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Florida: 561-509-0021 |Colorado: 720-737-9944 |Nationwide: 833.MY.ESSAY.

Florida: 561-509-0021
Colorado: 720-737-9944 
Nationwide: 833.MY.ESSAY
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STEM COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PLANNING : INCREASING YOUR CHANCES – What Do College Admissions Reps Look for in STEM Applicants?

by | Aug 7, 2023 | College Admissions Planning, college applications, College Choice, College Essays, Common App 2023-24, common app college essay prompts 2022-23, Common App College Essay Prompts 2023-24, STEM, STEM college admissions, STEM College Admissions Help, STEM College Consultant, STEM College Planning, Undergraduate Admissions

HOW TO PREPARE FOR A STEM EDUCATION?

The nature of STEM fields continues to evolve. Advanced preparation for an undergraduate STEM major should include the following:

  • Mathematics: As noted, all STEM fields require a comfort and aptitude for quantitative analysis. High school coursework preparing you for Calculus & Statistics is advised.
  • All engineering programs have math pre-requisites preparing for advanced coursework. Pre-medical students will complete rigorous Chemistry classes requiring mathematics thru multi-variate calculus.  Business school students, especially those in Finance & Marketing should anticipate coursework in advanced statistics and calculus.
  • STEM AP/AICE coursework: STEM majors are more structured than others leaving few credits for exploration at the undergraduate level.  Achieving high (threshold) scores on AP STEM exams related to your chosen major not only enhances your admissions portfolio, but better prepares you for the challenging coursework ahead and leaves room to enroll in non-STEM electives/minors.
  • Challenge yourself to complete as many of these AP classes as possible during high school: Computer Science, Calculus BC, Biology, Chemistry, Physics C, Statistics
  • CODING:
 Multi-disciplinary problem-solving is typical in the fast-paced and incredibly competitive technical sector. Students in all fields, including video-gaming/artists, filmmakers, financial gurus and even aspiring physicians are at a competitive advantage having acquired basic programming skills.   Robotics and Artificial Intelligence continue to influence all fields. Understanding the basics of coding is essential to success in STEM and many disciplines. Have you considered “Computational Finance” or “Computational Biology” as potential majors?

STEM ADMISSIONS:

INCREASING YOUR CHANCES

First and foremost- be yourself because everyone else is taken! That’s not cliché-it is truly the most important piece of advice I can provide.
Discover an area that you are truly passionate about and dive in!  Demonstrate informed interest thru experiences.

STEM admissions is different!

How do you increase your chances of admissions?

College Consultant Bonnie Rabin with STEM student and College Admissions Acceptance Letters

Demonstrate “INFORMED INTEREST”!
More than any other major, STEM applicants must clearly demonstrate “informed interest”! Admissions officers don’t want to read an essay describing your fascination with Lego since childhood. In fact- beyond a sentence– your childhood is basically uninteresting in a STEM essay.  I have heard this over and over at admissions presentations. You have only 500 to 600 or so words to set yourself apart- show the aspiring competent STEM student you are now at 17/18 years old- truly no one wants will be impressed to read about your childhood.
Your application must leave no shadow of a doubt that you are prepared to succeed in some of the most demanding academic majors. STEM curriculum are intense and challenging!
An astounding 25% of all intended engineering students exit the field after their freshman year. Only 40% of college students who declare a STEM major complete their degree. Demonstrating you understand the challenges ahead is essential.
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STEM “informed interest” can be demonstrated through:
  • In addition to completion of AP STEM coursework, engage in sustained formal or informal STEM extracurricular activities and independent projects (we have plenty of ideas for an independent project)
  • STEM Research: participation in local, regional and national competitions working with our competition educator. (see my research page)
  • Thoughtful college specific supplemental essays showcasing maturity and self-directed exploration of a potential narrow area of interest (i.e. stochastic processes in Financial Modeling, Genomics, Artificial Intelligence applications to bio-diversity modelling, pharmaceutical development or language processing and interpretation.)
CONSIDER Applying to a cutting-edge, LESSOR KNOWN or BLENDED MAJOR — fewer applicants and perhaps you will really excel/enjoy these other potential paths.

