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The college admission process can be confusing and overwhelming. There’s so much to learn and so many schools to explore. Where do you even begin?? We’re here to help make it easier! Reaching out to your admission counselor is a great way to demonstrate interest and learn more about a school, but you want to make sure you’re making a good first impression. Here are some tips to help you craft messages to admission counselors and determine the right questions to ask!

Start with an introspective process

Before you’re ready to reach out and ask questions, you need to determine what’s important to you and what you’re looking for in your college experience. Big or small? Rural or urban? Public or private? Determining the basic characteristics you desire in a school is a great first step to help narrow down your options. Make a list of what is important for you to know about each school and begin your search!

Do your own research before reaching out

University websites have an abundance of information. Spend time doing a deep dive into the website of each school on your list. Investigate the academic departments and student organizations that interest you. Try to answer the questions you posed to yourself in the step above before reaching out to have someone else answer them for you. Often, the answer to your questions can be found with a quick Google search, which is why your own initial research is much appreciated. and other social media platforms are another great way to learn more about a school, especially from the perspective of current students. The best questions students ask us are those that reveal that they have already put time and effort into learning more about Santa Clara on their own. Create questions that will provide you insight into experiences and stories rather than just the numbers or statistics. 

If you can’t find the answer online, who should you contact?

Ultimately, the website and other online resources will not be able to answer every question you have. At Santa Clara, each student has an admission counselor assigned to their high school based on geographic location. You can find your personal counselor here. Admission counselors are a great resource for questions about the application process or general information about the university. We are also happy to connect you with other departments across campus or current students. If we can’t answer your question, we’ll find someone who can!

Think critically and be specific

At this point, you should have your questions ready to go. You’ve done your own research and want to go beyond what’s listed online. I’ll let you in on a secret - one of our least favorite questions is “how is your “fill-in-the-blank” program?” A school is never going to tell you one of their departments is bad. Again, think more critically about what it is you want to know. Maybe, you want to connect with a student or professor from the department to learn about their specific experiences. Likely, they will be able to provide you with a more comprehensive sense of the department, rather than a bland statement saying that it’s simply “great.” Or, maybe you have a question about a program you saw on the website and want to learn how to get involved. Don’t be afraid to show us what you already know. Use these questions to find the essence of a Santa Clara experience and discover the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead. Ultimately, as a student, you’ll benefit most from the trip you took to Tanzania to study the environment or the electronic prosthetic hand you created with your fellow engineering classmates. These experiences are what make an academic department or student organization “great,” but you have to dig deeper with your questions to find out. 

Think before you send

Often, an email to an admission counselor is your first personal interaction with a university. As my parents always used to remind me, you only have one chance to make a good first impression. Read and reread your emails before sending. Is the message appropriate? Did you use proper grammar? Emails to anyone at your prospective university should be formal, not written like a text message. Use correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. True, an email isn’t a piece of your application, but it reflects your interest and effort in a similar way. Please make sure you’re addressing your message to the right person and university. It signals to us that you might be sending the same message to many schools if you don’t address us correctly. Additionally, be courteous of our time. As much as we love to help you, we have thousands of other students to help as well. Please try to limit yourself to no more than 5 questions per email (and that does not mean you should send 3 separate emails if you have more questions). Start with what you feel is most important. It may be easier to have a conversation on the phone if you have additional questions later. Finally, provide the recipient enough information to help you. Always include your full name and high school. Birthdate can also be a useful piece of information for a counselor to identify your file and application. Overall, be professional, be respectful, and be enthusiastic.

That’s it! You are all set to craft the perfect emails and learn the most useful and impactful information about Santa Clara, or any school you’re considering. Remember these tips to make a great first impression and signal to your admission counselor that you are interested and invested in their university. We look forward to receiving your wonderful emails in the future!