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Know Before You Go: Research 301

When I was applying to colleges, there was no internet, much less Google. There, now you have a sense of how old I am. My access to college-specific information was limited, to say the least. I relied on hearsay. Today’s high school applicants have had the internet their whole lives and know how to maximize its potential, so researching colleges should be second nature to them—right? Well, not always. How to research, maybe, but what to research is a different story.

When I ask students to research schools, they often come back with the faculty:student ratio, the median ACT range of enrolled freshmen and something vague about the location. High school students can get a bit lost figuring out what else they should know. There is much to consider and what to look at will be different for everyone, but thorough research is essential not only for students starting to formulate a college list, but also for seniors who are in the process of deciding.

Know the Curriculum and Academic Outcomes


One thing that will not vary from person to person is the need to look closely at the academic programs they are contemplating. Go to the department websites and learn their focuses and expectations of what their students will learn. Also look at the required classes for the major. Is it more math than expected? More writing? Are there practical or experiential opportunities? A major will differ significantly from college to college so applicants should know the particulars and evaluate which are in line with their expectations. While discovering the nuances of each major, it might be informative to look at the college’s core curriculum requirements. What classes do everyone have to take? Is there a foreign language requirement? Religion class? P.E.? Did you know some schools have a mandatory swim test? The number and scope of requirements can vary so don’t assume anything.

The calendar is another academic consideration. A school on quarters is going to be faster paced than a school on semesters. Typically on the quarter system, students take fewer classes for a shorter time than they would at semester schools. The result is the ability to take more classes over their time in college allowing more time to add a second major or a minor. Semesters, however, are good in that students have more time to absorb the knowledge or to participate in experiential learning such as having an internship. Neither system is better than the other, but it is helpful for students to think about their learning styles and what would be comfortable for them. There are even block calendar colleges which have one intensive class at a time.

If a student is looking at a college that offers co-ops, they should see if they can still graduate in four years if they participate. Schools such as Northeastern and Drexel offer more than one co-op opportunity, but it’s important to find out how participation in that type of program might affect the number of years it takes to graduate and the overall cost. Experiential learning is great but it may affect your graduation timeline.

Grading: Does the college grade on the curve? If so, how will that affect you? High school students used to getting all A’s might have a difficult time adjusting. How does this affect the environment on campus? Will it affect graduate school admissions? Students in classes graded on a curve might be more competitive making students less likely to collaborate or study together. Some schools don’t calculate GPAs and some share written evaluations of their work instead of sharing a grade. Regardless of the grading structure, applicants should evaluate if the grading system is a good fit for them.

As a side note, pressure at some colleges can be intense. The availability of good support systems can be crucial. This means academic support in the form of tutoring and advice as well as responsive mental health services. The percentage of college students suffering from mental health issues is on the rise. Prospective students should learn how long it takes to get an appointment and how many they are allowed. Tragically, they should also know the number of recent suicides.

Life Outside of the Classroom


Those with food allergies or Celiac Disease need to take a close look at food services. Most if not all colleges have gluten-free choices and food that does not contain any of the nine most common allergens. On the surface, it seems like it does not need to be a concern. But dig deeper and they might find out that there is little variation in the meals they are offered or other inconveniences. Availability of a kitchen if living in a dorm might be a question to ask as well. Navigating dietary needs living away from home is going to be challenging, so students should know how manageable it is going to be.

Campus safety has been a hot topic lately. In addition to the campus protests, students should know if their prospective campus is safe. A look at the surrounding area does not tell the whole story. If a college is located in a city, what additional layers of security do they have. I have never been on a college campus that does not have a Blue Light system, but what else do they have? Is it enough?

Lastly, students with their families need to look at affordability. Run the Net Price Calculators to estimate total cost. If applying for financial aid and applying Early Decision, find out if a school will do a pre-read of your financial aid application so that you know before you sign the ED agreement that the price for that college is manageable. Availability of merit aid is another searchable data point.


These questions are only a few of the things students and families can seek answers to. Looking beyond the obvious, is an important step to landing at the college with the best fit so you can thrive.

