College admissions counseling in the United States are consulting services to help high school students and parents navigate the process of applying for higher education. They are done by high school guidance counselors, test preparation advisors, consulting services, as well as diverse other groups including non-profit and fee-based advisors and even high school peers. Counseling advice and strategies are offered in magazines and newspapers as well as books and the Internet. Purposes of the counseling include trying to help students gain admission to scarce spots in prestigious colleges, helping students find a "good fit" between the individual student and the college which enables overall growth, as well as assistance about meeting deadlines, filling out forms, application essays, and applying for financial aid.
The transition from high school to college can be difficult for families as well as students, since there are huge numbers of options available for higher education with varying costs which are often increasing from year to year. One estimate is that college costs have tripled over the past three decades, and causing widespread anger as well as ex-students with debt approaching $1 trillion.[1]Further, the procedures for applying can be complex, despite efforts by many colleges working together to make the process easier by permitting use of a Common Application. Since most parents have only a few children, they do not have the chance to get skilled on how to help the process which can involve substantial research, college visits, and planning. It can be stressful for students, as well, to get good grades in their final years of high school while having to prepare to leave home, in many instances. Entrance into competitive colleges is challenging; one report suggested that six of the eight Ivy League universities had acceptance rates under ten percent.[2][3] There can be considerable confusion about how much a college will cost, since the so-called "sticker price" is often discounted by such offers as scholarships and grants, as well as deferred payment options such as loans with varying conditions. The market for higher education is changing considerably, with changing technology which permits computer-aided distance learning offered by such schools as the University of Phoenix. Since fewer than half of all students entering college actually graduate within four years,[4] and slightly over half will graduate from any college during their lifetimes,[4] many colleges, particularly mid-level liberal arts colleges, are scrambling for students, and are trying to adjust their offerings to appeal to diverse groups of students. As a result of the complexity and the importance attached to getting a teenager started on a career path via higher education, parents and students often turn to a variety of sources to help them navigate this process, sometimes hiring private consultants in varying capacities.
Counselors give advice on a number of approaches to help students compete for acceptance letters and scholarships.
One advisor suggested that students with weak SAT or ACT scores could consider applying to colleges where these measures were optional.[16] One suggested retaking the tests if there are "subpar test scores" in September and October (if applying early admission) or November and December (if applying regular admission.)[13] A consensus view is that most colleges accept either the SAT or ACT, and have formulas for converting scores into admissions criteria. Apparently there have been instances of persons taking admissions tests in place of the real student as paid "SAT test-takers", which is illegal, but the existence of such services has been called "an open secret in competitive circles"; for example, in 2011, an Emory University sophomore was arrested for taking the test for another person on a fee basis.[17]
Counselors and admissions directors tend to agree that in some cases, connections were important. A report based on a survey of admissions directors suggested that "whom you know does matter", since higher-level administrators and prominent alumni and trustees can exert pressure on the admissions departments to admit certain applicants.[6]
These can be helpful, particularly if a student has been having trouble in a specific area in high school.[12] Another suggested that pre-admission programs, such as a summer program before senior year, could help students adjust to the transition to college.[16] One suggested attending a community college during the summer before senior year, preferably which a high school might recognize as worthy of credits.[13] Some summer programs have been crafted in a way to allow a student to write a compelling application essay:
A dizzying array of summer programs have cropped up to feed the growing anxiety that summer must be used constructively. Students can study health care in Rwanda, veterinary medicine in the Caribbean or cell cloning at Brown University, or learn about Sikkim, India’s only Buddhist state.—Jenny Anderson in The New York Times, 2011[18]
