He really gets an A for effort.
A Long Island principal is helping students land their dream schools, with a new book that offers the best tips and tricks for the admissions process as gleaned from interviews with staff at nearly 300 colleges.
John Durante, who has worked at the nationally top-rated Syosset High School for 30 years, first realized how much help students need navigating the university entrance process when he and his daughters went through it themselves.
In his new book, “Straight From The Admissions Office: Insider Strategies for College Applications,” he gives insights, such as impressing schools with your work experience, making sure to show leadership in a few activities instead of joining every club, and no matter what, let your personality come through.
“I felt the stress first hand that parents feel with their kids,” said Durante.
The book — which is a compilation of Durante’s audio series, “The College Admissions Process Podcast” — compiles what he’s gleaned from talks with representatives from universities such as Notre Dame, Emory, Duke, Brown, and hundreds more.
He’s also aware that Long Island offers some of the most competitive schools in the nation.
In 2024, US News & World Report listed eight Nassau public schools among New York’s top 50.
Durante said the difficulty of such college competition really hit home during his daughter Julianna’s efforts to get into Connecticut’s Sacred Heart University, where she is now a senior.
“High school didn’t come easy to her,” he said. “So I was one of those parents that would help her by reaching out to the reps, asking the pointed questions. They gave me great tips, great insights. And I thought maybe I’m on to something to help other families.”
He stressed that involvement and leadership in extracurriculars — beyond just academic performance — is the key to standing out for kids, as “so many opportunities” are offered.
“[Colleges] want to see the type of community member you’re going to be,” he said. “It’s important to follow and to show your passion.”
Schools care less about what you do and more about why you do it, according to the principal.
“Be mindful about explaining your motivations in as much detail as possible,” Durante writes.
Also, a lengthy laundry list of activities isn’t exactly golden, either.
Applications that stand out show leadership in fewer programs rather than broad involvement in many, he said.
Even if you weren’t president of a club, “leadership comes in many forms,” Durante added. He suggests noting individual contributions, such as organizing a clothing drive or tutoring.
However, it’s especially crucial for teens who have to work instead of doing after-school activities to make it clear to colleges that they are getting an alternative kind of experience.
He explained that admissions offices often highly regard students who work, because they demonstrate responsibility. Students who have to take care of family members should also write that out for the same reasons.
Also, in the age of test-optional applications, Durante recommends that teenagers ask to see a school’s percentage of admitted students who did not forward their SAT or ACT scores. After reading the data, decide whether to submit a test.
He also suggests taking either test three times at the max. Most students do not see a significant score boost after that third attempt.
Even the biggest overachievers should remember that being admitted is a numbers game, and they only have limited influence.
“If you’re only applying to schools where the acceptance rate is 15% or less, it doesn’t matter how strong you are academically — those are reach schools for everyone,” said the educator in Syosset, which is ranked 33rd best in the Empire State and 259th nationally.
Durante added there is no shame in additionally pursuing colleges with higher acceptance rates that won’t defer ideal candidates “because of the uncontrollable.”
However, there are ways to outshine similar applicants in neck-and-neck decisions. Use what neither a GPA nor a list of activities can demonstrate — your personality.
“If you sound like everyone else in a competitive application pool, you’re not going to stand out,” he said.
One way is to tell your dream school how you plan to spend your tenure there.
Using the example of an engineering applicant, Durante said strong candidates might say to admissions that they will also take industry-related business classes to gain a more global perspective.
“Show you did your homework…And don’t don’t be bashful to talk about how you plan on contributing to the school’s community.”
Letters of recommendation also go a long way — but Durante says they should not come from a subject in which the student excels.
“By looking at your transcript, I can tell that you got an A-plus in English…but if you had to go to extra for help three times a week with math, a letter from that teacher shows you never gave up.”
Speaking as a father, Durante also said discussing the financials upfront is essential. The same can be said for visiting schools and finding things to do in college towns.
It helps to destress and make wholesome memories before the big send-off.
Most of all, he preached that no matter what happens, “it’s all going to be alright. “
“If there’s a school that rejects you, it is their loss,” Durante said.
“Find the school that’s going to look at your profile and appreciate who you are…Looking back, my kids were fine.”