit this fall. Last week, the class met at our annual College Application Boot Camp. For two and a half days, rising seniors and their parents worked with admissions representatives from five colleges and universities. Over the course of the program, the participants formed a mock admissions committee and took a deep dive into how colleges make decisions. With this new perspective in mind, they also developed a stronger understanding of how to prepare their Common Applications, craft application essays and approach an admissions interview. As they head off campus for the rest of the summer, we offered them several recommendations to even better prepare for next fall:

• Continue your research: Reading guidebooks, participating in virtual visit opportunities that some colleges host, and talking with current students or alumni can broaden your understanding of each college, as can attending in-person visits. It is also not too late to explore additional colleges. We encourage North Shore students to finalize their application list at the end of September.

• Write your essay(s): The Boot Camp program led students through an essay brainstorming session that should give you a good starting point for crafting your personal statement. We ask that students submit a well-formed essay draft to us by August 1, allowing us to give you feedback before the start of the year. Once school is underway, your time for writing will be much more limited—getting your essay done this summer will offer you the time to craft a strong essay. 

• Create an organizational system for each college: Having a spreadsheet where you can record application requirements, key information about each college, and important dates and deadlines will allow you to stay organized and prepared to submit your application.

• Be active: Whether you attend a summer program or camp, work, volunteer, and/or just read, do something that is interesting to you this summer. “How did you spend your summer?” is a common admission interview question. As you might imagine, answers such as “I slept a lot” or “not much” do not make the impression that you might hope.

• Have fun: You can accomplish all of this and still have ample opportunity for a relaxing and enjoyable summer with your friends and family, especially if you do not procrastinate! Remember, we are here to help every step of the way!