Consequently, many educational institutions are both making changes to their admissions processes and placing increasing emphasis on personal interviews. MIT (MA), for instance, now has its interviewers rank applicants from 1 to 5 on how the student would “fit” the university. Other schools are supercharging the interview process. The University of Rochester (NY) will interview 2,000 applicants this year compared to about 200 last year, and Illinois Wesleyan University is offering $200 travel vouchers to low-income applicants so that they can interview on campus. The University of Denver reveals only an applicant’s name to interviewers, to eliminate academic achievement bias. One new question they ask: “Tell us about a time you interacted with someone different from you.” It is a far cry from, “Why do you want to go to college?”(Business & Finance, 2007)

Personal interviews are a key to entry into universities. Students who can passionately articulate their dreams and ambitions are more likely to gain entry into the institution of their choice. The interview is an opportunity to explain detours in record and prove you are the kind of person the schools want and need. Demonstrating energy and enthusiasm for your academics and extracurricular activities indicates to your alumni interviewer or Dean that you will transfer that energy and desire for success to the academic setting.

Unfortunately, many students are unable to present themselves and their attributes in a favorable light. It seems a simple task-to be excited about one’s fine academic records and extracurricular activities. Nevertheless, if you are afraid to speak out your interview can be a disaster. It doesn’t matter if you are eight or eighty: speaking in front of any audience can be frightening.

People who experience public speaking anxiety admit their concern that they will be embarrassed if they speak. “I am so afraid I will make a mistake and look stupid during my interview. It’s really scary,” said Vancouver High School student Kristina Robbins “I need to get into a good university and I want to be perfect.”

The history and cause of public speaking fear and anxiety is frequently associated with a previously upsetting or humiliating public speaking experience. While many adults suffer from this same fear they have often received training or objective feedback from friends or colleagues and have the skills to conquer their fear. Studies have shown these students often have low self-esteem.

In addition to the debilitating emotional aspects of this phobia, students can also suffer from physical symptoms as well. “My hands get so cold and clammy and I feel like I could faint,” adds Kristina. “My voice is shaky and I sweat.”

The bottom line is students are under enormous pressure to succeed and this pressure adds to their fear and discomfort in college interviews. They can feel short of breath, dizzy, upset stomach, and extreme forgetfulness.

The good news for students experiencing public speaking anxiety is that there is much you can do to quell fear and hone skills. I have frequently helped students conquer their fears, ace their interview and give great oral presentations with proper preparation. They feel increased comfort in front of their audience and use their fear to energize the interview. An oratory class or training is an excellent choice to refine these important skills; however, many students do not have the resources to work with a professional. However students can utilize a few simple steps combined with careful choice of topic, preparation, and practice and be ready to dazzle an audience.

The following are a few tips that can help students prepare for interviews and public speaking events.

How to Prepare for an Oral Presentation

• Most importantly, remember to breathe. Take in a good breath before you start. This will calm your nerves and allow you time to organize your thoughts. Begin on a positive note without apologies.
• Make sure your voice reflects enthusiasm and Smile (a lot).
• Ask questions about the organization-they want to know that you are interested in learning.
• Make eye contact.
• Tell a personal story – pick one in advance that will highlight your best qualities
• Prepare an activity sheet listing your accomplishments, hobbies, goals, and dreams.
• Prepare a short speech about yourself and practice in front of friends, family or a recorder. It is best not to memorize this piece. It is a guide. In addition, practice for interviews by answering a list of potential questions. Every little bit prepares and calms you.
• Allow your personality to shine. Incidentally, the best public speakers practice too.

Pamela Hart is Founder of Release Your Voice, a Public Speaking and Leadership Training Company.

Harvard University

You aced your SATs and your GPA is 4.0. Do you think you can get into Harvard or Yale? If you don’t excel in sports and if your father is not a senator, your admission might be subject to a number of arbitrary whims, including the side effects of food poisoning.

Don’t read that previous paragraph wrong, however; high test scores and grade point averages are important for admission as well as for financial aid. But, admission offices also seek interesting and personable essays and students who follow instructions. Apply to at least five or more schools if you can afford the admission fees, and set your sites on some rewarding challenges outside the Ivy League circle.

The latter advice comes on the heels of the release of 2009 admission statistics. While the top ten schools listed below may seem a repeat from previous years, a few changes occurred. For instance, in 2008, Yale came in first as the most difficult school to enter with an admission rate of 9.9 percent. While that percentage is higher than this year’s admission percentage of 9.6 percent, Harvard outstripped Yale with 9 percent acceptance rate this year, compared to an admittance rate of 10.3 percent in 2008.

Granted both percentages are better than last year’s Julliard School’s admission rate of 6.4 percent, yet tighter than Caltech (California Institute of Technology) at 15.3 percent in 2009; but, the presumption for this article is that you plan to attend a college that accepts more than 100-600 students per year.

