The College Essay

Bernadette Bechta: Blackboard Basics

This time of year is sometimes called the college application season. Seniors are feverishly working on them while balancing difficult classes and showcasing their baseball skills. The college essay seems to be the stumbling block. When a senior sits down to write their essay, they stare at a blank screen or paper for a long time and just can’t seem to get started. This is understandable because the essay does have an impact on their acceptance or rejection. For some stellar students, a poorly written essay can raise doubts on your suitability despite good GPA and SAT/ACT scores. A borderline student can capitalize with an engaging essay that stands out and helps them avoid getting cut.

So, what is the purpose of the college essay?

The college essay must be authentic, engaging, and error-free. The application process includes your GPA, a measure of your high school performance. Next, the SAT/ACT examines your critical thinking skills and gives the college another indicator of your potential success in college. An Academic Resume allows you to summarize your extracurricular involvement, skills, hobbies, and goals. The Letters of Recommendations validate your academic performance in the classroom. Teachers will write about your potential and evaluate you in relation to other students they teach. The college essay, however, is your opportunity to give the Admissions Committee insight to your personality, your character, your own personal journey. It may take many forms. Finding the right topic is the first crucial step. Keep in mind that the essay should be “a slice of life” rather than a summary. Your resume is the summary; the essay is a close up of an activity, a relationship, a victory or a defeat. You want to stay away from the typical essay topics. That is, your homerun in a big game, the buzzer beater to win the championship, explanation for your bad grades, and essays about relationships with people that rarely mention you. Remember, the essay is supposed to make the reader want to meet you.

I remember attending a presentation for a top notch university and someone in the audience asked the Admissions Counselor about the best essay he read this year. He replied that the question was “Tell us about one of your collections.” A potential applicant replied that she had a collection of paperclips that she collected over her high school career that symbolized different accomplishments, obstacles. She had a color code for them. At the end of high school, she arranged them into a sculpture and that is what she wrote in her essay. I was stunned at first, but when the Counselor said she sent a photo of the collection and he couldn’t wait to meet her, it made sense. So that is the first goal. Your essay should be sincere and make the reader want to meet you. Let’s examine some other dos and don’ts.

1. Do pick a topic that shows your passion. You can write about baseball, football, your sister, your Eagle Scout Project, your summer internship, really anything, but it must be written to show passion and detail about some aspect of this activity.

2. Do include some specifics. One essay question that intrigued me was “Write about page 268 of your 500 page autobiography.” Perhaps there is a single incident that you could detail. Include some dialog. Describe the setting. Tell the impact the scenario had on you. This is the purpose of the essay question.

3. Do check your spelling and grammar. Several times. Also, have at least two people review your essay and critique it. Don’t be overly sensitive. It is an important part of the editing process.

4. Do watch your word count. Most essays need to be between 300 and 750 words. Each application tells you the limit. Adhere to this limit; otherwise, your essay will truncate when the school prints it out. Be mindful of this as you write. Get your ideas down the first time, and then consolidate your ideas and sentences into more concise sentences.

5. Don’t include all your extracurricular activities in your essay. Your resume and application detail those elements. Instead choose a single topic.

6. Don’t be too trivial. A little humor is fine, but don’t overdo it. Your topic can be light but be respectful of the purpose here.

7. Don’t include essays that reveal controversial topics like religion, politics, personal stands on war, abortion, etc. You could subconsciously alienate the reader.

8. Don’t write about your grandmother, grandfather, sister, brother, and not define what impact they had on you. Although the committee is glad to see your have had good relationships with your family, they want to know something about you.

9. Don’t be a braggart. Somehow find a way to incorporate your success into a meaningful story.

10. Don’t use too many commonly used words. There are some overused words you should avoid. These words include some of the following: amazing, awesome, bad, beautiful, big, good, great, happy, interesting, nice, quite, really, so, very, well.