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Homework Pays Off for Class of ’25

So far, the seniors I work with have been been accepted to 32 different colleges! Additionally, an incredible amount of scholarship dollars are on the table. All-together they have applied to 120 unique colleges. As I reflect on their achievements, I am particularly awed by their willingness to explore and step out of their comfortable and familiar California environment. They are exploring colleges as far away as Dublin (Ireland-not California or Ohio!). They are seeing possibilities in large SEC schools in the South and Big 10 schools in the Midwest. The frigid, lake-effect weather in the Midwest does not seem to intimidate them. More importantly, their college lists include a large variety of types of schools from small, faith-based colleges to sports powerhouses. They applied to urban schools, traditional campuses in traditional college towns, tech schools and liberal arts colleges. Their college lists are as individual as they are, and they evolved after much introspection and prioritizing.

Here are three things they did to get to this place.

1. They paid attention on college visits.

“Too many of the guys were wearing collared shirts.”
“I don’t want to get hit by a train.”
“People weren’t walking in groups, and they all had ear buds in.”
“The campus is too spread out which might make me late for class.”
“No one seems happy.”
“I think it’s creepy that there is a graveyard on campus.”

“Everyone seems happy.”
“They have their own place to ski.”
“The class I sat in on was very interesting, and the professor was really respectful of all the students.”
“They use Handshake.” (Spoiler alert: 1500 colleges use Handshake)
“There is a bakery in town that sells delicious ¼ lb cookies.”

2. They researched

These seniors investigated available majors, and if their first choice wasn’t available, they found alternatives that would still get them to their goals. Many embraced being undecided, if they were unsure and didn’t want to commit. They also learned how a major could be taught differently at different schools. They also wanted to know if their major choice was going to hurt their chances of admission, and, if so, they adjusted accordingly. In all cases, they were in touch with their priorities.

Additionally, they looked into clubs and organizations that they would like to try such as club sports or sororities and fraternities or career-focused clubs. Also campus safety and study abroad opportunities were both important to members of this class. Finding a good fit is about a lot more than academics.

Sometimes their research led them to decisions to take schools off their list. That is an indicator that they are in touch with what will really work for them.

3. They looked for Value

They learned what WUE is and which colleges participate. Return on investment was important, so they asked how they might leverage scholarship opportunities. They became aware of total cost of attendance and if their colleges were “need-blind” or need-aware.” Lastly, they filed their FAFSA’s in a timely basis.

Importantly, they filtered out what others think and stuck to what they want exercising their independence and individuality. By making their own ranking system, instead of chasing trophies, they focused on schools where they could thrive and be totally happy. Many have not heard back yet from dream schools, and some are already struggling with disappointment, but none will be left without fantastic options all because they put in the work when making their college lists. They did their homework.

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Do the Math!

                              

concentrated black kid doing sums
Photo by Katerina Holmes on Pexels.com

I have a professional crush. His name is Rick Clark. He spent many years as the Director of Admissions at Georgia Tech and started an amazing blog on his views on college admissions. I recommend you look up the blog and read some of the ones in the archives.  He is now the Executive Director of Strategic Student Access at Tech. Lucky for me he was the keynote speaker at the convention I attended in June, and he did not disappoint. The only thing I regret was not getting a selfie with my crush. In any event, he is focused on the college applicant experience and offers sage advice on reasonable approaches to find the best fit school. So what was my biggest take-away? “Don’t apply where you would not go!”

It’s that simple. Do yourself and everyone else a favor and eliminate the schools from your list where either geographic, academic, financial, or social considerations would keep you from attending. Why? Because you can play a part in controlling the legitimacy of admission rates. How often have you or your parents been shocked to see an admissions rate that was way lower than expected? Has that school become “better?” Because that is what we tend to think, a low admissions rate means it’s an academically stronger school. When, in actuality, it is probably merely the result of an increase in applications. If the size of its freshman class has not grown and it is experiencing a rise in applications, for whatever reason, then the ratio will show a lower admission rate. This is simple math involving numerators and denominators and is irrespective of quality of academics.

