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.

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.

Back to School

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

September is back to school month here in MD. The start of a new academic year is a chance for each student to recommit himself in the classroom. It is also a chance to set some academic goals and strive for strong performance.

As parents, it is a really good time to sit down and develop an academic game-plan with your son. List your child’s classes on a piece of paper and have him write down the grade he thinks he can get if he gives it a 100% effort. At the end of the semester/marking period, pull out the goals and see how he performed. Try to hold him to this high standard of excellence he has set for himself.

Here are a few key points to consider as you are building an academic game-plan and considering NCAA eligibility rules:

1. Core Courses – NCAA Division I requires 16 core courses as of Aug 1, 2008. NCAA Division II requires 14 core courses as of Aug 1, 2008. Division II will require 16 core courses as of Aug 1, 2013.

For Division I you will need 4 years of English, 3 years of math (Algebra I or higher), 2 years of natural science/physical science (one must be a lab science), 1 year of additional English, Math, or Science, 2 years of social studies, 4 years of additional core courses (from any area listed above, or from foreign language, non-doctrinal religion or philosophy)

For Division II you will need 3 years of English, 2 years of math (Algebra I or higher), 2 years of natural science/physical science (one must be a lab science), 2 year of additional English, Math, or Science, 2 years of social studies, 3 years of additional core courses (from any area listed above, or from foreign language, non-doctrinal religion or philosophy)

Please note that electives do not count towards your NCAA GPA eligibility!

2. Test Scores:

Division I has a sliding scale for test score and grade-point average. The higher the SAT/ACT score, the lower the GPA can be.

Division II has a minimum SAT score requirement of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68.

The SAT score used for NCAA purposes includes only the critical reading and math sections. The writing section of the SAT is not used.

The ACT score used for NCAA purposes is a sum of the four sections on the ACT: English, mathematics, reading and science.

All SAT and ACT scores must be reported directly to the NCAA Eligibility Center by the testing agency. Test scores that appear on transcripts will not be used. When registering for the SAT or ACT, use the Eligibility Center code of 9999 to make sure the score is reported to the Eligibility Center.

3. Grade-Point Average:
As stated above, only core courses are used in the calculation of the grade-point average.

Be sure to look at your high school’s list of NCAA-approved core courses on the Eligibility Center's Web site to make certain that courses being taken have been approved as core courses. The Web site is http://www.ncaaclearinghouse.net/.

Division I grade-point-average requirements start as low as 2.0 but require SAT scores as high as 1010 (Math/Critical Reading).

The Division II grade-point-average requirement is a minimum of 2.000.

For more info on these topics, visit http://www.ncaa.org/

Good luck to all the students starting a fresh academic year. Remember, college coaches are recruiting Students First and Athletes Second. It is never too late for students to commit themselves in the classroom!

Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.