Zinch

Zinch.com is bringing a face to the college admissions process, along with some much needed personality. According to founder Mick Hagen, a Princeton student, Zinch reminds college applicants that "I am more than a test score." In a recent interview with AdmitSpit, Hagen cited the debate surrounding the emphasis on test scores throughout the college recruitment process as the inspiration behind Zinch. Hagen described Zinch as "a tool to level the playing field in college admissions by giving every high school student in America the opportunity to showcase themselves to colleges, communicating those talents and accomplishments that make them unique." Essentially, Zinch is an online community of high school students, colleges, and universities. Any college hopeful can create a personal profile, enabling them to connect with admissions officers representing the colleges of their dreams. At the same time, colleges can engage those students expressing interest in their programs by reaching out and engaging them. In the past, the only way colleges obtained demographic information about prospective students was through standardized tests like the PSAT and SAT. With a Zinch profile, these students are "more than a test score" because they can now engage with the colleges they're interested in on their terms. With no more piles of direct mail pieces from colleges you've never heard of, Zinch facilitates real dialogue through an interactive medium that kids are comfortable in. For many students who already have MySpace and Facebook profiles, Zinch will come naturally. The trick lay in getting admissions officers on board. Just a year ago, it was clear that most were skeptical.Continue Reading...