As you write your college essay, try not to consider it a chore. It really is a blank canvas that you can create in any direction you choose. Just follow the do’s and don’ts and you will be proud of your finished product. Also, remember that an important essay like this can take several hours. Few people can write a polished essay the night before an application is due. Use the tools provided in Microsoft Word: word count, spelling and grammar checks, and the thesaurus, Good luck to you!



Bernadette Bechta serves as the main academic contact for all players and parents in Baseball Factory's Exclusive Program. With over 20 years of experience as a teacher and advisor at the high school level, Bernadette will provide families with guidance on topics ranging from application essays to financial aid. In addition, Bernadette’s two sons have both gone through the Exclusive Program, so she knows the ins and outs of the process from a parent’s perspective.

How to Have a Productive Summer

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

Are you having a productive summer? The months of June, July and August provide players with an abundance of time to work on many aspects of their game. Unfortunately, very few players take advantage of this extra free time and let their game suffer in different areas. If you have a game plan and set some goals for yourself, you can give yourself a lot of separation from other players.

So, what can you be doing today that will get you ahead of the pack tomorrow? Before I run down a possible “to do” list, I think it’s important to emphasize, above all else, balance in the summer schedule. Too much focus on one area can cause just as many problems as not putting in any effort at all.

The majority of the summer should be spent on, of course, improving your game. You should always strive to play at the highest level possible, while at the same time ensuring that you’ll get the necessary reps and exposure. On top of that, summer ball is a good time to try different things and get reps at new positions.

A lot of players make the mistake of concentrating too much on tournaments, camps and showcases, and forget about the endless process of conditioning and training. Getting plenty of reps on the field will allow you to stay fresh with your bat and glove, but unless you continue to put in time in the gym, you can easily get out of shape and suffer a setback or injury.

One of the most overlooked areas that recruits can work on is their academics. After all, who wants to think about books in the summer? While you don’t have to work through a summer school course, you can really help yourself by putting some time aside each week in preparation for the SATs or ACTs. Even if you’ve already taken the test once, you can put yourself in a better position by working to improve your scores by 100 points. The summer is also an excellent opportunity to work on upcoming admissions essays. Ideally, you should brainstorm for a creative essay, a “why you want to attend” essay and a “tell us about yourself” essay.

Finally, rising seniors should try to create a mock “college” schedule that they can follow to prepare for the life of a college student-athlete. Many players struggle at the college level not so much by the competition they face, but by the rigors of early classes and training in the morning. Time management can really make the difference between a starter, a bench player or a spectator, and the more practice you have at this, the more success you’ll have at the next level. While you know your schedule best, don’t be afraid to work with your parents and friends currently in college to develop an efficient schedule.

The key to having a productive summer and reaching any goals we set for ourselves is to have a game plan. By making yourself aware of what needs to be accomplished over, you can set reasonable benchmarks and improve your chances of getting the most out of your free time. If anything, game plans will ensure that, among the travel, tournaments and practices, you may be able to have some fun this summer!

Kelly Kulina is the Senior Vice President of College Recruiting at Baseball Factory. Kulina is a former Associate Head Coach and recruiting coordinator with the University of Maryland. As a former recruiting coordinator for ten years in the ACC, Kulina has vast contacts and is widely respected throughout the nation. From 1989 to 2000, Kulina coached 46 players who were selected in the MLB draft.

Boost Your Mental Acuity!

Bernadette Bechta: Blackboard Basics

Summer reading lists can cause groans among high school students. However, the time you spend reading and preparing for standardized tests over the summer can drastically improve your performance in the fall and spring test dates. During the summer months your mind is free from homework, tests, and the daily school routine, so it is the best time to improve your reading and testing skills.

Proper preparation certainly has its rewards! One of my most memorable students is one who could not afford to enroll in a SAT prep class yet needed a high score to receive an academic scholarship. Instead, she decided to read at least 20 books each summer to improve her comprehension skills and vocabulary. The result: a perfect SAT score (1600/1600), a college scholarship, a fellowship for her Ph.D. She is now a Professor at a prestigious university. The lesson here is to visit the library often this summer; checkout books on various topics, look for audio tapes for those baseball trips and college visits, and practice, practice, practice for those SAT tests.

