<p>Im glad BC added an essay to its supplement. While some universities eliminated the requirement for submitting standardized test scores or choose to keep their supplements essay-free, I think it is positive that BC has gone the other route.</p>
<p>With an endless stream of information via the internet, as well as the convenience of the Com App, colleges are being inundated with applications while applicants are sending out more and more each year. All parties are uncertain. Colleges dont know which students are serious and students find it hard to assess their chances amidst such a large pool.</p>
<p>Some universities use marketing agencies to attract applicants, some send out emails and letters based on test scores to students who would never get accepted (I personally find this distasteful). Ranking has become very profitable for businesses (US News and World Report, Forbes, Princeton Review) and for colleges (all of them). Its a numbers game: get the highest number of applicants, have the lowest number of acceptances, show the best yield, all the while raising the tuition. More is better. Even better is even more.</p>
<p>But whats lost in this prestige chase is the effect the application process has on the high school students. The pressure, the stress, the disappointment, the blow to self-confidence and loss of application fees. Pretty harsh. Dont get me wrong, I think that competition is a good thing and that hard work should be rewarded. Im just getting a little jaded.</p>
<p>BC made a well thought out calculation. It knew very well that by adding an essay to its supplement, the number of applications would drop. But it also realized the number of not-so-serious students it would lose is a good thing. The quantity will drop but not the quality, since an essay really isnt a hardship for those students used to lots of writing in their AP classes compared to those who find it onerous. Further, Admissions will gain insight and information about its applicants and be better equipped in its decision-making. For the students who really want to go to BC but were deferred (many of whom have high GPAs and test scores), the additional essay helps to weed out potential competitors. </p>
<p>Quote: Seems like an alarming decrease in the number of apps Its all relative. The end result will be more clarity. Soon enough, everything will right itself.</p>