There are reports that some college admissions departments scrutinize applicants' personalities online, such as Facebook or MySpace profiles, and as a result, they urge students to remove "sarcastic jokes, bad pictures, or political cartoons," and be wary about what their friends post on their pages as well.[15] A concurring report suggested that some offices have people tasked with "checking out applicants' Facebook pages".[2] Although there is a contrasting report from one college recruiter who said that their policy is not to examine Facebook profiles and that "Facebook is reserved for students on a recreational basis."[8] The same caution applies to email addresses; one advisor cautions against having jazzed-up email addresses such as "Spicychick@gmail.com", but rather that users should stick with their name, if possible, since it can help colleges find a student's records.[8]
There is some debate about how extensively a student should participate in extracurricular activities. A predominant position is that colleges were after "well-rounded bodies of individual specialists", suggesting that it is better for a student to be deeply involved in one or two activities rather than nine or ten superficially,[12][2] and that students should not "overdo it."[8] Achieving a leadership position in an extracurricular activity was better than merely participating in a bunch of others.[2] And, consistent with this view, is that too many extracurricular activities may look suspect, particularly if it seems unreasonable that any person could be as active and succeed scholastically at the same time.[8] A less dominant position was that it is helpful to be involved in a "variety of activities", including jobs, internships, and community service.[13]
There are differing views on how many schools a student should apply to. One advisor suggested that applying to too many schools caused unnecessary stress and expense, and hampers a student from targeting applications to a few select schools.[12] But other advisors suggest that applying to more schools increases overall chances for acceptance. There are reports that the average number of schools that students are applying to has been increasing, perhaps because of greater use of the Common Application. In 2008, applications to Harvard University had increased to a record number at 27,278, a 19% increase from the year before.[19] One effect of these numerous applications is to lower the average yield of colleges, which dropped from 46% to 38% in 2001 according to one account.[20]
There are contrasting views. One view is that letters from VIPs such as congresspersons or CEOs who do not know the particular student are generally unhelpful, but that teacher recommendations––which expound on a student's interests, strengths and growth––are much preferred.[2] Preferably, a student should choose "enthusiastic recommenders", according to Marjorie Jacobs of SAR High School.[8]
One report suggested that most private universities fill "at least one-third of their slots by early admission", an increase from one-fifth ten years ago.[20]
The consensus view among guidance advisors is that it is a good idea to visit colleges, preferably when college is in session and not during a summer break. A benefit is seeing a school as it really is -- not just glossy pictures from a brochure or a promotional video from a website.[24] Counselor Michael Szarek, a former admissions director at several colleges in New Jersey who is a full-time private consultant, commented on the importance of campus visits in dispelling false impressions:
Half of all college classes are not outdoors. Half of all college classes are not gathered around an electron microscope. Sometimes the leaves are brown, or even fall to the ground. So, use the viewbook to get a sense of the institution and what the college thinks are its strengths. But always rely on the campus visit.—Michael Szarek, 2011[10]
A report suggested that some colleges are more likely to admit a student based on its interpretation of a student's overall interest in attending, since signs such as personal visits, visits to College Fair booths and the like suggest that an applicant, if admitted, is more likely to attend. This can boost a college's yield rate, which is an increasingly important metric for colleges seeking to perform well in surveys such as the US News college rankings.[20] According to the report, Connecticut College lowered acceptance rates from 50% to 32%, and boosted yield from 28% to 34%, by "giving weight to applicant contacts."[20]
