Read & Write Like a MILLIONAIRE

By Quetzal Mama • December 29, 2016

On Tuesday night, I gave a talk at a Bay Area high school, sharing my top 10 tips for successful college-going students. Tip #9 was “Read & Write Like a Millionaire.” This tip refers to the fact that my students who read a lot, are cleaning up when it comes to their ACT & SAT exams, personal statements, scholarships, and one other commonly overlooked factor . . . the college interview.

What does the interview have to do with being a millionaire? Selective, private colleges tend to have the largest endowments – meaning, the largest coffers of scholarship cash (aka “full rides”). Four years of tuition, room & boards, and other expenses, will be approximately a quarter of a million dollars. So, by acing their college interviews, they have increased their odds of earning admission to colleges that provide scholarships in the amount of a quarter of a million dollars.

Yeah buddy, the college interview. Each year, my students call me immediately after their interviews with selective colleges. We break down how they performed, where they could do better at the next interview, and how to respond to some of the “surprise” questions. The question that often surprises them is, “Tell me about some books that you’ve read lately, outside of your assigned reading from your classes?”

The, “what books are you reading” question stumps many students for two reasons. One – many don’t read books outside of assigned coursework reading! Two – they don’t have a successful strategy to answer this question.

To help students prepare for this question, I’ve created 3 tips to nail the “what are you reading?” question:

Step 1. Identify books related to your major. That means, if you plan to major in political science, then get books related to political science. Astrophysics major? Get books on astrophysics. Why books related to your major? This shows colleges you are serious and passionate about your intended major and that you take initiative to learn (yeah, novel concept).

Step 2. Read books related to your major and by authors who share a unique ethno-cultural perspective. I’m not talking about “politically correct” book reading. I’m talking about reading authors who speak from a unique cultural perspective, especially if it represents your unique perspective. For example, if you are a pre-med student, read the book “Becoming Dr. Q” by Dr. Alfredo Hinojosa-Quinones. If you intend to study astrophysics, read “Welcome to the Universe” by Neil deGrasse Tyson. Political Science? Sonia Sotomayor’s “My Beloved World.” You get the point.

Step 3. Read books by authors not related to your intended major. To balance your knowledge and perspective, add a few books by authors you wouldn’t normally read. Why do this? It's easy to read books from those who share our interests, values, and world view. But, we should push ourselves to read book about societies, concepts, or persons in which we are generally unfamiliar. This demonstrates open-mindedness, the ability to consider multiple angles, and intellectual curiosity. All compelling traits for a college applicant!

Interviewer: So tell me, what types of books, if any, have you been reading in your free time?

You: Because I’m interested in Political Science, I’ve been reading Ian Haney López’ book “Dog Whistle Politics.” But in addition to learning about politics, I’m also reading Angela Duckworth’s book, “Grit” to better understand the psychology of high achievers. I like to read books about interesting topics that may not be related to my intended field of study.

HINT: Get books vetted by authorities. There are literally millions of books on Amazon. You want to sound interesting, but also credible. Find “vetted” books by (a) Googling syllabi from professors at top universities; (b) searching “top seller” on Amazon, being sure to carefully read the back cover endorsements and author bio; (c) asking your teachers!

Get going! The timing is perfect. Interviews are typically held in January, February, and March. If you are a student and wish to add your favorite book title to this article, email your recommendation to quetzalmama@gmail.com. STUDENTS ONLY! No authors, publishers, or eager adults J Happy reading. Now go ace that interview!

—Quetzal Mama