In the course of being the Program Manager for the (CDB), I鈥檓 often asked, 鈥淗ow do you evaluate a CDB application? What do you look for?鈥� With the 2019 CDB application season in full swing, I thought this would be the perfect time to address these questions and speak candidly about my process.

To first present a broad overview, all of the annual CDB applications come to the scholarship@educationaladvancement.org mailbox when they鈥檙e submitted online. The CDB staff initially makes sure all of the component parts are included in each application, and if anything is missing, we routinely鈥攁nd promptly– email the applicant to inform them what鈥檚 needed before the deadline. Every CDB application is read thoroughly multiple times, always by me and at least one other member of the CDB staff. After our initial in-office evaluations and team discussion, the highest ranked applications are then sent to our four selection committees throughout the United States comprised of deans and directors of admission from high schools, colleges and universities; heads of schools; educators familiar with gifted educational programs; members of organizations that work with gifted students; and CDB alumni who are represented on each committee. The CDB Finalists are selected from the four committees and will be interviewed in person or via Skype over the summer by the CDB team and CDB alumni who travel from June-August to cities throughout the United States. Each annual CDB class is selected early in September.

The first aspect of any CDB application that I look at is the applicant鈥檚 photo. While this is not a requirement, I highly recommend submitting a photo to go along with your application. When hundreds of applications are received, it鈥檚 common sense to personalize YOUR application as much as possible. For me, this means early on being able to put a face to an applicant鈥檚 name. The photograph you choose is totally your choice, but personally, I always enjoy seeing a photo that shows something unique about an applicant鈥攎aybe your picture at a landmark that means something to you or doing an activity that鈥檚 directly related to a passion of yours or just an offbeat look at what makes you, you. There鈥檚 a lot of truth to the adage about a picture speaking louder than words. Really, there is no downside to including a photo of yourself. The only 鈥渕essage鈥� you鈥檙e conveying by not doing so is that for whatever reason, you don鈥檛 want the reader to see you.

Next, I look at an applicant鈥檚 statistics to get an overall sense of the person I鈥檓 about to read in his/her home and family environment. I also pay attention to an applicant鈥檚 birthdate to get a sense of where they fit in age-wise as a current seventh grader. Has he or she been accelerated? (Btw, you don鈥檛 get 鈥渂onus鈥� points for moving forward in school; it鈥檚 just one of many aspects of learning about you that we are interested in knowing and if you are being academically served by your current educational program). Then I look at where an applicant goes to school. If the applicant is or has been home-schooled, here鈥檚 an opportunity to let us know more details about your educational path.

I then move on to the ACT or SAT test scores to make sure the eligibility requirements have been met by at least one section of either test. While the numerics do matter鈥擟DB is a merit-based application鈥攅ach individual section of the entire application is taken into consideration as we evaluate the whole person who has applied. We know that each applicant is an individual who is way more than the sum of his or her GPA and test scores.

From here, I look at the various honors, achievements and activities that occupy your time outside of school. All of the application readers want to see what matters enough to you that you spend time and expend effort doing an activity in your discretionary free time, whether it鈥檚 sports, music, community service, a job, robotics, tutoring, competition or anything in between that rounds you out as a multi-dimensional person.

On to the Quick Takes section. I hope that you as an applicant enjoy completing this section as much as we enjoy reading it. This is really the first part of the CDB application where your originality and unique self come through and where, on this end, we want you to have fun filling out the questions in brief. Full disclosure– there are (often) times when I find myself doing a Google, Dictionary.com or Wikipedia search based upon your entries鈥� and I don鈥檛 mind at all.

We always include a mandatory essay prompt to level the field, as every applicant will be expected to complete this particular essay which allows us to get to know your writing style and addresses a specific part of your personality, home life, background and what makes you the person鈥攁nd student鈥攜ou are.

We then provide several options for additional essays that can either be written or expressed in another form that helps you display a more rounded view of yourself and how you feel about certain aspects of your life and the world you live in.聽 It seems unfair to us to only limit an applicant to the written word if writing is not your particular forte, so we want you to have the option of expressing yourself in other ways that you鈥檙e comfortable with and give you a full choice of alternate approaches to several prompts.

