What I Learned Last Week

Imagine being in a room with 8,000 of your closest friends! That’s what attending a college counseling conference feels like, and this year’s NACAC conference in Salt Lake City was no exception.  Of course, I don’t really know all the attendees, but for three days, college admissions reps and high school counselors are all willing to share ideas and learn about the world of college admission from each other, and by the end, you really do make a lot of new friends!

So now that I’m back, what did I learn that might benefit students this year? For starters, I learned that most people don’t really understand the concept of holistic admissions (we’ll start working on that). In the meantime, here’s a simple version of what that means. 

            Many, but not all, colleges, evaluate their applicants holistically. We believe that’s a good thing, because it means they will consider more that your GPA and test scores. Schools will look at other things you bring to the table like geographic diversity, special talents and interests, a strong interview or essay, the type of school you attend, your family background – the list is varied.  They’re considering the whole person, not just the numbers, and for most students, that’s not a bad thing. It’s why being able to tell your story beyond the numbers is so important.

I also learned that last year, 60% of colleges and universities reported they did not meet their freshmen enrollment goals. Why should that matter to you? Because despite what you read about record low admit rates (and yes, there are a handful), there are SO many schools that are still seeking students, you might want to expand your horizons.  

To my surprise, I learned that colleges are concerned about the AP arms race.  They believe students are passing up some pretty cool educational opportunities for one more AP class, and they wish you wouldn’t.  Yes, I know, the more selective a college is, the more they probably will consider your strength of schedule, but perhaps, just perhaps, they might really consider that given your interest in human rights, taking Social Justice in Action (and developing an app) might be okay. 

“You’re waitlisted.” That’s one of the most frustrating admissions decisions a student can receive, because you didn’t quite make the cut. So they dangle a spot on the wait list: if enough students turn them down, the college might take you off the waiting list. What did I learn? Don’t hold your breath.  15% of colleges said they hadn’t admitted anyone off the waitlist in the last few years, and 68% said they admitted a few, but it was less than 5%.  With that in mind, perhaps you should let that wait list school go and focus all your love on the schools that did admit you. Like I’ve always said and will continue to say, sometimes Plan B (or C, D, E) end up being the best options for you.

Lastly, Ms. Mann heard a comment at the conference that she shared with me, and I loved it, so I want to share it with you.

”You are valuable and you do have context.  You are a person. It is incumbent on us (the college) to find value and context in each person." You can convey who you are in your essay 

and application and can articulate what your dreams are and what they can bring to the table.

You have a beautiful story to share, and in the end, that's all that really matters.