STEM COLLEGE MAJORS  —

OUR STEM COLLEGE CLIENTS MAJOR IN TRADITIONAL AND CUTTING-AGE MAJORS:

Engineering (Mechanical, Aerospace, ECE, Civil), Computer Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Engineering Physics, Robotics, Data Analytics, Molecular Biology, Pre-Med, Game Design, Architecture, Animal Science, Zoology, Neuroscience, Computational Finance, Genetics, Cognitive Science, Computational Physics, Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Decision Sciences, Computational Biology, Financial Engineering, Industrial Design, Bio-Medical Engineering, Materials Science, Technical Writing, Technical Theater, Data Science, Actuarial Science, Environmental Science, Marine Biology, Architectural Engineering, Information Systems, Software Engineering, Physical Therapy, Nutrition, Nursing, Forensics, Biological Anthropology, Mathematical Economics, Artificial Intelligence, Bio-Ethics, Sound Engineering, Bio-Physics, Computer Music, Cyber-Security, Information Systems, Earth Science, Geology, Environmental Science/Engineering, Public Health, Infectious Disease and more!

Allow me to help you think outside the box, increasing your chances of admission. STEM majors such as Nanotechnology, Computational Finance, Oenology, Cognitive Psychology, Human Computer Interaction are just the tip of the iceberg of exciting STEM fields of study.
You’ve seen that bumper sticker: CO-EXIST!
Many colleges have unique programs balancing a STEM field with an interest in the social science, liberal arts, business or even the Fine Arts!
With the cost of a four-year education continuing to rise, families are justified in exploring the ROI of any major. Employers are seeking STEM graduates who demonstrate an ability to communicate, manage and collaborate with others.
Click and explore these three unique STEM degree programs combining engineering with liberal arts, fine arts and international studies!
Based on your academic strengths and personal interests, we will work together to create a personalized strategic STEM ADMISSIONS plan including:
  • Pre-college academic advising on coursework to not only increase your chances of admission, but ensure a seamless transition to your initial undergraduate experience. There’s more to STEM than “engineering”!
  • We’ll work together to identify and apply for highly competitive local and national STEM summer research programs. Our team has inside-knowledge of programs and faculty.

STEM RESEARCH COMPETITIONS for High School Students

  • Develop your unique research interests
  • Engage in competition
  • Present an effective admissions portfolio showcasing and distinguishing your strengths as an aspiring STEM student.
Why is participating in STEM research competition particularly important?
  • Enhance your high school STEM education!
  • Increase your chances of Admission!
  • By participating in a major STEM competition for high school students you are stepping out of the crowd of students having high GPAs and extensive extracurricular accomplishments.
  • Your Common Application will showcase formal and/or informal STEM research activities and competitions. Admissions representatives prefer students who have already demonstrated an ability to conduct independent research essential to the problem solving you’ll experience as a STEM undergraduate.
  • Through academic research (lab work, computer science programs/APPs, math competition),
  • STEM competition not only enhances your pre-college education, it effectively demonstrates an ability to accomplish a major task validating your creativity, independence and ability to see a task to completion.
  • It doesn’t matter whether you win first place at Intel – participation is impressive and unique!
We maintain an extensive database of available STEM based venues as well as ideas for feasible independent projects.
Think beyond FIRST Robotics, Science Olympiad or HOSA.
So much more awaits you….

STEM Research and COMPETITION SERVICES

(8th to 12th Grade)

  • Brainstorming and planning for STEM projects
  • Ongoing project support and execution
  • Identify appropriate competitions within our extensive database of STEM competition venues
  • Direction in choosing an appropriate summer research opportunity
  • Preparation and guidance of competition applications and ongoing review of a publishable, scientific research paper
  • Direction and evaluation of entry forms, research abstracts and essays for various competition venue
  • Assistance in preparation of paper and research abstract to showcase completed work for the college application process.
STEM Competitions — Sample
A SAMPLE OF SUPERVISED RESEARCH PROJECTS and SUCCESSFUL COMPETITIONS and VENUES:
  • 1st Place Intel Science Talent Search: “DNA-based Steganography”
  • Siemens: We Can Change the world Challenge: “100% algae based fuel converted to biodiesel used in a home heater”
  • Long Island Science and Engineering Fair: “The Evaluation of the Methodology of His-tagged ProteinExpression in Transfected Escherichia coli”
  • Exploravision national second place: REGENX: Human Limb Regenerative Protein Cocktail Injections.