There are differing views about interviews. One counselor suggested that if an interview was offered by a college admissions program, then it was not really optional but it should be seen as a requirement––not going to such an interview could be detrimental to a student's chances for admission.[2] One counselor suggested that a student try to get an interview, even if it was not required, since it might help "exhibit character strengths" that might not show up via grades on high school transcripts.[16] One report noted that most Ivy League schools have abandoned the interview requirement, but that if there is an opportunity for an interview, even with an alumnus of the college, then it is a good idea to do it since not doing it signals a lack of interest in the school.[2] Knowing a college can be helpful during an interview, so that an applicant can say something specific about the school, or a professor who teaches there, or a subject or internship opportunities, since it shows sincere interest.[8]
There are differing opinions about the importance of the college essay. The consensus view is that the essay is less important than grades and test scores, but that an essay can make a difference in some instances.[2] Generally counselors recommend that the essay should not be too long, such as over 500 words. The Common Application suggests 250 to 500 words in length.[25] One advisor suggested that an essay longer than 700 words risked "straining their patience,"[9] but the 500-word suggested maximum length is not a hard–and–fast rule, and what's important is honing and rewriting:
Writing is easy; rewriting is hard. And essays deserve to be rewritten several times. Lots of kids think the objective is to write about something that will impress the admission office. In part that is true, but what impresses an admission officer is an essay that conveys something positive about the applicant; that allows the committee to get to know the kid just a bit from those few pieces of paper. The essay is an opportunity to provide a different perspective about the applicant, a reason to accept a kid. It is an opportunity not to be wasted.—Steve Cohen in The Washington Post, 2011[2]
Advisor Jonathan Reider suggested that the essay be concise, honest (with no embellishments), coherent, accurate, evoking vivid images, revealing a likeable and smart individual, with cautious use of humor, and possibly touching on controversial topics but in a balanced way.[9] Other tips include avoiding jargon or abbreviations, overly emotional appeals, profanity or texttalk (example: Schools H8 2 C texttalk), or artiness (eg poetry in an application) or being cocky.[8]
There should be no spelling, grammatical or punctuation mistakes. One applicant, referring to refer to the Disney production entitled The Lion King, typed in "Loin King" instead.[8] One independent college counselor helped a student figure out an essay topic by hooking the rising senior up with a group of "renegade painters," which allowed the aspiring student to write about her experience in her college essay; the applicant was later accepted at Dickinson College.[18] A differing view was that the essay should not be about an activity, but about the student.[18] If a college has space for an essay but says it is "optional", it should be treated as a mandatory requirement, according to one view.[8]
Advisors counsel that applicants should meet deadlines,[21] spend time researching colleges,[21] be open-minded,[24] have fun,[24] communicate what "resonates" to the applicant about a particular school,[15] not fall in love with one or two colleges,[12] follow directions precisely and make sure to click the "submit" button.[8] There is strong consensus among counselors and advisors that starting the college search early is vital. One recommends starting early in the senior year;[24] another suggests that even this is too late, and that the process should begin during the junior year and summer before senior year.[15] And sources suggest that students who begin the process earlier tend to earn more acceptance letters.[21] Another advantage of beginning early is so that applications can be proofread for mistakes.[15] Advisors suggest that emails should be sent to specific persons in the admissions office, not to a generalized inbox.[8] If using a paper application, make sure handwriting is legible, particularly email addresses.[8] Advisors counsel that mistakes or changes should be explained somewhere in the application; for example, an adviser at Grinnell College suggested that a record need not be perfect but there must be an "explanation for any significant blip."[12][8] Advisors suggest that applicants should "own up to any bad behavior" such as suspensions since schools are "dutybound to report them", and suggest that a person should "accept responsibility and show contrition for "lessons learned," according to one view.[8] Advisors suggest that the application should help a student position themselves to create a unique picture.[12] It helps, according to one advisor, if a person knows himself or herself, because that enables an applicant to communicate effectively with a prospective school.[15]
Since college costs have been escalating and with economic uncertainty, many students choose more reasonably priced state schools. Consultants suggest that community colleges are reasonably priced, and after two years with solid grades and academic performance, many colleges are willing to accept transfers.