Rick Clark also said in his keynote address that applicants should not apply to 10 schools with admit rates of 10% thinking that that increases their chances to 100%. “That is not how math works!” More “reach” schools does not increase your chances for admission, but it does increase your chances for heart break. Trust me, it hurts every time you find out that you didn’t get into a school. No matter how resilient you think you are or how many times you say that you knew it wasn’t going to happen, it is painful to open an email that says, “We regret to inform you…. We wish you the best of luck.”

On the flip side, don’t apply to too many “likely” schools, either. Pick two or three that you are genuinely interested in and can see yourself attending. Make sure that it is truly “safe” by looking at the numbers and not relying on hearsay or what your parents remember from their application days. One good tactic is to apply early to a school with rolling admissions. Generally, you will hear back in a short period of time and then you will, hopefully, have an acceptance in your back pocket. One reason not to go overboard with these applications is out of fairness to the school and to other applicants. In addition to throwing away money, you could be taking a spot from someone who needs it and wasting resources at the university as they try to persuade you to enroll.

Your college list should have just a few dream schools and a small number of schools where you are likely to be accepted. The bulk of your applications should be going to the schools in the middle, the target schools. This is the sweet spot. This is where your hard work can truly pay off reaping the most colleges to choose from next spring. I think Rick Clark would agree.

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Three Ways to Help You Get In

The following advice is not appropriate for most and choices should be made based on personal context and life-balance. High school experience and mental health should not be ignored in the pursuit of a college with a brand name.

Because You Asked

“That school is a “reach” for everybody!”
Well, not everybody. After all, even Stanford accepts some students, so that begs the question: Who are these “chosen” ones? And, importantly, how can you position yourself to be competitive for admissions at highly selective schools?

Memorial Chapel, Stanford University

While selective admissions may seem like a lottery where applicants’ skills take a back seat to luck, admissions officers are not just pulling names out of a hat. There are many moving parts, but be assured each application is thoughtfully considered.

The most successful are those applicants who show that they are driven in all aspects of their lives. They display intellectual curiosity and are undeniably ready for a rigorous academic environment. Colleges are also looking for students whose experiences and learning would bring a diversity of ideas and perspectives to the campus. Here are three ways to help you be that worthy applicant.

Transcript

Obviously, your grades matter. Unfortunately, P.E. grades don’t, but the rest can. Different colleges or programs within a college look at transcripts differently, so it is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. It’s safe to say, though, that selective schools are looking for how you have challenged yourself, and if you have taken advantage of most academic opportunities available to you. Don’t elect to have a free period senior year if you have not signed up for five academic courses. If you are an “A” student in science, don’t skip taking chemistry, biology, or physics. It also matters if your school offers an array of AP classes, and you only took one, and it was AP Human Geography.

Furthermore, your course selection should strongly support your intended major. Colleges are looking for students who are ready to hit the ground running and assess that by looking at the transcript. Business programs expect their students to have taken calculus or at least be calculus-ready, prospective nurses should have taken chemistry, and engineers, well, should have done all the above.

Extracurricular Activities

Students need to think of their extracurriculars not as hours tallied but as experiences gained. This could be in the form of community involvement, academic pursuits, or valuable work-experience. Think going above the norm. This could be by raising a large sum of money for a cause that is meaningful to you or finding a research opportunity (bonus if you can get your name listed on a published paper) or landing an internship with a business that really helps you refine your career goals. Your activities should be meaningful and reflect persistence and dedication. Colleges believe worthwhile pursuits outside of the classroom will help shape you into caring, socially aware, and engaged future college students.

As a Last Resort

Decreasing admissions percentages are most often explained by the increasing numbers of students applying. The numerator is holding steady while the denominator is growing. Test optional policies, in particular, have driven applicants to apply to multiple schools that would previously have been out of reach for them. Published rankings also popularize a select group of schools making them attractive to the same applicants. Lastly, the Common App and to a lesser degree the Coalition App make it seem easy to send out multiple applications. Students are evaluated in their own context meaning they are compared with their schoolmates. To a certain extent it matters where their peers are applying. I am only half-joking when I say, you should convince your friends not to apply to your favorite school. Tell them you visited, hated it, and the food was gross. Problem solved!

