Slide 1: Inside the Admission Office:
How Colleges Decide Who to Admit
Don Betterton Betterton College Planning
dbett@princeton.edu
Slide 2: Types of Colleges
(4200 total)
In the U.S. there is a higher education opportunity for every level of student interest and ability. My categories: Register and attend (1900)
Routine enrollment process
Specialty schools (300)
Admit on interest and talent
Meet basic standards (1500)
Admit more than 75% of applicants
Competitive (400)
Admit from 40% to 75% of applicants
Selective (100)
Admit fewer than 40% of applicants
Slide 3: Competitive and Selective
5-year grad rate: 50% or more for publics 80% or more for privates 50% or more of freshmen have SAT over 1200, ACT over 24 3.5 average high school GPA 1/3 or more from top 10% of h.s. class
Slide 4: Competitive and Selective
Although these colleges make up only about 25% of the 4-yr non-profit, much of the college-going preparation and pressure is focused here.
They are the types of colleges where good admission planning is needed. They tend to be more expensive and information about how to pay, with or without aid, is important.
Slide 5: Admission Recruiting Methods Create Unrealistic Expectations
It is hard to judge where a student stands because top colleges send We Want You messages even knowing full well they will only admit some of the students they encourage to apply. This is an unusual buyer (student) seller (college) relationship.
Slide 6: What Would Wal-Mart Do If it Behaved Like a Top College?
Wal-Mart would mount an extensive advertising campaign that included:
Print ads (college catalog) Internet ads (college Web site) Send salesmen on the road (admission staff) Invite potential buyers to tour the store (campus visits) Have previous buyers seek out new customers (alumni recruiters) Mount a large direct mail campaign (search lists) Use techniques to get a better product review in Consumer Reports-style publications (U.S. News ratings)
Slide 7: What Next?
Wal-Mart’s outreach methods succeed at generating a very high demand for its product. But,
It turns out that all along Wal-Mart only had enough product to sell to 1/3 of potential buyers. Not only that, but Wal-Mart will decide who will be allowed to make a purchase. Roles are reversed. Wal-Mart becomes the buyer. The customer must now submit an application to “sell himself.”
Slide 8: And Next …
Excited by all the Wal-Mart advertising, the potential customer wants to judge how he compares to others who are also interested in being selected, and asks,
“What criteria do you use to choose those who will be allowed to buy your product?” “It depends.”
At this point, Mr. Walton responds,
Slide 9: Welcome to the Admission Process at the Top Colleges
The current demand for a high quality college education results in the top schools becoming “selective.” They get to select who will be able to purchase their educational product. If the student is striving to go to one of these colleges, it is important to understand this relationship between supply and demand.
Slide 10: Supply and Demand
Supply is steady. While there are many more students seeking to attend college, the number of openings has remained about the same. Demand is growing overall. The number of high school grads has never been higher.
Now exceeds 3,000,000 From 45% to nearly 60% since 1980’s
The percent going to college is increasing.
The increase in demand is greatest for students wanting to attend a “good school.”
Yet, of 2000 4-year colleges, only about 500 select fewer than 3 of 4 applicants.
Slide 11: Perhaps this is the problem:
“It’s hard for kids to get into colleges because they only want to go to colleges that are hard to get into.”
Slide 12: What to Do
When you are among a great many who want to purchase the education of a top college, it pays to know its selection standards. This knowledge can help in 2 ways:
It can help you prepare, both inside and outside the classroom, to meet those standards Courses, grades Achievements, activities It can help you make a realistic college list
Slide 13: Life Isn’t Easy in Admissions
While admission offices make it hard on themselves because of their drive to generate more applications, it does create a problem. There are more and more students to evaluate, but it is increasingly hard to choose among them.