A hint about the essays鈥攑lease, please, please proofread your essays, or have another person assist here. This is not to say that anyone but you should be responsible for the meat and substance of your essay material, but the grammar, syntax and spelling are absolutely ok to have another pair of eyes scan.聽 Nothing stops a reader more abruptly than a poorly proofed essay.聽 Your writing should be your voice, period.聽 Don鈥檛 feel you need to pepper an essay with 鈥渂ig words鈥� if the vocabulary is clunky or isn鈥檛 in keeping with how you verbalize your thoughts. If English is your second language, we do take how you formulate your essays into consideration. When I or a member of the CDB team approach an application, we do so out of a genuine desire to want to get to know and view you in a positive light, so help us help you by providing us with interesting, engaging responses that encourage us to keep reading.

Data-wise, your sixth and seventh-grade transcripts and nationally-normed standardized test scores paint a further picture of the academic side of the person you are that helps round out the whole person within each application.

From here, I move to what I refer to as the cheerleader part of the application鈥攜our recommendations. First and foremost, be mindful who you approach to be your recommenders鈥攁cademic and extracurricular. Make sure these are people who not only know you well but who want to be supportive advocates for you. In fairness, there are recommenders who don鈥檛 tell an applicant otherwise and commit to submitting an application that is negative and can honestly derail your application. While as far as I鈥檓 concerned, this is unconscionable on the part of the recommender, it鈥檚 still up to you to know who and where to turn to for this portion of the application and to make sure that your recommenders are cognizant of deadline dates for them to submit their letters and that they have the time and inclination to 聽be ready, willing and able to meet the application deadline鈥� and let you know when they have submitted their portion so you don鈥檛 have the awkward responsibility to keep asking them if they鈥檝e done so. While not every recommender is going to say that you鈥檙e 鈥渢he best student they鈥檝e ever taught in 30+ years of teaching鈥� or that you 鈥渄efine what it means to be the epitome of a CDB Scholar鈥� (yep鈥擨鈥檝e received those exact words in a recommendation), a personalized, detailed account of both the person and student you are from an adult other than your parent is a definite plus to any application, CDB or otherwise.

On to the parent statement.聽 We hope that your parents understand that keeping their statement to one page double spaced is an important aspect of following directions which, on our end, we take seriously.聽 It also should come as no surprise that when reading hundreds of applications, the smallest font and virtually no margins are not going to start us out in great stead if we have to squint to read a parent statement. The best parent statements by far are those that don鈥檛 repeat information we already know from other parts of your application such as awards and honors you鈥檝e received, your grade point average or test scores. In almost all cases, there鈥檚 no one who knows you better than your parent, so our hope is that they are going to tell us aspects about you that we don鈥檛 already know or have ascertained from other parts of your application. And since even the most stupendous applicant also might have a few foibles or vulnerabilities that make you human, we welcome these admissions and certainly don鈥檛 hold it against an applicant who comes across as a mere mortal in spite of the superstar you understandably are in the eyes of your parents.

In the area of submitting a work sample, I鈥檓 going to let you in on a little secret. If you鈥檝e spent an essay or two writing about a particular interest or passion you have, LET US SEE IT! If you wrote about being a dancer or an artist, a musician or a singer, a robotics aficionado, it鈥檚 almost a tease to not support this with a sample that shows you participating in something that鈥檚 clearly meaningful to you and which we would also love to see demonstrated. It鈥檚 fine if there鈥檚 a particular school essay or science fair project you鈥檝e done that鈥檚 significant and you want to showcase as your work sample, but please also consider adding the afore-mentioned passion piece in the Additional Information section which should not be a recapitulation of your resume or honors you鈥檝e accrued and duly noted previously in the application.聽 When we read data that is repeated over and over throughout an application, it makes us wonder 鈥淚s that all there is?鈥� to a particular applicant.