STEPS TO INCREASING YOUR CHANCES OF STEM COLLEGE ADMISSIONS ACCEPTANCE and

FINDING YOUR PERFECT FIT!

Establish Educational Goals
Completing the most challenging and relevant coursework is the baseline for success as a STEM Student.
Admissions officers want to know how you honed your interest. Why did you select your major? If you can share specific details about the problem you want to solve and address how a given university will allow you to do so- you are more likely to receive serious consideration as not only a qualied applicant – but one who has demonstrated SELF- INFORMED interest.
A student’s initial exploration of the 4000 potential colleges shouldn’t be driven by name recognition but through a guided and purposeful exploration of college majors, followed by a review of the “social” fit.
Whether you love or hate science, want to change the world, enjoy drawing, solving problems, singing or surfing the web, a student’s passions and interests should ALWAYS direct the college research process.
College admissions representatives want to accept students who have done their homework and there’s authentic mutual-fit.
ASK THESE QUESTIONS OF YOURSELF.
  • What subjects do you really enjoy and do the concepts come naturally to you?
  • What are your personal strengths?
  • Are you a natural problem solver?
  • Are you creative?
  • Do you enjoy interactions with and helping others?  Most STEM essays ask about a collaborative experience.
  • Is having a broad based education important to you or would you rather prepare yourself for a very specific occupation (or be honest- income level)?  Some STEM programs require a solid core curriculum in the liberal arts- others do not. Think about your educational goals and explore the curriculum.
  • What types of news stories on your social media feeds do you actually gravitate towards?  Use that to deepen your direction towards finding a specific area of STEM that excites you- it’s probably multi-disciplinary.
Answering these questions helps you to navigate through the curriculum requirements for majors currently on your radar and those you haven’t yet considered.
Please learn about the faculty and their current research and describe this (briefly) in your college specific supplemental essays. Doing so will INCREASE YOUR CHANCES of Admission. For example, discuss Professor Gray’s recent work on genetics and relate her research to laboratory work you’ve enjoyed in your AP Biology class or a summer experience shadowing a physician or taking classes at the university level. In fact, are there faculty research groups engaged in the interesting questions you read about and explored in your own extracurricular HS experiences?
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Does your student have an Educational & College Admissions Plan? On Target?
Bonnie R. Rabin, Ph.D.
Personalized Educational & College Admissions Services
South Florida 561.509.0021
Boulder/Denver 720.737.9944
Nationwide Online 833.MY.ESSAY
www.collegecareerconsulting.com
Experience the Difference!
 Expert Knowledge & Caring Support
ACADEMIC & COLLEGE ADMISSIONS ADVISING WHEREVER YOU ARE
STEM, Business, Humanities, Creative Arts
IS YOUR STUDENT ON TARGET?
Joyful? Motivated?
Build your personalized Educational & College Admissions Plan!

College Consultant Bonnie Rabin with STEM student and College Admissions Acceptance Letters

Congrats!!! A SAMPLE of our recent College Acceptances Include:
UC Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon, UPenn, Princeton, Cornell, U. Michigan, Northwestern, Georgia Tech, Barnard, Columbia, Smith, Stanford, University of North Carolina, Vassar, Brown, Bowdoin, Wellesley, USC, Emory, U.Illinois, Notre Dame, NYU, Rice, University of Chicago, Washington University (WUSTL), Drexel, Tulane, London School of Economics, Purdue, Swarthmore, SCAD, Ohio, Georgetown, Hamilton, Reed, Miami, Johns Hopkins, University of Florida, University of Arizona, Penn State, Villanova, Northeastern, SUNY-ESF, St. Johns, Embry-Riddle, Colgate, Fordham, Columbia, Barnard, Syracuse, Swarthmore, Pittsburgh, Dickinson, Colorado, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Howard, Fordham, SUNY Stonybrook, Duke, Case Western, Rochester Institute of Technology, Parsons, Virginia Tech, Boston U., Hobart & William Smith, Claremont Mckenna, Davidson, Westpoint, Gettysburg, Amherst, Temple, Denison, Howard, UT Austin, SUNY-Binghamton, Hamilton, George Washington, American, Indiana, SMU, James Madison, and many more!…
WRITE YOUR STORY