Essential Organizing Tools
Top 5 Secrets of
College Admissions
1.The top colleges aren’t looking for “well rounded” kids. They’re looking for a well-rounded class. That means they need scholars for every academic department; athletes for each team; performers for every arts group; even some “really nice” kids to organize hall-hockey. Think about what this means for you (or your child): how will you be “positioned”? And how can you influence that positioning?
2.The corollary to the well-rounded-class truth is that admissions officers don’t really care about a student having a “laundry list” of extracurricular activities. They would much rather see a student who excelled at one or two activities, and who attained a leadership position.
3.Admissions officers are looking for reasons to reject applicants, not just accept them. Virtually every college has far more qualified applicants than they can possibly accept. Thus, while admissions officers love having a clear “handle” or positioning upon which to accept an applicant, they also “like” applications which they can easily reject. And the easiest to reject are those with stupid mistakes: misspellings, essay questions not answered, or pieces of the application left blank or missing.
4.Many parents think they should secure extra recommendations for Sam from business leaders, politicians, or people with “connections” to the college. Bad idea! Unless the recommended really knows the applicant – preferably through a work or academic experience – don’t do it. There is an expression in the admissions world: The thicker the folder, the thicker the kid.
5.Believe it or not, it’s a buyer’s market. For all the hype and stress of college admissions, far more schools accept way more applicants than they reject. Even “name” schools. That doesn’t mean the competition isn’t tough; it is. But once you get beyond the “top” 50 or so colleges and universities, the acceptance rate is typically above 50%. That doesn’t make admission easy, but smart targeting and a good application should give you a fighting chance of getting in.
How to Get In
Getting In!
Getting into college is easy. Getting into the right college isn’t. Importantly, the “right” college doesn’t necessarily mean the most prestigious school.
“Right” means what is right for the student – not the parent, teachers, friends, counselors, or anyone other than the student. (We talk about figuring out what the right school may be in the “Where to Go” section.) Here, we focus on getting in.
Cracking the Code
Inside the Admissions Process
You can improve your chances of admission. To do so, you need to understand how the system works.
You also have to be realistic. If your grades and SAT’s are average – and you’re not a super athlete, a concert-level musician, or able to donate a new library – you’re probably not going to get into an Ivy League or very-highly-competitive college. That doesn’t mean its impossible. It just means it is not likely.
Start early!
Keep a copy of everything.
Use file-folder system to keep all documents in their proper place
Don’t miss deadlines.
Answer the question asked.
Use a master schedule/organizer like the one below
