<p>Applicants: Here come the articles in the media regarding “30,000 applicants to X University, 23,000 applicants to Y University - a 20% increase” etc and I read the posts here on CC that contain great angst in comparing colleges among 17 or 18 yr old teens. The quality of the students posting on this site is tremendous and I would say to each of you that you will be fine regardless of which school accepts or rejects you. </p>
<p>The college selection process by students and the student selection process by colleges contain numerous variables:
Student Selection of University:
Ranking, field of study, size, location, cost etc
College selection of students:
SAT, GPA, AP, EC’s, Recommendations, Legacies, athletes, Essays ( This is a “performance measure” used to select whatever gap need to be filled ) etc</p>
<p>Assuming you head off to a school that is in the “high” category don’t obsess about is “Duke better than Emory” or “Yale vs. Penn”. The admissions process has become too much of a statistical game and the increase in applications due to the common app makes gaining admission for the “0-50th percentile” student a lottery exercise for any individual school.</p>
<p>Your performance in high school was admirable in that you are qualified to apply to the Top 25 schools in the country but many of you will be admitted without any or limited personal contact with your ultimate school. To gain admission you have demonstrated the intellect and been referred. </p>
<p>If you are not heading to a top category school don’t lie awake in worry. </p>
<p>College performance and developing “the rest of the package” will lead any of you to be successful in your chosen field, but lose the worrisome attitude with the school comparisons and shine wherever you end up!!</p>