The Zinch Report

On the profiles can you put a spell check function?
Not only will it make it easier for students to update profiles easily and quickly, it will make Zinch appear more professional to the admissions officers.

Hey there!
I'm a little confused about what our main profile picture is supposed to look like. I'm not sure if this web site is stressing the more fun, "I'm more than a test score" kind of picture or if the picture should be more strict and simple like a school picture. Please help! I would really appreciate the advice.

- Ashlee Hinchcliff

Joy, we are looking into doing a spell-check. That would be a great tool to add.

Ashlee, the kind of picture you should put in you profile should be 100% up to you. Remember, it's about painting the picture of who you really are, yet at the same time making sure that you put your "best foot forward." Admissions officers will be seeing this, so don't put anything that will make you look bad. Be tasteful, yet really find the best pic that represents who you are.

IN WHAT FEILDS WILL COLLEGES BE MORE INETERESTED IN ON OUR PROFILE? AND HOW DO WE KNOW IF A COLLEGE OR ADMIN. OFFICER HAS VEIWED OUR PROFILE?
ALSO MAY YOU PLEASE ADD MORE TIPS THAT WOULD HELP US WITH OUR PROFILE?
THANK-YOU
- LORI

Joy,

If you use Mozilla Firefox (which is a better browser than Internet Explorer, anyway), you can go to your toolbar at the top and click on the 'tools' tab, then click on 'add-ons' and it should take you to a place where you can download a Firefox-approved extension for your browser that will spell-check everything for you as you type it, just like MS Word. It's great, I use it (but I like to think that I don't need it). ;)

Thanks Ashley,

I use both Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox, since I design websites I check to make sure they appear virtually the same in both browsers. (It can be a pain)

Still, even though Firefox is arguably a better browser, the majority of people use IE ,and among those who do use Firefox most don’t utilize its helpful tools. (Hopefully, after reading your comment some FF users will look into it)

By having the spell-check function built in, students who aren’t computer savvy can still benefit. After all ZINCH is for everyone not just the technologically proficient.

How do we know if our guidance counselors have approved our profiles? If they don't, are they ineligible for scholarships? Can you e-mail him for me?

Thanks!

What should I put for the writing, photo, and video part?

hi, i know this is really late, but is there anywhere on our profiles where we can list our volunteering?

Angie -

You can list your volunteer work under extracurricular activities.

And no worries about it being too late. Your profile should, until the day you head off to college, be an evolving online document regularly filling up with up to date activities.

Ditto Nancy - especially for the writing. Should we put in papers that we've written, or should we put in college-app-type essays, or what?

Elyse

Nancy and Elyse -

If you decide to upload writing samples, they should be short (1-3 pages), well written, and the best examples of your writing ability. If you've written a paper that you'd like to have admissions officers see, upload that. If you want a college essay type piece of writing, do that. If you write poetry, share that.

There aren't rules about this. It has to be a personal decision based on what you want seen, how you want to represent yourself.

I haven't received anything in The Love. Does that mean colleges aren't interested in me or that I may have done something wrong in my profile?

Ok, I'm sort of worried about some things. I thought everything was right on my profile, so I gave some shout outs to some colleges, but then I realized some stuff was wrong. Is that really bad even though I changed it, so now it's all right? I'm just kind of worried because I haven't recieved any messages in The Love. Is that bad? I'm so confused! Please help me.

The work that I feel truly distinguishes me uses mathematical notation and is in a special type-setting language, so I cannot upload it as a writing file. I thought of trying to upload it as an image, but the output is in pdf, and translation to a .gif or .jpeg format sacrifices a lot of resolution (and the ability to use multiple pages). Is there any way to get my work into the z-folio so that it is visible?

Lily, Michelle Stark-

Don't worry about not having received anything in The Love yet. I first sent shout-outs to my favorite colleges in the beginning of summer, and I only just received my first message in The Love a couple days ago. I'm sure the admissions officers will get to your profile, and will send you a message too. :)

~Michelle