The following statistics were gathered from IvySuccess for 2009. Each link in the list below leads to the official college Web site, and the links are followed by the number of total admissions, the number of actual admissions and the percentage of acceptance shown by those numbers. If you want to see a breakdown of early round admissions versus regular admissions and more, you can visit either Hernandez College Consulting or The Ivy Coach.

Finally, after you peruse the numbers below, don’t become discouraged. Larger campuses often display higher acceptance rates. For instance, we mentioned State University of New York and California State University as two of ten largest universities in the world. While their campuses are gracious, so are their acceptance rates with 36.1 percent and 61.2 percent respectively (2008).

1. Harvard University: Applicants: 22,796; Admitted: 2,074; Percentage: 9 percent. Noted as the oldest U.S. university in operation and considered one of the best colleges to attend, Harvard offers a liberal arts education for both men and women. Harvard’s new Financial Aid Initiative led to a new applicant record as well as to its most competitive acceptance rate in the history of the college.
2. Yale University: Applicants: 19,448; Admitted: 1,880; 9.7 percent. Founded in 1701, Yale University is located in New Haven, Connecticut. it is the third oldest university in the nation and has produced many U.S. presidents. Although Yale’s applicant numbers dropped this year by 1.2 percent, the overall acceptance rate makes it one of the most competitive years in Yale’s history.
3. Columbia Unversity in the City of New York: Applicants: 15,790; Admitted: 1638; 10.4 percent. According to Ivy Success, Columbia had the largest applicant pool in its history, a five percent increase over 2008. The middle 50 percent SAT score for Columbia College was 1380-1530, representing an increase of 10 points compared to the previous year. The median score for the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences was 1440-1530. The median score for Barnard was 1400, the highest in the school’s history.
4. Princeton University: Applicants: 16,516; Admitted: 1,807; 10.9 percent. This year it seems Princeton hit a happy medium, as their acceptance rate went from 9.9 percent in 2007 to 11.9 percent in 2008. But, their applications rose to a 20.6 percent increase over 2008. While 176 more students were accepted in 2009 than in 2008, this year’s acceptance rate is one percentage less than 2008. The average SAT scores and the number of students who ranked in the top 10 percent of their high school classes were both higher than last year.
5. Stanford University: Applicants: 20,194; Admitted: 2,412; 11.9 percent. This acceptance rate is the lowest in Stanford’s history. Additionally, over 90 percent of the admits were ranked within the top 10 percent of their high school class, and 80 percent had a grade point average of 4.0 or higher. Standford claims a “need-blind” admittance procedure that does not look at the applicants’ financial statuses.
6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Applicants: 10,439; Admitted: 1,495; 14.3 percent. This is a record low percentage of admissions for MIT, but the average SAT scores were the highest ever. For students admitted in 2009, the middle 50 percent score range on the SAT was between 670-770 for the Reasoning Test Critical Reading and 730-800 for the Reasoning Test Math. MIT prefers that you add these tests to the regular SAT format.
7. Brown University: Applicants: 16,908; Admitted: 2,463; 14.6 percent. Located in Providence, Rhode Island, Brown saw a ten percent increase in applicants (a new record at 16,908, breaking last year’s record), but their acceptance fell over a point from the previous year’s 15.8 percent acceptance rate. Students might be drawn to Brown’s evaluation system, with a choice of receiving nothing less than a C for any course (No Credit, NC is provided for courses below a C). The NC courses do not show on official transcripts.
8. Dartmouth College: Applicants: 12,615; Admitted: 2,149; 16.8 percent. Dartmouth set a record low in the percentage of applicants accepted this year, yet six more students were accepted than last year. Among the accepted students, the SAT Verbal mean score was 711 and the SAT Math mean score was 719, making the overall SAT score three points higher than that of last year’s early admits. Of the students accepted and whose schools provide ranks, 28 percent were valedictorians and 11 percent were salutatorians.
9. University of Pennsylvania: Applicants: 18,800; Admitted: 3,912; 20.8 percent. Last year, Penn accepted 21 percent of their applicants. this acceptance rate joins other universities in being the lowest in Penn’s history. One college within this university that saw an increase in acceptance was the School of Nursing, which admitted 123 applicants. The acceptance rate for that college was 41.8 percent, compared to 39.7 percent from 2008. SAT scores this year were up three point on average from 2008, but the average SAT II score was 720, up only one point from the previous year.
10. Cornell University: Applicants: 24,444; Admitted: 6384; 26.1 percent. Cornell’s previous 2008 percentage rate was 28.7. This year’s number of applications, however, increased by 17.4 percent. Cornell spells out what they want from applicants: “They want to know about your ability, achievements, motivation, leadership, diligence, and integrity; your sense of fairness and compassion.” These traits, supposedly, are revealed through your application essays.

Contributed with express written permission by CollegeStats.