One report suggested that college counselors and admissions officials wrote that "fit should trump prestige every single time" and that it was better for a school to match a student in terms of social, cultural, and academic qualities and not be chosen simply because of a school's prestige.[12] Some advisors specialize in helping students find a good fit––a suitable list of colleges––which will help students in the long run. They help students to explore their values and needs, and provide counseling to help both students and parents find a college or university program which will help the student meet his or her long term goals. Questions asked include thinking about life goals, which activities does a person like best, what style of learning works best for the student.[24] Evaluating personal preferences is important and can take time.[21] One advisor suggests it is important for a student to think through, for himself or herself, what is best, and choose on this basis, and "do not listen to your friends" since they will have different needs and wants; "one of the worst ways to make a decision about where to go to college is to follow a friend because he or she is having a good time at that school," wrote one advisor.[24] Since "barely half" of students entering college as freshmen will ever graduate from college later in their lives,[4] getting the right fit is important for parents and students to avoid wasting money.[4] What is a good fit:
The college that fits you best is one that will: (1) Offer a program of study to match your interests and needs (2) Provide a style of instruction to match the way you like to learn (3) Provide a level of academic rigor to match your aptitude and preparation (4) Offer a community that feels like home to you and (5) Value you for what you do well.—report in US News[4]
A private admissions counselor elaborates:
A school has to fit – academically, socially, and economically ... Ask whether a college feels right ... rather than is it best ...—Michael Szarek, 2011[10]
In addition, counselors can help less academically astute students find good colleges to help them pursue careers, and can point out colleges which are "gems" but relatively unknown.[16] In some cases, choosing a college which is in a different part of the country can improve chances for admission, particularly if the college is seeking "geographical diversity."[16] There was a study done which suggested that the overall prestige of a person's college was less important, overall, in predicting how they would fare in later life, and that personal characteristics, such as aptitude, were more important.[3]
Advisors can help students and parents decide whether to choose private universities or public ones, including state-subsidized schools as well as community colleges. One report suggested that community college admissions was more focused on finding aid for low and middle income students.[6] Applying for financial aid is sensible, even for middle-class families, according to one source.[2] One advisor counseled against letting the sticker price of a college dissuade a student from applying, since many of the top colleges have strong endowments allowing them to subsidize expenses, such that the colleges are less expensive than so-called "second tier" or state colleges.[2] Colleges are required to have a financial aid calculator on their websites which can give an indication about how much assistance might be expected.[2]
In the United States, public colleges refer to ones subsidized by taxpayers and state governments, while private colleges refer to ones paid by parents and students with assistance from alumni donors and endowments. Admissions guidance counselors can offer views about whether a public or private school is best, and give a sense of the tradeoffs. In the past few years, competition for spots in public institutions has become more intense, with some state schools such as the State University of New York reporting record numbers of students saying "yes" to their offers of admission, unlike years previously.[26] Public schools usually are less expensive, sometimes half or a third as much as a private institution, and the affordability may be leading more students to choose public or state-subsidized or community colleges.[26] A report in The Economist in 2011 suggested that many non-Ivy League colleges and universities in a misguided attempt to imitate the Ivies engaged in too much faculty research, to the detriment of undergraduate teaching, to the extent that some "students feel short-changed by professors fixated on crawling along the frontiers of knowledge with a magnifying glass".[1] The report suggested there was considerable dysfunction at many American universities, with professors of literature cranking out "70,000 publications a year" but most of which "simply moulder", and are not read much, even by colleagues.[1] Critics Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa in their book Academically Adrift suggest that a third of American students show no "improvement in critical thinking or analytical reasoning after four years in college."[1]
Advisors can suggest new choices for students seeking to get the best education with limited funds by considering new technological approaches to higher education enabled by the Internet, private firms, and other options.
