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The College Now program at UMass Dartmouth is much more than just an alternate admissions program—for many students, it’s a chance to realize their full potential and fulfill their dreams. The program, which accepts around 120 students each fall, is designed for high school seniors who have faced educational challenges due to economic and social barriers and cannot meet certain admission requirements at UMass.
While the students in the College Now program are a diverse group, coming from across the state and facing many different situations at home, they also share a lot of similarities: most were the first in their families to consider attending college; many feared that they weren’t “college material” for academic or social reasons; others worried that they could not afford college and were unsure of how to get financial aid. The
College Now program provides students like these with an alternative route that gives them the support and guidance they need to succeed.
One such student is Joshua Encarnacion, a sophomore at
UMass Dartmouth majoring in Human Resources Management. Joshua graduated from Springfield Central High in
Springfield, Massachusetts, in 2009. Despite the obstacles of attending an inner city school—Springfield has consistently been ranked as the state’s most violent city and Springfield
Central’s graduation rate was the second lowest in Massachusetts last year, at just 53%—Joshua does not look back unkindly at his high school experience. He does, however, feel that it failed to prepare him to transition directly to a 4-year college.
“While I gave credit to my high school for providing me with some skills necessary for college, I realized that they did not equip me with the study skills needed to be successful in all of my classes, and I felt that I would not meet the requirements needed to be accepted into UMass Dartmouth’s school of engineering, which was my top choice.”
Luckily, Joshua heard about the College Now program at a football recruiting meeting and felt that it would be a good fit for him.
The College Now program runs for six months in the fall semester, during which time students like Joshua learn skills essential to college success such as time management, notetaking, studying, writing and other areas of academic interest.
They also receive on-going support and guidance from College
Now advisors and peers on all aspects of college life, including personal and social concerns.
“The program has been amazing!” says Joshua. “In my first semester the required “Intro to the University” course completely set me up for success at the university, and afterwards, regular meetings with my advisors allowed me to stay motivated and involved. I’m proud to say they really accepted me as family and I couldn’t be any more grateful for the help and skills they gave me.”
One aspect of the program Joshua particularly appreciated was its focus on encouraging students to become part of the campus community.
“The program made us realize that being involved in the community could benefit us just as much as concentrating on studies,” says Joshua. “By taking on roles such resident assistant, admissions ambassador and orientation leader I have found that I really like working with people and helping them reach their goals and visions. I really like the idea of being a motivational speaker or maybe even a dean of students one day!” says Joshua.
Although he doesn’t know exactly what his future holds,
Joshua is optimistic.
“Honestly, at this point I don’t know where my studies are going to lead me,” says Joshua. “As I juggle schoolwork, oncampus leadership roles, work study, and friends and family,
I just plan to keep working hard and make my family proud doing what i believe in.”
Joshua has this advice to offer potential future College
Now students:
“The College Now program is a wonderful program and I would encourage anyone who feels they need that extra boost or additional support to apply. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t know exactly what to plan to do because the College
Now advisors will help you realize your potential and equip you with all the tools needed to be successful. It is okay to be afraid because it will be a new experience, but if you buy into everything College Now stands for you will find yourself working hard, creating beneficial relationships and most of all, having fun!”
1. Start early. The more time you have, the less stress you’ll have. And you’ll have plenty of time to give the essay your best effort.
2. Be yourself.
Take a moment to think about what interests you, what you love to talk about, what makes you sit up and take notice if it’s mentioned in class or on TV. Then write about it.
3. Be honest.
You’re running late (see #1), you can’t think of what to write—and someone e-mails you a heartwarming story. With just a tweak here and there, it could be a great essay, you think. It’s what you would have written if you’d just had enough time.
4. Take a risk. On the other hand, some risks can pay off. Don’t settle for the essay that everyone else is writing. Imagine an admission officer up late, reading the fiftieth essay of the day—yours. Do you want that person to nod off because he or she has already read ten essays on that topic?
5. Keep in focus. This is your chance to tell admission officers exactly why they should admit you.
Unfortunately, some students try to list every single reason—their stellar academic record, their athletic prowess, their community service—all in a page or two. When that happens, the essay looks like a grocery list.
6. Write and rewrite. Don’t try to write a masterpiece on your first try. It’s not possible—and all that pressure is likely to give you writer’s block. For your first draft, write anything that comes to mind about your topic. Don’t worry too much about grammar or spelling.
Just get it down on paper (or computer screen). Then let it “rest” for a few hours or a few days.
7. Get a second opinion.
Even best-selling novelists ask other people to read their manuscripts before they’re sent to the publisher. When you’ve rewritten the essay to your satisfaction, find someone who can give you advice on how to make it even better.
8. Proofread. Finally, you’re ready to send your essay. Not so fast! Read it over one more time, looking for those little errors that can creep in as you write or edit. If you’re using a computer, also run a spell check.
9. Don’t confuse applying online with sending e-mail. Applying online is just as serious as applying “the old-fashioned way.” It may feel like you’re sending e-mail, but you’re not.
Bridgewater State University
Admissions Office
508.531.1237
www.bridgew.edu
Bristol Community College
Admissions Office
508.678.2811 ext. 2516 www.bristol.mass.edu
Cape Cod Community College
Admissions Office
508.362.2131 ext.4311
www.capecod.mass.edu
Massasoit Community College
Admissions Office
508.588.9100 ext. 1411 www.massasoit.mass.edu
University of Massachusetts
Dartmouth
Admissions Office
285 Old Westport Road
No. Dartmouth, MA 02747
508.999.8605 / www.umassd.edu
UMass Dartmouth
Fall River Campus
139 Main Street
Fall River, MA 02721
508.678.3636
10. Don’t expect too much from an essay.
The application essay is important, but it’s not the only thing that is considered. “Can [the essay] make a difference in getting the ‘thin versus thick’ envelope?
Absolutely,” says Fuller. “But that is the exception rather than the rule.”
A great essay rarely makes up for a weak academic record. On the other hand, a mediocre essay won’t necessarily consign your application to the “deny” list. So make your essay as well-written as you can, but don’t put so much pressure on yourself that the rest of the application fades in importance.
Excerpts from an article by Jennifer Gross
Republished with permission. Copyright 2011.
National Association of College Admission Counseling