"…Institutional priorities could also include finding students with exceptional talent in art, music or athletics or filling department-specific needs like encouraging the enrollment of female computer scientists. Such a so-called holistic approach to admissions can work to the advantage of those who understand it and present their strengths accordingly.
Much of the angst students feel about college admission springs from a distorted view of how hard it is to get into a good school. Headlines touting record-low acceptance rates shine a spotlight on the intense competition for spots at the most highly selective schools, but the reality is that the vast majority of places accept at least half of their applicants." …