Colleges use a variety of methods to evaluate applicants. According to some reports, they hire statistical experts known as "enrollment consultants" to help them predict enrollment by developing computer models to select applicants in such a way as to maximize yield and acceptance rates.[20] Some of these models take into account factors such as an applicant's "zip code, religion, first-choice major and extracurricular interests, as well as academic performance".[20] Advisors suggest that understanding some of the criteria can help an applicant apply to colleges with greater success. Some colleges extract information from the federal FAFSA financial aid form, including the names of other schools which the applicant is applying to.[20]
Considerations. Counselors urge students and parents to understand what types of things colleges tend to look for in applications, and plan accordingly. An admissions officer at Vanderbilt University wrote about how their office evaluates applicants: "It's really about, 'What did I take advantage of in the environment I was given.'"[12] One report suggested that colleges were not looking for the "well-rounded kid"[18] but rather a "well-rounded class":
Colleges are looking for ... the well-rounded class. Colleges put together their entering class as a mosaic: a few great scholars for each academic department; a handful of athletes; some musicians, dancers, and theater stars; a few for racial and economic diversity; some potential club leaders, etc. Colleges want a kid who is devoted to – and excels at – something. The word they most often use is passion.—Steve Cohen in the Washington Post, 2011[2]
Factors beyond one's control. Another counsels that there are many factors which are usually beyond a student's control, such as factors such as a college's need for diversity, legacy applicants, or athletic recruiting in a given year.[12] A survey of admissions officers found a fourth of them had been "pressured" to admit certain applicants by the development office or trustees.[7]
Advantages for full-paying students. While there is general agreement that chances for admission are higher for students who are prepared to pay the full price, there are indications that this has been even more prevalent in the past few years given the economic uncertainty and rising college costs.[28] Half of admissions officers at both public universities and a third of officers at four-year colleges were actively seeking students who could "pay full price" and did not need financial aid, according to a survey of 462 admissions directors and managers in 2011.[6] The report suggested that full-pay students tended to have lower high school grades and test scores than other students, compared to other applicants, on average.[6] Two other reports confirmed that public university admissions officers were actively seeking out-of-state and international students since they paid higher rates for tuition.[6][7] Another report found that one in ten admissions officers had said that their college admitted full-pay students despite their having lower average grades and test scores.[7]
Race and ethnicity. A survey of admissions personnel suggested that two-fifths had said yes to applicants from minorities despite having lower grades and test scores than other applicants, on average.[7] At the same time, rulings by the Supreme Court have prevented race from becoming an "overriding factor" in college admissions.[3] In the case of multiracial students, they have a choice of which box to check since it may be perceived either as "gamesmanship" or reflecting one's racial makeup.[29] Some Asian-Americans have felt loathe to describe themselves as Asian, or to reveal information about their ethnic background, on the supposition that college admissions departments discriminate against them because of their ethnicity and consider them incorrectly to be "boring academic robots", according to one view.[30] Typically, Asian applicants require a SAT score 140 points above that of a comparable white student, and considerably higher than that of a non-asian minority, to have a similar chance of admission.[31]
Athletic ability. A survey of admissions officers revealed that 28% agreed that their school had accepted athletes despite having lower grades and test scores than others.[7] A survey by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution found that schools with strong athletics departments tended to have athletes with lower SAT scores than non-athletic students.[3] Athletes get better treatment even at elite colleges, according to one academic study.[3] Recruited athletes who play in-demand sports such as football or basketball can have a "significantly greater advantage in admissions" than others.[32]
Geographic diversity. One view was that state schools strive to admit students from "all parts of a state,"[3] which suggests that more distant state schools may improve chances for admission.
Legacy applicants. There are differing views about how important it is to have a family member or relative who also attended a college. It is clear that it is a factor; one report suggested that having a family member who is an alumnus gives "a leg up" for applicants.[3] Legacy admissions have had a history of controversy; economist Peter Sacks criticized the practice of legacy admissions as a "social reproduction process" in which "elite institutions have an implicit bargain with their alumni ... ’You give us money, and we will move your kid to the front of the line.'"[32] But an opposing view is that all colleges, to varying extents, make choices as part of the admissions process, including state schools which charge in-state residents (with taxpaying parents) a lower rate than out-of-state residents, and it was argued that there was not really much difference between taxpaying parents contributing to a state school as well as generous alumni contributing to a private school -- both with the possibility that it will help their offspring get into college.[32] In a
Interest in a particular school. This can be an important factor, since a college may be more likely to say yes to a student likely to matriculate. Accordingly, it has been advised to become knowledgeable about schools being applied to, and "tailor each application accordingly."[13] College visits (including overnight ones), interviews, attending College Fair days, comments in the essay, and other indications of interest can be a factor for many colleges concerned about their yield––the percent of students who will say yes to an offer of enrollment.[20] Schools such as Connecticut College and Emory University have been credited as "popularizing the yield game" by refusing well-qualified students who failed to show much real interest in attending, as a way to boost their yield scores.[20]
Since students on average tend to be sending out more applications, colleges have been having a tougher time knowing for certain whether the students they have selected to attend will, in fact, attend in the fall. Some of the uncertainty is related to the phenomenon of students applying to more and more schools, sometimes 15 or more, to increase their chances in a statistical sense, but this adds a new layer of guesswork for colleges trying to predict how many accepted students will say yes,[33] and puts waitlisted students in "limbo"[34] or the "basic equivalent of purgatory," according to US News.[35] Colleges lose some students due to a phenomenon sometimes called summer melt,[36] meaning that some students, even ones who have sent in a deposit, will not show up in the fall, and melt away, and this "melt percentage" can be as high as 5% to 10% of persons who have paid a deposit.
