Hello, i am currently a high school junior. The two schools i am seriously considering are the University of Michigan and Michigan State. I want to email my regional counselors for these schools and introduce myself so when i send in my application next year, theyll recognize my name.
Except, how do i do this?? Obviously its a very delicate thing because you dont want to sound too casual or too cocky, and you dont want to brag about your accomplishments or beg to be accepted. I wish i could meet them in person to make a proper impression, but unforntuately i dont think thats possible (unless someone has any tips on how to meet them in person and can help me out!)
So what should i say in my email rather than my name and my high school? how do i show them that im in love with their school without sounding like im trying to suck up to them to be accepted? Should i tell them about my high school accomplishments, my intended major, or…??? My original plan was to email them just to ask a question about the admissions process, but im starting to think that a formal introduction about myself would be a better idea.
Also, should i email them periodically over the summer to keep them updated on what im doing (im doing a summer program at UofM and taking 2 psych classes at my local community college) , or would that just annoy them?
Thanks
I would be careful about engaging with them like this. Unless you have serious questions or concerns about your application or the universities, I would not just introduce yourself over email. I do not have much experience with this, so if someone else here says otherwise, they may be more credible.
That’s why I’m hesitant to send one, I don’t know anyone personally who’s sent them emails (maybe I should ask a few kids who were accepted) but on a few “college advice” videos on YouTube, people have suggested emailing the counsellors so that’s where I got the idea.
If they haven’t visited your school, reach out to them with genuine questions about admissions, your interests and opportunities at the school, and life at the college. They really do love hearing from and engaging students in their region that are interested in their school.
MSU and UMich admissions officers have no need to get to know anyone personally. The best thing for you to do is apply. You don’t need to “show interest” either – it seems like you’re a MI resident. Your app is the sole determinant barring some unique hook.
D has just had a series of back and forth emails with her regional admin officer from MSU. The AO seemed very happy to help out after she met him at a college fair. Just don’t make it forced. Do you feel you are a borderline candidate? Even so, I wouldn’t worry too much about not striking up a relationship.
An email after meeting them at a college fair or visiting campus is fine; an email with a genuine question (that can’t easily be answered on the school website) is also fine. I would NOT email them periodically with updates. Developing a relationship with an ad com is more for smaller colleges where applicants’ demonstrated interest is tracked.
the largest school either of my daughters applied to was 16,000, so much smaller than these two schools, but both sent emails introducing themselves to all their adcoms when they first applied and then another reiterating their interest after first semester report cards came out and I truly think this was a strong reason they got in to so many of their top choices. I assume at bigger schools there are more adcoms so it may not be that a counselor is necessarily dealing with that many more prospective students than one at a smaller school may be. In any event a friendly email introducing yourself and mentioning how much you want to attend their school can never hurt. Just don’t overdo it.
For huge state schools such as UM and MSU I wouldn’t bother doing that. The chances that they will remember you come decision given the huge volume of applicants time is infinitesimal.