Some of the best advice on the college application process comes from colleges themselves, posted right on their websites. What useful advice have you found on a college’s website? If possible provide a link and a synopsis or highlights.
I’ll start with one from Bates College:
https://www.bates.edu/news/2018/06/15/college-search-advice-practical-and-heartening-from-three-bates-admission-experts/
Some highlights:
Finding the right college-
On the essay-
Recommendation-
ED-
Here is an admissions website saying don’t apply early if you are only 99% sure of your choice, while simultaneously there is a thread posted about an article written by a former Admissions Dean at a small, selective Liberal Arts school in which he says:
“I hated early decision. Most students we accepted were not exceptional in the context of the regular pool, and they got in at a much higher rate. Early decision applicants tend to have savvy private high school counselors who understand this. These students also tend to be from wealthier families who got a head start on the college search: They could afford campus visits the previous summer; financial aid isn’t an issue, so they don’t have to wait for offers of assistance.”
So they let ED applicants in at a much higher rate, but if you don’t have the resources to visit or you need to compare financial offers to be 100% sure, you shouldn’t apply ED. Maybe the title of the thread should be “Misleading admissions advice from the colleges themselves”
MIT’s classic “Apply Sideways” should be required reading for every high-aiming student. https://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/applying_sideways/
Admission criteria listed up front (and tells you where to find admission criteria for majors with higher standards):
https://admission.asu.edu/freshman/apply
Full transparency about past admission cycle admission thresholds:
https://www.csun.edu/admissions-records/impaction
http://www.sjsu.edu/admissions/impaction/
I agree students should carefully read admissions sites of the schools they are interested in applying. Parents too. Would save on some redundant questions at the tours. But take the info with more than grains of salt. In fact grab the salt shaker.
If colleges really want to walk the talk on ED, they should require an interview from every single ED candidate. An in depth one. If the applicant can’t visit the school for it, arrange a Skype with alumni one. Though how the heck anyone who hasn’t visited the school can decide it’s the one and only, I don’t understand, but yes, it happens. That’s how one Southern kid I know ended up in Colgate, with no clue what he was in for and messed up his chances of a good award locally where he would have been more comfortable, and where he returned and had to commute to school since he used up his freshman status on a pig in a poke. I still shake my head on that one.
These schools push and reward ED even as they wag their fingers and warn against it. They are salivating to get those admissions sewn up too.
And what the heck with SCEA hedges for HPY? They can do EA. Instead of doing all these gymnastics bring those to ED1 and 2, EA1 and 2 (which I didn’t know existed till recently)
These schools know danged well they are contributing to the crazy dance.
The essays Ive seen that have gotten comments from some AOs certainly not “Day in the Life”. The advice is generic gotta know those rules but they love it when you go outside the lines well.
Penn likes intellectually curious students who are open to new experiences.
https://www.page217.org/facts-stats-and-the-bigger-picture/
I’m waiting to hear from the Dean of Admissions who says their university is looking for intellectually indifferent students who are closed to new experiences.
Lol, what colleges would that be, mdpmdp?
Simple: don’t apply ED if it doesn’t suit you to commit. Trash the crapshoot notions. Don’t spend more time figuring how to get out of ED than you do on the college choice.
Great thread topic, @Sue22 . But I’d caution other posters not to assume based on what one college or a few say. Look into your own targets. Process what you read.
JHU has a section on their admission website called “essays that worked”. https://apply.jhu.edu/application-process/essays-that-worked/
Purdue’s Office of Future Engineering has a ton of info about what makes a Boiler. https://www.purdue.edu/futureengineers/What%20To%20Know/Common%20Questions/Why%20Purdue%20Engineering.html. “Leadership” appears in so many places I’ve lost count. Guess what should be highlighted on an application to Purdue CoE? ; )
Just bear in mind that says leadership characteristics. Not titles.
The best advice? Save a whole lot of money for college, it is going to be expensive. I’m waiting for the college that puts that in its brochure
Basically, any of HYPS do not want applicants to apply early to both it and a cross admit competitor. Cross admit competitors with EA instead of ED would be the others of HYPS and MIT. So the write exceptions for public, rolling, etc. that cover many schools that they do not consider competitors.
Taken to its logical conclusion, this “apply sideways” advice is saying become someone that will be accomplished and famous and (most likely) rich even without attending college. Then all the top schools will compete for you, so that they can claim they had something to do with your success.
Cross-referencing the thread, “the mess that is elite college admissions” for the candid opinion of a top LAC admission director and the relative value one should place on college’s statements.
^ Just a note, the writer in question was an Assistant Dean of Admission (the entry level admissions position) at Wesleyan from his graduation in 2003 until 2006, during which time he was earning his MFA. That doesn’t mean there’s not merit to what he says, but this was 13-16 years ago and he was hardly the Director of Admission (there are 3 levels of staff between Associate Dean and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at Wesleyan.)
I find so much of the advice about admissions to be contradictory: “Stand Out” from all the other applicants but only do what YOU really love to do.
What if your kid REALLY loves being a cooperative team player in a well-established group like band or orchestra or the corps de ballet; situations where conforming to a group (not drawing attention to oneself ) is a valuable quality (and part of a secure ego)? What if said kid happens to be Asian… and happens to like violin and tennis and has a moderate personality and conscientious study skills, all the things that seem to affirm a stereotype that risks condemning that kid to a lot of reject piles? How, then, to “stand out by being oneself?” I don’t think we can encourage THAT kid to attempt admissions to the selective schools that would otherwise be academic matches (except as a sort of shot in the lottery). And that’s kind of sad.
I mean, my daughter won’t change a thing to game the admissions system (and I don’t want her to) but I’m pretty much resigned to the likelihood that she may be rejected from all schools except those which would otherwise be considered academic safeties. That would be fine if she wanted a medium-to-large school (you can always find compatible people in a big population) but she wants a LAC. I’m thinking that finding a great fit at a small safety that doesn’t expect stand-out ECs will be much harder to find. Sometimes, being authentically, genuinely oneself does not match up with what society rewards, no matter how fine one’s subtle personal qualities. I think it’s important to be optimistic, but to prepare our children for that reality. Not every academically able student is outwardly passionate or intense in the ways that selective schools today seem to prefer.
Being a cooperative team player or collaborative aren’t bad. Being a resolute wallflower is different. Standing out doesn’t mean you don’t fit in with others, nor are best of best. It means, in general, having vision, being activated, showing awareness of opportunities and, depending, going for them. Usually a few stretchy things- but relevant. Being yourself still requires you to match.
Showing you’re collaborative is a good thing, especially in some stem fields.
Don’t think of this as gaming. It’s more about meeting expectations. You don’t get to “be yourself” and, eg, skip rigor cuz it’s not “you,” but expect a college that wants to see you challenged yourself.
Find the right matches is a two way street.
This is my favorite admissions blog. I like his humor even if they did wait list then reject my son… Lol… Which more families read it. https://pwp.gatech.edu/admission-blog/
@inthegarden , I don’t think a kid has to stand out with what they do. Every kid has the ability to stand out based on who they are and/or how they see themselves in the world. There are kids out there who stand out for that.
I think you can rest assured that it’s how you go for what you do go for, what those choices are. Not just being dependent on what the hs offers, when they offer it, following friends.
Think of an adcom writing, “She stands out for xxx.” Maybe that’s thoughtful qualities, or being willing to try new (relevant) things, or get out of the comfort zone, etc. It’s not about winning an award or some odd things.