There are several approaches to SAT preparation.

1. If your schedule and budget permits, you can enroll in a SAT prep class that meets your schedule. However, check out the references, ask questions, and determine if the class format meets your learning style. Look for a program with flexible makeup dates that coincide with your summer baseball schedule.
2. If you are disciplined with your time, you can work with SAT Prep books. This can be an effective strategy that allows for flexibility. However, you must work on a regular basis (at least 6 hours/week in the summer), and take Practice Tests and analyze the results. I surveyed my students and included some of my favorites, so here is a list of what I consider to be the best SAT Prep books on the market right now: Bernadette's Favorite Summer SAT Prep Books and a Few Others.
3. Hire a one-on-one tutor. This approach always helps the student who is trying to improve their score to a certain level. A tutor can personalize your approach to the test and help you to analyze your previous scores.

Additionally, while you are visiting colleges this summer and driving to showcases, camps, and clinics, try reading one of these books, mostly sports topics, for pleasure.

Great Sports Stories and more...

Consider reading to be your summer workout for the mind. When you go to the gym, stop at the library. When you pack your baseball bag for a trip, toss in an audio tape or SAT prep book. Give up an hour of ESPN each day to work in your SAT Prep book. The results in the fall will show in your mental acuity; that is, a buff mind!

Bernadette Bechta serves as the main academic contact for all players and parents in Baseball Factory's Exclusive Program. With over 20 years of experience as a teacher and advisor at the high school level, Bernadette will provide families with guidance on topics ranging from application essays to financial aid. In addition, Bernadette’s two sons have both gone through the Exclusive Program, so she knows the ins and outs of the process from a parent’s perspective.

Be a Closer!

Bernadette Bechta: Blackboard Basics

Spring is an exciting time of year! High school seniors are preparing for graduation, Advanced Placement tests, and their Senior Prom. Underclassmen will take state-required assessment tests that determine graduation eligibility. They hope to get their driver’s license and strive to have a strong junior season. Spring sports’ news and scores fill the morning and afternoon announcements. Spring fever definitely hits many student athletes right about now. Many teachers can be heard discussing the fact that athletes care more about their ERAs than their GPAs. This is also a dangerous time for student-athletes. Keep the basics in mind as you close this school year:

• It is more important to be a ‘finisher’ as well as a ‘starter’. Your end of the year grades are the ones that end up on your transcript. Do what you need to do in the fourth quarter and final exam to secure the grade you need and want. Visit the Guidance Counselor to help you determine the needed grades.

• Advocate for yourself with teachers. If you are struggling in a class, stop in after school on a regular basis to ask your teacher questions. Schedule an appointment on the day before a test to seek extra help. Teachers admire this trait in students and coaches will understand if you tell them ahead of time.

• Manage your time. Sometimes when you are in-season with a sport, you have to prepare ahead of time. If you know you will have a test on Friday, do some preparation on Sunday. Read the textbook and make notes so that you can review before the test. Your weeknights can be stressful with practice and games, so you must use your weekend time wisely.

• Keep track of your grades. If necessary, use a grade sheet to record each assignment and ask the teacher to record your grade at the end of each week. You will soon learn the importance of each assignment and recognize how a quarter grade evolves over a period of time.

• Stay focused on your goals, both academic and athletic. Don’t let anyone or anything distract you. Summer will soon be here and you will have time then to catch up with your social activities.

• Treat your teachers, coaches, parents, staff, classmates, teammates and yourself with respect. You will soon be asking for letters of recommendation and they are an important part of your application. Coaches will soon be selecting team captains for next year. You will be remembered tomorrow for who you are today!

Remember, it’s the score at the end of the game, not the end of an inning that determines the winner of a baseball game. There are many championship teams that get off to a slow start, yet finish strong to earn a postseason berth. A team’s record at the end of a season is what determines whether they qualify for playoffs. So, whether you are closing the school year as a sophomore, junior, or senior, each academic milestone builds into your student record.