The admission process is a complicated dance of supply and demand for colleges. And this spring, many institutions have accepted fewer applicants, and placed more on waiting lists, until it becomes clear over the next few weeks how many spots remain.—Jacques Steinberg in The New York Times, April 2010[33]
As a result, colleges use wait lists as a hedge to make sure they have enough students in the fall. But it varies from college to college and from year to year. For example, in 2010 Stanford and Yale wait-listed 1,000 students while Duke wait-listed 3,000 students.[34] Overall, one survey suggested that 30% of wait-listed students are eventually accepted,[34] but this is an average figure for all wait-listed students, and the percentage is dramatically lower at elite or prestigious schools. There is a report suggesting that in recent years, the lists are more fluid than in previous years in the sense that there is more activity regarding wait lists which have become more of a "safety net" for colleges rather than students.[3] Estimates vary about how many college applicants find themselves on a wait list; one report was that 10% of applicants were wait-listed.[35]
One adviser suggested that if a student is wait listed, that he or she "work the wait list", meaning to stay in touch with the admissions office and make sure they know that "you'll attend if you're accepted",[3] and possibly taking steps such as forwarding new grades and making a subsequent college visit,[12] or send a one-page letter or 60-second video describing how strongly they wish to attend and why.[33][37] A former dean of admissions at Franklin and Marshall College suggests that students not view the wait list letter as a "polite denial" but rather as a possible opportunity.[12] A second report in 2011 confirmed this, and it suggested that private colleges without "billion-dollar endowments or 40,000 applicants" were finding that the period from May to the start of classes in fall was a time of uncertainty, with many institutions seeking new applicants, and unsure how many of the applicants that had promised to attend would, in fact, show up in the fall.[38] What can happen is that institutions at the top of the "food chain" accept students from their wait lists, and these students in turn sacrifice their deposit to schools lower down the chain, generating vacancies and uncertainty.[38] A downside to wait lists is that by the time a student is accepted, there may be much less money available for scholarships or grants.[3] There was a report in The Wall Street Journal of a few colleges such as Franklin & Marshall which deliberately waitlisted overqualified students on the assumption that even if accepted, they would almost certainly not enroll.[20] The alleged purpose was to boost the admissions yield rate––the percentage of students who accept a college's admissions offer––as a means to improve the college's overall performance on the influential US News college rankings.[20]
Duke University in 2010 had 27,000 freshman applicants, accepted 4,000 and placed 856 on its waiting list in April, since it was uncertain how many of those accepted would choose to attend; in this sense, the wait list is a form of hedge for the university to guard against uncertainty.[33] Duke does not rank students on the wait list, but chooses based on other characteristics.[33]
| College | Yield (2009) | Yield (2010) | Wait list acceptances (2009) | Wait list acceptances (2010) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard | 75% | 76% | 70 | avg 65 & 75 | |
| Dartmouth | 48% | 55% | 95 | 0 | |
| Stanford | 71% | 72% | 126 | 26 | [39] |
| U. Pennsylvania | 63% | 63% | |||
| SUNY New Paltz | 20% | 21% | |||
| Cornell | 49% | 49% | |||
| Amherst | 35 | [37] | |||
| Lafayette | 26% | 27% | |||
| U. North Carolina | 54% | 53% | Chapel Hill campus | ||
| U. Iowa | 33% | 34% | 0 | 0 | |
| Connecticut College | 29% | 31% | 44 | 0 | |
| Colorado College | 33% | 37% |
Admissions approaches
Resources