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Cold, Hard Facts About College Admissions

Many are sick of hearing me say, “That school is a reach for everybody. ” Some of my colleagues call such schools “moonshots” or “lottery schools” hoping to convey to students that it is extremely unlikely that they will be accepted. It is a bitter pill to swallow for hard-working “A” students to be told exactly how small their chance of acceptance is. Why is it that so many deserving and capable students must lower their expectations? It is basic math.

Here are Some Numbers

Let’s start with Ivy League schools. As a reminder, the Ivy League is a NCAA athletic league, not a descriptor for academic prowess. The term, however, is used more often to describe their esteemed educational opportunities than to discuss their hockey teams. These eight institutions are perfect examples of schools that I refer to as “reaches” for everybody. I imagine that while students and their parents are outwardly sobered by the fact that Columbia and Harvard each have an admissions rate of about 3.4%, inwardly they are saying, “Then I still have a chance!” 

Here are the cold, hard facts. There are about 27,000 public and private high schools in the U.S. There are, therefore, 54,000 valedictorians and salutatorians in the U.S. Combined, the Ivy League schools make offers of admission to about 20,000 high school students. So, if class rank was the only criteria they used, they would have to turn away 7,000 valedictorians and every salutatorian. This isn’t even taking international applicants into account.

Harvard tweeted in 2022 that they had 2,000 available slots in their freshman class. 8,000 of their applicants had perfect GPAs and 4,000 applicants were ranked first in their class. Additionally, 18,000 applicants submitted SAT scores of 700 or higher in the reading/writing section and 20,000 scored 700 or higher in the math section. 

The same math applies to more than just Ivy League schools. Application numbers are often driven by popular published rankings which is where research for many students begins and ends. This results in top U.S. and international students applying to many of the same schools. Prestige is important to these academically motivated students. It is what they have worked for, but it also means that they are competing with many of the same people at each of the colleges to which they apply. So what can be done to mitigate the problem?

Amend Your Plan of Attack

While students can take a shot at any school they want, they and their parents should get excited about additional, more attainable choices. How do you do this? There are a number of ways.

First, list the attributes of those pie-in-the-sky schools that appeal to you. From there you can research and find schools that have those same ideals be it majors, geography or research opportunities. Creating your own ranking system based on knowing what you want from your college experience, is the first step in insuring that you land at a school that is a good fit.

If you are fortunate enough to be going to visit colleges, don’t just plan to go to the dream schools, see some in that area that you know less about. This country is filled with “hidden gems,” and you might discover your treasure. Go prepared with a list of questions to ask to help you learn more about each school. You might discover that a school not previously on your radar has some amazing opportunities.

Parents play an important role. They typically have a good deal of influence over their children’s attitudes about colleges. Talk up the attributes of “target” schools. Be open-minded so that your children will be as well. As their students’ cheerleaders, parents can help their children swallow that bitter pill of the realities of selective admissions. 

Anne Murphy is an independent educational consultant. Contact her to learn more about college admissions, and how she might be able to help you with the application process.

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Three Steps to Put Joy in the College Application Process

Spring cleaning starts for me as soon as I put away the holiday decorations.  It’s a time when I love to organize and throw things away, any item not nailed down is in jeopardy. I’m sure you have heard Marie Kondo’s advice that if something doesn’t spark joy, then dispose of it. The same practice can be used with your approach to the college application process. Get organized and be willing to throw some ideas away. This will reduce your stress and bring the most satisfaction when submitting your applications. There are three simple steps you can take to a better college application process.

