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I was wondering how much receiving a university book award helps. I am a junior and I received the Colgate University Book Award which is given to the junior who excels in academics, leadership, and has a particular awareness for and sensitivity to global issues. Let me know....thakns!

By Collegeparent (Collegeparent) on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 11:12 am: Edit

It helps. Put it at the top of page three of your common ap under Academic Honors. Congratulations on your award.

By Travisd (Travisd) on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 12:06 pm: Edit

I won the Brown Book Award last year... didn't help me get into Brown, cuz I didn't. Well, I was waitlisted, but I eventually got rejected from the wl, so even if the book got me on the wl it didn't help in the long run. Some people I know won the Harvard one but still didn't get into Harvard. But a Book Award is still an awesome award, something to be proud of.

By Collegeparent (Collegeparent) on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 12:32 pm: Edit

The book award is not meant to help get you into the college sponsoring the award. It's a recognition by the secondary school of the qualities set forth in giving the book award. Winning the Colgate, Dartmouth, Brown, Yale, Harvard or XYZ college award is an honor recognized by all schools to which one applies. There's nothing requiring you to apply to the school for which you win its book award, but if you do, it's a nice red flag that pops up on your application and will mean that your application will get due scrutiny and consideration.

By Chasgoose (Chasgoose) on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 12:33 pm: Edit

My school gave like 7 book awards and I didn't get one of them yet I was the only one to get into Harvard and Yale.

By Homer2568 (Homer2568) on Sunday, June 06, 2004 - 12:57 am: Edit

bump

By Jrlg86 (Jrlg86) on Sunday, June 06, 2004 - 03:33 am: Edit

i got the harvard book award.

i'm sure it helped a little... but it didn't get me into H or P.

By Mulan (Mulan) on Sunday, June 06, 2004 - 03:38 am: Edit

i got the yale book award,
and going to yale in the fall

don't think it really did that much good,
though i did get a nice shakespeare text out of it...

By Motherof2 (Motherof2) on Sunday, June 06, 2004 - 03:09 pm: Edit

Congratulations. How prevelant are these University Book Awards---never heard of them? Are they awarded at most high schools?

By Desrtswimer (Desrtswimer) on Sunday, June 06, 2004 - 03:17 pm: Edit

I had never heard of these University Book Awards also. Does the high school give them out or the colleges? Do the colleges only give them to certain high schools?

By Jrpar (Jrpar) on Sunday, June 06, 2004 - 03:31 pm: Edit

Typically the local alumni associations sponsor the book awards. If these awards aren't awarded at your high school, it's probably because there isn't an active local alumni association.

I'm the book award coordinator for my alma mater for the county where I live. I came up with a list of 13 local high schools, and ran it by the admissions office to see if they had any additions/subtractions. The college specifies the criteria for selection (top 5%, leadership role at high school); the high schools each select a junior who meets that criteria. Each year I let the admissions office know who won the awards; the admissions office sends a letter of congratulations to the student. While being an award winner does not guarantee admission, the college is certainly interested in these students.

By Homer2568 (Homer2568) on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 11:55 am: Edit

bump

By Homer2568 (Homer2568) on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 06:00 pm: Edit

bump

By Confused86 (Confused86) on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 06:03 pm: Edit

i got the harvard book award, but i'm going to cornell, i didn't apply to harvard though

By Lebron (Lebron) on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 11:04 pm: Edit

how's the university of rochester award?

By Mstaken (Mstaken) on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 11:26 pm: Edit

Do the awards even matter? At my school, my history teacher picks his teacher's pets to receive them- even if they don't even like history.

By Tropicanabanana (Tropicanabanana) on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 12:17 am: Edit

I don't think it's a red flag at ALL. I got the Dartmouth one and it's pretty much based on how much the teacher who gets to select the recipient likes you. You're nominated for it and that's it. I think it's like NHS; the criteria is so different in each school that it doesn't mean much.