Slide 14: Consider:
There is academic “Bunching”
Increased enrollment in hard courses Honors, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate College courses in high school, summer enrichment Distinctions are blurred Grade inflation (3.4 average h.s. GPA) Multiple valedictorians, other honors SAT recentering, take the highest score, subject tests, ACT strategy Test prep courses
Slide 15: And
There is personal “Polishing”
Students are more savvy about building a resume with activities and accomplishments, strategizing the essay, using summer for extra college prep High schools feel the pressure -- reluctant to lessen student chances – inflation in teacher and counselor recs
Slide 16: To Complicate Matters Further ..
College admission offices have a split personality They are a meritocracy
Admit the best Admit to meet other objectives
They also practice “institutional engineering”
The result is not one, but two admissions processes at top colleges One for “regular” applicants One for “special” applicants This is where confusion increases and predictability decreases.
Slide 17: What To Do
The most common reason a good student does not get admitted to a top college is that he is in the Regular category and doesn’t realize the admission standards for him are well above the published averages. In fact, there may not be that many average admits.
A public university – 700 SAT out-of-state, 500 SAT in-state
In making college list, and estimating chances, important to know if you are a Regular or Special.
Slide 18: Special Categories
The 4 most common Special categories are:
Listed athlete (+30%) Underrepresented minority (where not restricted by legislation) (+28%) Legacy (+20%) Early applicant (+20%)
One that is growing in popularity:
Disadvantaged, low income, first generation college
Slide 19: Other Special Categories
These tend to vary a great deal by institution.
In-state, out-of-state Expressed interest Special institutional need – female engineer, cello player, Latin scholar Donors and other forms of service Misc – president and trustee lists, faculty child, etc
Slide 20: Special Categories
Examples:
Level 1 Recruited Division I Athletes Level II Affirmative action minorities (depending) Non-scholarship athletes State residents for publics Level III Legacies Early Decision Low income, disadvantaged background (may be level II) Special institutional needs not formal – classics, dancer, tuba Donors, President’s list (may be level II) Faculty children Level IV Geography Expressed interest Other: sib enrolled, full pay
Slide 21: Special Strategies
Minority -- find out if they give a preference Legacy -- apply to college parents attended
(Check grad school, grandparents, service)
Athlete – apply to colleges where you will be listed by coach Apply early – E.D., E.A. Disadvantaged – ask admission rep Other --
Slide 22: College List Making Advice
Regular – compare yourself to the top 75% of the academic profile Special
Minority: 25th - 50th percentile Listed athlete: the coach will tell you what your chances are. Div I and II scholarship athletes have minimum standards. Legacy and E.D.: 40th - 50th percentile
Slide 23: An Admission Exercise
Top colleges rate applicants on academic and personal scales. Because they have to sort through so many apps, they use a number system. Assume you are an admission officer and you are rating your student. This system is 1 (low) to 8 (high) on both academic and personal.
Slide 24: ACADEMIC RATING TABLE Average GPA 4.0 up 3.9 3.7-3.8 3.5-3.6 3.1-3.4 2.5-3.0 2.4-2.8 2.0-2.3 Rank 1-2% 3-5% 6-9% 10-15% 20% 25% 33% Top 1/2 SAT 750-800 710-740 680-700 650-670 600-640 550-590 480-540 400-470 ACT 35-36 33-34 31-32 29-30 26-28 23-25 20-22 16-19 Acad Awards Intern/ National Region State County School None None None Courses IB or All AP 4 AP 3 AP 1,2 AP Honors Honors All PreCollege Some Pre-Coll Routine
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
A+ A AB+ B/BC+ C C-
Slide 25: Personal Ratings
The personal rating assigned to an applicant is based on a combination of attributes in different areas. They typically include:
Achievement Talent Leadership/positions of responsibility How you are revealed in the application Service to others Overcoming obstacles Personal attributes
Personal attributes primarily come from school and teacher reports and required interviews. The categories are:
Respect accorded by faculty, class participation, academic achievement, intellectual promise, writing quality, creativity, work habits, maturity, motivation, leadership, integrity, reaction to setbacks, concern for others, self-confidence, initiative, and independence
Slide 26: PERSONAL RATINGS
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Achievement/Talent/Leadership: International, national/ rare talent/ extraordinary leader Personal Characteristics: ”One of few in career.” Essay: will appear in “How to Write Essays” book Service/Obstacles: Extraordinary contribution, major effect/ overcame severe obstacles Achievement/Talent/Leadership: Regional, state/ unusual talent/ very strong leader Personal Characteristics: Outstanding, top 5% Essay: passed around admission office Service/Obstacles: Significant role in important service/ quite difficult road Achievement/Talent/Leadership: County, league-wide/ strong talent/ admirable leadership qualities Personal Characteristics: Excellent. Top 10% Essay: impresses reader Service/Obstacles: Well beyond typical service/ some obstacles Achievement/Talent/Leadership: Major school/ above average talent/ solid leader Personal Characteristics: Very good Essay: adds to application Service/Obstacles: Well meaning contribution/ none Achievement/Talent/Leadership: Minor school, good class/ typical talent/ occasional leader Personal Characteristics: Good Essay: typical Service/Obstacles: Typical contribution/ none Achievement/Talent/Leadership: Average class/minor talent/ minor roles at best Personal Characteristics: Average Essay: fair Service/Obstacles: Only what’s required/ none Achievement/Talent/Leadership: Nothing stands out Personal Characteristics: Below average Essay: doesn’t add anything Service/Obstacles: none/ none Achievement/Talent/Leadership: None Personal Characteristics: Some questions Service/Obstacles: none/ none Essay: negative impression
Slide 27: PERSONAL/ACADEMIC COMBINED Personal
8 Acad 1 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Slide 28: 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6
HYP, Stanford, MIT, Cal Tech Columbia, Brown, Dartmouth, Penn, Duke, Wash U, Rice, Amherst, Williams UVA, William & Mary, Cal, UCLA, USC, Cornell, JHU, NW, Vandy, ND, G’twn, Claremont-McKenna, Middlebury, Carleton, Wesleyan, Haverford, Chicago, Emory, Carnegie-Mellon, Bowdoin, Vassar, Davidson, W&L Michigan, UNC, Maryland, Wake Forest, BC, NYU, GW, Colgate, Oberlin, Colby, Hamilton, Bates, Bucknell, Trinity, Richmond, Conn College SUNY Binghamton, Wisconsin, Illinois, F&M, TCNJ, RPI, American, Villanova, BU, Smith, Holy Cross, Stevens, Lafayette, Gettysburg, Union UConn, Rutgers, Ohio State, Penn State, Delaware, Syracuse, Loyola, Northeastern, Fordham, Providence, Fairfield, Skidmore, Babson SUNY Buffalo, Minnesota, Rowan, Clark, Ithaca, Quinnipiac, Drew, St Lawrence, VMI, BYU, St Lawrence, Wooster St Josephs, Vermont, UNH, UMass, Catholic, Susquehanna, Clarkson, NJ Tech, Hofstra, Purdue, Colorado Minimally competitive
Slide 29: Specials
The rating system is a constant. The definition of an Academic 6 or a Personal 5 does not change. What does change is who, at a given rating, gets admitted, and who doesn’t. Strong specials, i.e. minorities and athletes might move up 2 levels, legacy and E.D. 1 level. (For example, a listed “10” athlete has a chance
at a “12” college.)
Slide 30: How To Improve Your Chances
Make a realistic list, 3-5-2. Be enthusiastic about match schools. Take good courses Plan test taking strategy, including ACT Add colleges where you might be a Special Look at personal side. Avoid resume fillers, try to distinguish yourself. The “2 strong” profile is appealing. Pay attention to teacher recs, essay, evaluative interview Below top level expressed interest can be important Essay – answer the question, make it about you, show attractive quality, endearing flaw better than bragging, something you care about
Slide 31: Conclusion
Plan ahead to present the best version of who you are, not a makeover. Look for polish, not plastic surgery. Don’t try to become a different person for the sake of college admission. Have a number of “strike zone” colleges that you will be pleased to attend. Finding a college that fulfills your academic potential and is a good fit personally is more important then attending the “better” school.
