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Admission Stats 2010--Read 'Em But Don't Weep
Sally_Rubenstone
3110 replies1116 threadsCC Admissions Expert CC Admissions Expert
"Applications to Selective Colleges Rise as Admission Rates Fall" proclaims tonight's headline in Jacques Steinberg's New York Times admission blog, "The Choice."
This news was, at least for me, a whole lot easier to predict than this month's Final Four. (Well, okay, I did have Duke.)
While many parents and students will find it disheartening to read the admission stats at some of the most sought-after universities, I hope that those of you who didn't get the news you'd hoped for from a top-choice college will realize what excellent company you're in.
(See Applications to Selective Colleges Rise as Admission Rates Fall - The Choice Blog - NYTimes.com)
Instead of reminding you how frustrating and seemingly capricious this process can be, these numbers, instead, show how many amazing applicants are in the same boat. Surely many of the 93.08% turned away by Harvard or the 92.82% denied at Stanford will go on to be celebrated world leaders, renowned writers, inspiring artists, international business tycoons, or happy and successful in dozens of other ways.
And for those of you who want to see how these numbers play out in the weeks ahead, "The Choice" will continue to keep track as enrollment data becomes available. (Go to 2010 Admissions Tally - The Choice Blog - NYTimes.com )
Personally, the only numbers I'll be watching will be on the Blue Devils side of the scoreboard ... my one chance to stay alive in the family pool.
71 repliesThis news was, at least for me, a whole lot easier to predict than this month's Final Four. (Well, okay, I did have Duke.)
While many parents and students will find it disheartening to read the admission stats at some of the most sought-after universities, I hope that those of you who didn't get the news you'd hoped for from a top-choice college will realize what excellent company you're in.
(See Applications to Selective Colleges Rise as Admission Rates Fall - The Choice Blog - NYTimes.com)
Instead of reminding you how frustrating and seemingly capricious this process can be, these numbers, instead, show how many amazing applicants are in the same boat. Surely many of the 93.08% turned away by Harvard or the 92.82% denied at Stanford will go on to be celebrated world leaders, renowned writers, inspiring artists, international business tycoons, or happy and successful in dozens of other ways.
And for those of you who want to see how these numbers play out in the weeks ahead, "The Choice" will continue to keep track as enrollment data becomes available. (Go to 2010 Admissions Tally - The Choice Blog - NYTimes.com )
Personally, the only numbers I'll be watching will be on the Blue Devils side of the scoreboard ... my one chance to stay alive in the family pool.
Post edited by Sally_Rubenstone on
This discussion has been closed.
Replies to: Admission Stats 2010--Read 'Em But Don't Weep
Simply, some in the pool are applying out of blind hope, others are overqualified and will not attend, and finally many others will go to somewhere else very similar. Thus, these statistics will make colleges seem far more selective than they actually are.
Is there a pctage of app accepted? One that rejects your application
[Stats people...feel free to correct my 2 minute calculations...I may be way off...but I hope my general point stands.]
Also, I hope I don't come off as moralizing; I'm simply trying to give jittery high school seniors a bit of perspective.
It's certainly true that one reason for the increasing selectivity is that more students apply to schools despite being woefully underqualified, but look at the statistics of the students who are rejected. It may not be much tougher to get into a certain school today than it was a few years ago, but it's probably slightly harder than it was 10 years ago, and much, much harder than 20 years ago!
We discussed this with our AP Psy teacher, who is like 70 years old. He told us that our generation received way too much postive reinforcement. From the time we were kids, we've been told that we're special and all that when in fact most of us are, by definition, average. All of us received trophies in soccer, ribbons in art, etc. According to him, our parents' primary parenting goal was to instill confidence in us so they lied to us about our personal worth. So that's why so many of us think we're Ivy worthy when we're not.
In my opinion, he's in need of therapy himself, so whatever.
Over the years I've been told by admission officials from two different Ivy League schools that they actually cried when moving their favorite folders into the "out" pile. (So if you were rejected by any top-choice college, don't assume that someone behind those closed doors didn't love you and lobby for you. Often the candidates that admission folks "like" the best are denied nonetheless for a range of reasons.)
And as for students who are unrealistic applicants to begin with, sometimes it's the colleges themselves that are to blame. I've seen students in my orbit receive encouraging mail from an Ivy when, in fact, these kids don't have the slightest prayer of ever being admitted.
While I would never insist that an advisee not try for "dream school," no matter how steep the odds, I do find myself often pointing out that there is a big difference between a letter that says "We want you to apply" and one that actually says, "We want you."
I mean, I have a 2220 SAT I score and a 3.75 unweighted GPA at a fairly competitive suburban public school and, based on those alone, I'm starting to have a feeling that I was reaching far too high by applying...
-Wayne Gretzky