Without question, the rewards of being selected as a Caroline D. Bradley Scholar or Finalist can be life-changing and transformative, but simply being eligible to apply for– and complete– so extensive an application is beyond commendable.聽 My hope and that of the entire CDB team is that you come away from the experience with a positive sense of yourself and how extremely capable and accomplished you already are. It is a privilege for myself and the staff to have the opportunity to get to know YOU, so thank you for taking the time and making the effort to introduce yourself to us.

Working at 优蜜视频 involves a lot more than being responsible for one鈥檚 own area or program.  One of the most difficult jobs at 优蜜视频 is that of the Marketing Coordinator, helmed with much finesse by Nicole LaChance. What makes this position particularly tough is that Nicole has to fill weekly blog post assignments with contributions from  our staff, most of whom are otherwise engaged with a host of our own tasks and not particularly overjoyed at the thought of finding the time or topic to complete a blog whether inside or outside their purview. 

While I鈥檓 not a procrastinator by nature, my blog-related inclination is always to sign up for the last possible annual date and throw caution to the wind that twelve months hence, I WILL find a suitable area on which to elaborate. In fairness, Nicole has supplied us with plenty of 鈥済ifted鈥� related suggestions, several of which I鈥檝e adhered to in past blogs. But as this December rolled around and my pressing BLOG DEADLINE approached, there was nothing that came to mind as an area I was enthusiastic about delving into. Not one to be deterred by a lack of enthusiasm when a commitment  has been assigned, Nicole suggested some personal areas I might explore鈥攚hat鈥檚 a day in the life of the Caroline D. Bradley Program Manager like? Has there been a CDB Scholar鈥檚 story that has impacted me to share? What do I look for in a CDB applicant?  Well, I鈥檇 already blogged about CDB applicants and other topics surrounding high school selection. Picking one CDB Scholar from the hundreds I鈥檝e had the pleasure and privilege to know and work with would be tantamount to selecting a favorite child, as every one of the CDB Scholars鈥� stories has impacted me in different ways. And there simply is no 鈥渢ypical鈥� work day, as every work day varies based upon the time of year, as CDB is a program that never stops.

I often ask the CDB Scholars about their passions and what they commit their (often limited) discretionary time toward. The variety and depth of their involvement never ceases to amaze and delight me, so I thought I鈥檇 turn the tables and let the community know about my off-work passion as my current blog topic. While it might not be as informative as strategizing the high school interview, I hope you find it a window into who I am away from CDB:

I volunteer every Saturday and Sunday from 12-4 pm at a dog rescue and adoption organization in Los Angeles called . (You can learn more about us on our website or through our Instagram or Facebook postings.) I鈥檝e been involved with several groups of this kind over the years, but none that has captivated my heart the way Wags and Walks has done. Wags is one of the most successful groups of its kind in Los Angeles. Every rescue/adoption organization has its own mission. Ours is that we rescue family-friendly dogs. This means we don鈥檛 restrict ourselves to breed, age or size of any of the dogs we rescue, from a litter of abandoned puppies to a one-eyed senior or three-legged 鈥渢ripod.鈥� For Wags, it鈥檚 all about TEMPERAMENT. When our rescue team goes on a recognizance mission to any of the SoCal animal shelters, they test a dog behaviorally before he or she becomes a Wags dog. This team is acutely knowledgeable about potential issues that can prevent a dog from adapting to a new home or family whether it鈥檚 because of previous abuse or neglect or other factors that come into play during an on-site evaluation. When a dog joins the Wags and Walks family, it is part of our community for life鈥攅ven after a successful adoption, we stay in contact with our adopters and share life experiences near and far whether it鈥檚 through photos or videos or return visits to our Welcome Center for the life of our dogs and when previous adopters return for another Wags dog.

Wags and Walks is very fortunate to have a wonderful, welcoming location where people can come to meet our dogs. Unfortunately, many animal shelters are sterile and off-putting to potential adopters. They can feel more like holding cells than safe havens for their occupants. At Wags, our Welcome Center is full of rooms large and small with comfortable furniture, dog treats and toys for people to engage with potential adoptable dogs for as long as they like to get to know our dogs, many of whom are nestled next door in state-of-the-art kennels and treated to multiple daily walks, play and cuddle time with an army of volunteers whose shifts cover a full day and into the evening. Wags has our own medical professionals and shelter managers as well as people like me who are part of the adoption team and review applications and introduce  dogs to prospective adopters. There is nothing more fun or satisfying than to meet a family who arrive interested in a small, hypoallergenic dog and end up falling hopelessly in love with a drooling mastiff that could double as a piece of furniture. And then go home with him or her.

