Friday, August 21, 2015

Being realistic in college admissions

Hope springs eternal they say, and that proverb is never more true than during the college admissions season.  Even faced with a rising tide of evidence that their dream school might simply be out of reach, students can't help but believe that they just might be the exception.  My colleague, Ms. Goldbach, likes to say that it is like winning the Powerball: no matter how high the odds are, there is always a little piece of us that believes we have the winning ticket.

Students should be their own number one advocate, but after that, we want the girls to know that their counselor is close behind, writing insightful and personal recommendations, calling colleges on their behalf when appropriate, and promoting them during college visits and conferences.  Teachers are also extremely supportive, and GPS teachers write passionate letters on their students' behalf.

All that said, the admissions process is still very competitive, especially if you are applying to schools like Vanderbilt, Washington University, Duke, Stanford, and Yale.  With that in mind, we have several articles we hope students and parents will read closely.

The Importance of Being Realistic During Application Season is a good look at why it's important to keep your head on straight while going through the process, and for students who have their heart set on Vandy, The Big Search and Building a Class, two articles from their latest magazine, are a must read.

We support our students' big dreams, but we also hope they remember the words of William Shakespeare: "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."  Think about college in the same way. There are many colleges and universities that can meet your needs.  Give them a chance, and you might be surprised at what you find.




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