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Rocky Mountain Tour: Colorado School of Mines

I was perplexed the first time I heard, “Colorado School of Mines.” Is there really a school about mining? Who would go there? Answer: Students looking for a STEM-based education with abundant experiential learning opportunities. Its location explains everything. Golden, Colorado, nestled in the foothills of the Rockies, was a product of the Gold Rush. Later In 1874, Colorado School of Mines was founded to “educate and develop” this immerging tech workforce. The Gold Rush ended, but Golden and its college survived. Colorado School of Mines’s mission continues to be to prepare students for the evergrowing and changing needs of the world today.

South Table Mountain
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When Things Don’t Go as You Had Hoped

Getting Neutered, The Least Favorite of Things

When I put Boomer in the car this morning, he was anxious. He likes his morning routine, and this was a big departure from it. He didn’t know if he was going to doggie daycare (not his favorite thing) or maybe to the vet (even less of a favorite thing). In short, he didn’t know what the future had in store for him. Sound familiar? I am writing this on the eve of our own version of March Madness. I work with 20 very capable and talented seniors who are anxiously waiting for colleges to release their admissions decisions. Until they do, these outstanding young people don’t know what lies ahead; they don’t know where they are going.

This time of year, I frequently tell my own story of my uncharted journey to college. I was wait-listed at my number one choice and ended up attending a school that, although just up the road, I had never seen before the day I moved into my dorm. I had honestly never seen that number one school either, but that didn’t seem to matter to me. I was outraged by all of the events and circumstances leading up to my matriculation at this “backup” school. It wasn’t fair. My good friend got into #1, and, from my perspective, her resume didn’t differ much from mine. Okay, not entirely true. She played badminton, and I have no athletic ability. Was that the magic ingredient to get into that school? I’ll never know.

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Application Burnout

Have you ever been to a farmers market in the middle of the summer and been so taken with the abundance of heirloom tomatoes, just-picked sweet white corn, summer squash, melons and peaches that you bought more than you could eat? I have, and then a few days later when I realize my folly, I scramble to make sauces that I can freeze in order not to waste the food. It’s actually a bit stressful because I don’t always have the time to be Ma on The Little House on the Prairie preserving things for the winter. Later I reflect on my produce choices, and I not only bought too much, I bought some items that weren’t really good fits for me and my lifestyle. I don’t love eggplant, it’s a textural thing, unless it’s breaded and covered in marinara sauce and cheese. Why did I buy that eggplant? I guess because it was a beautiful, glossy purple and others around me were snatching them up. In the end I had a full basket of beautiful produce worthy of a Gourmet Magazine photo shoot, but my choices were inappropriate and excessive.

Inevitably as the application season starts to wind down, many seniors experience the results of having applied to too many schools. Some just stop and don’t apply to the remaining schools on their list, others blindly proceed submitting inferior essays, ones that they have retrofitted for every school. I’ve heard horror stories about students who forgot to substitute the name of the current school for the name previously used. In short, they bought too much fruit that now needs to be preserved or thrown away. They cast their nets too wide.

How many is too many? The answer is different for each person. The important thing is to make sure that every school on the list is a school that the student could be excited about attending. Parents and friends will influence this list, and it will grow and grow and may quickly become unmanageable. Here are five reasons to reduce your unwieldy list:

1. Lack of Clarity

High school students often fail to realize the amount of work it takes to put together a solid application that best presents themselves to admissions. The best applications flow from a fountain of knowledge about the school and solid reasons for wanting to attend. College-bound seniors with twenty or more colleges on their lists often find that they can’t remember details about each school. From experience I will tell you, the devil is in the details. It might be that they don’t remember the unique qualities about the programs at each of their schools or simply what the requirements are. Either way, their applications will suffer if they can’t articulate what it is about XYZ University that makes them want to attend. An excessive number of schools on a list will lead to confusion between schools and thus a weaker application.

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What is Your Why?

I recently attended a conference where the keynote speaker asked the question, “What is your why?”  While I was listening to the speech, it hit me that it is such a fundamental and thought-provoking question, that I needed it to become a core part of my consulting business.  I put up post-it notes to remind myself that I need to ask it of every student.  College-bound, or not, they need to know their why.  By digging deep into their motivations for the choices they are making, they can get clarification of their purpose and make better decisions regarding the future.

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