Wags is an organization that is adopter-friendly. All too often we hear people complain that it鈥檚 easier to adopt a child than a dog from some groups— that you鈥檙e automatically eliminated if you鈥檙e a student or work a full time job or live in an apartment or have a pool. These antiquated caveats are among the reasons why there are so many dogs in need of a home. Our goal at Wags and Walks is to match people to the optimal dog for their life style. It鈥檚 a myth that all big dogs need unlimited roaming space. The truth is that many large breeds are very comfy and cozy in an apartment with daily walks and family time.  Other than puppies, most dogs can comfortably be at home multiple hours a day without supervision, or there are dog walkers and doggie daycare, a burgeoning industry in Los Angeles and nationwide.

People sometimes say that they couldn鈥檛 bear to foster or volunteer at a group like Wags and Walks, because  they would want to take all of the dogs home. Yes鈥攚e do fall in love with our dogs, but we also have full, happy hearts when our dogs find their forever homes. 鈥淲ho Rescues Who?鈥� pretty much says it all as I watch human and canine lives transform in the time it takes to meet and fall in mutual love with one another. And the bonding is not always instantaneous. I tell people that with very rare exceptions, love at first sight whether human or canine, is a rare phenomenon, but that doesn鈥檛 negate the long term success of relationships when given the time, space and patience to bloom. Wags adopts out over twenty dogs a week which allows us to regularly bring more dogs into our 鈥減ack.鈥� We also have one of the most successful adoption and low return rates of any adoption group, because we take our time to meet and get to know our adopters. I have adopted dogs to celebrities and everyday people. Folks who have had dogs their entire lives and to total newbies. 

All of our dogs are vetted– fully checked out by a veterinary team, microchipped, neutered or spayed and up to date with all of their vaccinations. Our team offers training consultations and special groups for special dogs such as LARPBO鈥擫os Angeles Responsible Pitt Bull Owners. We also have many activities we offer to the public including Puppy Yoga, Yappy Hours at local pubs, children鈥檚 reading groups where youngsters read to our dogs in their kennels, and we鈥檙e one of the only groups that invite children to volunteer and help us walk, feed and learn about animal care.

In case you鈥檙e curious as to what drew me to adopt-not-shop, I have always been a person who leans toward the underdog, human or canine. My family has two rescue dogs. Jub-Jub was saved from a dogfighting group where he was used as a bait dog to rile up the fighting dogs. He is a 22 pound Shih Tzu/Cocker  Spaniel  who came to us with half an ear bitten off. Lester is a hodge-podge of terriers, a Heinz 57 mutt. I believe that rescue dogs know that they鈥檝e been saved and are the most loving and loyal companions anyone could ask for. Dogs are unconditional in their love and commitment to their people, often regardless of what was done to them in the past. If only they could share their stories with us, although in some cases it鈥檚 better that they can鈥檛. To watch a timid, shy dog blossom in the care of a patient, understanding person or family makes every hour I spend at Wags and Walks a gift that keeps on giving鈥攑assing it forward.

In my daily work as the Program Manager, I spend a lot of time matching students with the right school based on the feedback I receive from them as well as research and intuition. It鈥檚 very similar with placing the right dog with his/her people.  Many of our skill sets can translate into multiple areas of our lives, personally and professionally. I鈥檝e had the great joy of introducing some CDB families to my Wags and Walks family with several wonderful adoptions happening within our 优蜜视频 community.

I am incredibly fortunate in the work I鈥檝e chosen and the fulfillment it brings me. During the week, I am able to change the lives of children, and on the weekend, I change the lives of dogs. It doesn鈥檛 get much better than this.

What is your off-work or after-school passion? Share with us in the comments!