Articulating Self-Truths: Preparing Students for the Application Process and Beyond
Articulating Self-Truths: Preparing Students for the Application Process and Beyond
Carolyn Siegel, Pinewood School
March 19, 2025
My 15 years as a language teacher lie at the core of my identity as an educator. Through these experiences, I grew committed to fostering intercultural communicative competence, which the American Council of Teaching Foreign Languages describes as the “accumulation of individual experiences and the quality of reflection on those experiences [to] pave the path to growth.” In my language teaching, I devoted time and space for students to reflect on their social identities and how these identities might connect with the cultures and topics that we studied. Now, as a college counselor, I continue to emphasize reflection as I encourage students to consider who they are and what aspects of their identity and life experience they choose to share in the college application process.
Last fall at NACAC, while presenting “Below the Water’s Edge: A Reflective Deep Dive to Aid Students’ Supplemental Essay Writing,” I felt immense hope as I witnessed the enthusiastic nods from attendees. We know that many selective and highly selective institutions in the United States emphasize holistic review in their admissions process. A student’s ability to engage in diverse communities has become an increasingly prized attribute. Just as grades are a strong predictor of future academic success, a student’s capacity to thrive in diverse environments is best conveyed by how effectively they articulate their unique perspectives and backgrounds during the application process.