Successful students complete their homework every day, they prepare for test day, and strive to perform well on the last exam. The same is true for baseball players. They practice hard, play to win each pitch, make each play without error, hit every ball hard, and try to make a difference on a team in every game. Everyone wants to end the season on a win. Try to be the “Closer” who cares about the ERA, as well as their GPA, SAT, and class rank.

Bernadette Bechta serves as the main academic contact for all players and parents in Baseball Factory's Exclusive Program. With over 20 years of experience as a teacher and advisor at the high school level, Bernadette will provide families with guidance on topics ranging from application essays to financial aid. In addition, Bernadette’s two sons have both gone through the Exclusive Program, so she knows the ins and outs of the process from a parent’s perspective.

Invest in the Tests

Bernadette Bechta: Blackboard Basics

In the spring, students feel the anxiety of testing. Some students are preparing for the Advanced Placement (AP) tests in various subjects while others are preparing to take the SATs/ACTs for the first time as a junior. The SAT Subject tests are also taken in the spring and are required at about 150 colleges around the country. What do all these tests mean for the prospective college applicant?

Let’s start with the AP test. If you are enrolled in an AP class, an International Baccalaureate (IB) program, or if you are taking a rigorous Honors class and study from an AP test book, you should consider taking the spring tests. A score of 4 or 5 at many schools could yield college credit. If you calculate the internal rate of return on this $75.00 investment (cost of the test), you could realize quite a return on this investment. Having a course or two “on the bench” as a reserve could help you as you meet graduation requirements with a busy baseball schedule. An individual course at college ranges from $1000 to $5000. That’s a good call for any high school student. If you are successful in these classes and perform well on the tests, this is a good indicator to a college that you are well trained and capable of college work.

I often receive questions from parents about the SAT vs. the ACT. Let’s compare them. The SAT test lasts approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes and includes an essay. The essay is scored by two or more readers who grade your essay from 2-12 with 12 being the highest score. Practice and preparation can help your score on the SAT test and random guessing will penalize you. The maximum score for the SAT is 2400 with a grade for Math, Critical Reading, and Writing and a separate score for the essay. The recommended strategy is to take the test two or three times. The College Board publishes a book, The Official SAT Study Guide for the New SAT, which has eight practice tests. It is a good study tool.

The ACT is well known in the Midwest and the South. It has sections in Math, Reading, English, Science Reasoning and an Optional Essay. The maximum score is 36 and the essay is scored on the same scale as the SAT from 2-12. The test lasts 3 hours without an essay and 3 hours 45 minutes including the essay. There is no penalty for random guessing. The ACT has traditionally been known as more content-oriented than the SAT. The questions are linked more to the high school curriculum than to critical thinking and problem solving. Check with your Guidance Office for preferences at individual schools.

Finally, if some of the selective colleges on your list require the SAT Subject tests, consider taking them in May/June as you finish a class. The test consists of three one-hour tests. These are content-based tests, designed to measure a student’s mastery of a specific subject. Test prep books and software programs can help with preparation. New research shows that these tests are a better indicator of academic success than the traditional SAT because they are directly related to curriculum.

As you can see, testing is an entire subject in itself. The expression "No Pain, No Gain" applies here as you prepare for all of these tests. Your time and effort could yield you great returns. The Dean of Admissions at Rollins College gave a candid response to the question, “How much do tests count?” He said, “At most institutions, standardized test scores count less than students think and more than colleges are willing to admit.” However, keep in mind that testing is only one part of the evaluation process. Your GPA, extracurricular activities, special talents, and service are also important. For more information, check out College Board or ACT.


Bernadette Bechta serves as the main academic contact for all players and parents in Baseball Factory's Exclusive Program. With over 20 years of experience as a teacher and advisor at the high school level, Bernadette will provide families with guidance on topics ranging from application essays to financial aid. In addition, Bernadette’s two sons have both gone through the Exclusive Program so she knows the ins and outs of the process from a parent’s perspective.