🍦 Today's Scoops: How to approach 'quirky' prompts (Oct 2)

Good morning folks! Here’s what we have today:

1. Link Lounge Refresh

2. School of the Day: Harvard College, America’s oldest school

3. Admissions Blueprint: Approaching Quirky Prompts

LINK LOUNGE REFRESH
New Resources & Scholarships!

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays we will be updating the Link Lounge section with links to great resources such as scholarships and tools during the college application process. You’ll find it at the top of your email on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and near the bottom during the rest of the week.

Robertson Scholars Program - Full-ride scholarship to Duke or UNC, if you get into either school

College Confidential - Anonymous data on college applications from other students

(NEW) r/ApplyingToCollege - The official subreddit for applying to college. Vent about how you’re doing in the process, read other people’s rants, and learn new information about the process.

(NEW) ImmigrantsRising Scholarship List - List of scholarships that don’t require proof of U.S. citizenship

SCHOOL OF THE DAY
Harvard College

Every day, we cover a different school, helping you learn something new about your favorite schools or find a new school that could end up being your dream school.

📍 Location: Cambridge, MA
🎓 Undergraduates Enrolled: 7,240
📊 Acceptance Rate: 3.2%
📝 Average SAT/ACT: 1550/35
💸 Cost: $55,656
📅 Admission Options: Restrictive Early Action (Nov 1), Regular Decision (Jan 1)
🏆 Top Ranking Programs: Economics (#5), Psychology (#2) (US News)
📈 Most Popular Majors: Social Sciences (29%), Biological and Biomedical Sciences (12%), Mathematics and Statistics (11%) (US News)

Pros:

📜 Deep Historical Roots: Founded in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher education in the U.S. Its legacy is interwoven with American history, and it continues to shape leaders in every field. Imagine walking the same paths as John Adams, FDR, and Barack Obama!

🧠 Unmatched Academic Flexibility: Harvard’s General Education program allows students to explore diverse fields beyond their major, encouraging interdisciplinary learning. Whether you want to study neuroscience or ethnic studies, the flexibility means you can combine interests easily more about Gen Ed.

🌍 Global Network & Alumni Impact: With over 400,000 alumni worldwide, the Harvard network is a powerful tool for career advancement, mentorship, and collaboration. From Nobel laureates to Fortune 500 CEOs, the possibilities are endless with connections like these! Explore their alumni stories.

🔬 Cutting-Edge Research Opportunities: Harvard offers world-class labs, research institutes, and faculty partnerships. If you’re a curious mind, you’ll have access to incredible research facilities—like the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering or the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Dive into Harvard’s research.

📚 Harvard Library System: It’s the largest academic library system in the world, boasting over 20 million volumes. If you love books or research, this is paradise. You can access rare collections that date back centuries Check out the Harvard libraries.

Cons:

🏙️ Urban Stress: Being located in Cambridge, just minutes from Boston, means a fast-paced, intense urban environment. For those who prefer quieter, more relaxed settings, the hustle and bustle might feel overwhelming at times More about Cambridge life.

💼 Pressure & Competition: While the opportunities are endless, the expectations are high. Harvard is known for its competitive environment, where students can often feel the pressure to perform. For some, the competitive spirit drives them forward; for others, it can be draining. Read about Harvard’s student support services.

💸 Cost of Living: Harvard’s generous financial aid policies help many students, but living in Cambridge can still be very expensive. Rent, dining, and other costs add up quickly, especially in one of the nation’s priciest regions. Check out Harvard’s financial aid.

🤝 Large Class Sizes in Intro Courses: While Harvard prides itself on offering intimate seminars, introductory courses in popular majors like economics or computer science can have hundreds of students. This might make it harder to form close relationships with professors early on. Learn about class sizes.

SCOOP’S SPECIAL
We’re Hiring!

We’ve spent this last month getting our content down, figuring out what topics and formatting help you readers the most. Now, we’re looking to expand, and share our content out there. To do this, we’re looking for curious and dedicated high schoolers to join our team.

If you’re interested in joining our team, apply here.

Here’s the specific roles we have open:

• Content Writers

  • You don’t have to be amazing at writing, just be interested in researching and learning new things about college and sharing those findings with others

  • Takes 15-25 minutes a day, around 2.5 hours a week

  • Great opportunity to learn more about the admissions process, work on your writing skills, and understand the responsibilities that come with writing content read by 1k+ readers every morning

• Social Media Manager

  • We’re trying to market our newsletter and get new signups by sharing our content on TikTok, LinkedIn, and Instagram

  • Ideally, we would have one person manage all three accounts, maintaining different personalities on each (understanding you can’t post the same stuff on LinkedIn as Instagram/TikTok)

  • Great opportunity to get experience making content interacted with by 10k+ viewers

ADMISSIONS BLUEPRINT
Approaching Quirky Prompts

College admissions can throw some truly unexpected essay questions your way. Whether it’s USC’s 11 rapid-fire personality questions or UChicago’s famously creative prompts, these quirky questions give you a unique opportunity to show who you are beyond the numbers. Here’s how to approach them:

🧠 Embrace Your Authenticity

These prompts are designed to make you think, so don’t be afraid to show off your real personality! Whether it’s a favorite book, an unusual talent, or even a quirky habit—be honest and let your uniqueness shine. Admissions officers want to get to know the “you” behind the application.

🎨 Get Creative with Your Response

Quirky prompts almost always invite creativity. Whether you’re writing about a superpower you’d like to have or constructing an argument for a hypothetical situation, try to think outside the box. UChicago, for instance, encourages playful responses—so don’t hold back! Have fun with the prompt and take a few risks.

👀 Focus on Storytelling

Everyone loves a good story. Whether it’s a personal anecdote, a made-up scenario, or even something wild, a quirky prompt is your chance to craft a memorable narrative. Start by thinking of the stories you’d love to tell, and then see how they can fit into the question.

💡 Stay True to the Prompt’s Intent

While creativity is key, don’t lose sight of the prompt. Colleges like UMD sometimes ask questions that seem simple on the surface but are trying to understand deeper motivations or characteristics. Always tie your creative approach back to what the school might be trying to learn about you.

✍️ Use Humor—If It’s You

Some quirky prompts practically beg for humor, but don’t force it. If you’re naturally funny, use that to your advantage. If humor isn’t your style, that’s okay too. There are plenty of ways to be interesting, thoughtful, or offbeat without having to crack a joke.

🎯 Answer with Purpose

Even though the prompt might seem offbeat, your answer should still reflect who you are and why you’d be a great fit for the school. Use these questions as another way to highlight your values, interests, or skills that might not be fully explored elsewhere in your application.

🔗 Look for Clues in the Prompt

Some schools use quirky prompts to see how well you align with their culture. For example, UChicago is known for its intellectual curiosity and unconventional thinking. Consider what the school values and let that guide your response.

💬 Get Feedback

Before you submit, get a second opinion on your essay. Sometimes a quirky prompt can lead you down a creative rabbit hole that might be a little too far out there! A fresh set of eyes can help ensure your response still reads clearly and makes an impact.

DAILY DEADLINE UPDATES
Oct 15 is just 2 weeks away!

In the Daily Deadlines section, we will keep you updated on upcoming deadlines in the college admissions world. Remember to not procrastinate and stay ahead of these deadlines!

University of Texas/UNC Chapel Hill Early Action Deadline: October 15
Most ED, REA & EA Deadlines: November 1

THE ARCHIVE
Looking for past mailings?

You can view all our previous posts at our website at https://scholarscoops.beehiiv.com

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