I recently found myself playing matchmaker. (No, matchmaking is not part of Accepted’s service offerings. I was off-duty.) I was talking to the young woman about a young man I know well. She asked me some questions about him, including “Is he growth-oriented?” “Yes,” I responded, “He is interested in growth.” But she wasn’t satisfied with my assurance.
“Is he really growth-oriented?”
I felt like saying, “He is absolutely opposed to stagnation and decline.” But I decided I better behave myself. I started telling her about the young man’s activities that evidenced striving for self-improvement and personal growth.
Apparently she was satisfied with my response and decided he was worth the time it takes for a cup of coffee. Mission accomplished.
There is a profound lesson here for you. You are trying to convince the schools that you are a match for them. You can take their buzz words or key values and try to spit them back. You will fail to convince the application reader that you are worth an interview invitation just as I failed to convince the young lady when I said the young man was “growth-oriented.”
However, if you provide facts and details that persuade the readers you share their values, you will be showing them you are a match. So use facts, not declarations or assertions, to prove your points and get that interview invitation or admissions date.
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