It’s All About the Fit

By Kathy Laberge, College Admissions Coach

Think about how you feel when your pants are a bit too tight. You can’t get comfortable; you keep squirming and fidgeting. Can you really concentrate? Or is there a constant irritation, perhaps undefined, but consistently annoying you and preventing you from giving your full focus to the task at hand? If it just doesn’t feel right that perpetual agitation will negatively influence your entire day.

The same holds true when a college is not the right fit for the student. Sure, students at a college that doesn’t serve them best will still earn an education. But is it the best education for them? Is it delivered in the most appropriate fashion for them to learn? Are they among fellow students with whom they are comfortable? Perhaps the campus culture is a bit too aggressively competitive for some. Conversely, the student who is driven to always win may be undermotivated at a school that focuses more on cooperative learning.

There are nearly six thousand colleges and universities in the United States. That translates into nearly six thousand different BAs in English or Psychology or Chemistry. Yet the degree requirements and focus of departmental faculty varies widely from institution to institution. These degrees are not equal. Perhaps the degree awarded from a wildly competitive school will be slightly more challenging than one from a more accessible college. Higher education’s deep dark secret though, is the quality of the education is fairly consistent. The people who earn faculty positions anywhere are each masters in their own fields. The experts are available at most any college. The job of the applicant is to determine which type of instruction suits them best. Materials taught will be fairly consistent across the board. The degrees are not equal in their methodology of pedagogy.

Knowing how you like to learn and knowing how you will enjoy your classroom and social interactions are critical to achieving the optimal campus experience. For juniors, April is the time to start evaluating your preferences. It is essential applicants visit campuses in person; it is the only way to learn the campus culture. Virtual tours can be informative and can even be used to rule out individual schools. But when it comes to selecting your home for the next four years, we really want you to make an informed decision.

This research and self awareness pay off when making a final college selection. The juniors who put in the work (junior year seems to be ALL ABOUT work!) to know what they need in a college will never regret that time and effort. It nearly eradicates the stresses involved in a final decision; the biggest problem is a wealth of terrific options. And if that’s your problem, then it’s one that many will covet.

April is an exciting month for students getting ready to finish high school and enroll in college. It’s actually the reward at the end of all the arduous work put into applications and coursework over the past year. Decisions from schools have been made, scholarship money has been distributed, all that’s left is to make a final selection. And how much fun is that?! The very same schools that made students hold their breaths while awaiting admission decesions are now enduring the same experience. They have a first-year class to fill and they need the numbers they anticipated.

Enter the Admitted Student Days. Colleges put on events in an effort to entice students to enroll. These programs are far more detailed, and far more enjoyable, than the presentation and campus tours already presented in large group demonstrations. Often accepted applicants are paired with a student to shadow for the day. The prospective first year student can attend classes, eat in the dining hall, and relax with current students during down time between classes. Often these days are arranged to coincide with big sporting events or other major celebrations on campus. There may be music on the quad with a picnic and prizes. It’s a party! The idea is to give the considering student a true taste of campus life.

At the College Advisor of New York our focus is fit. We take the time to learn about our students and guide them to schools that will meet all their needs, not only those of an academic nature. We factor in interests, skill strengths, and personality. This often means investigating colleges that do not flaunt fancy name brands but let’s be honest, no student has the time to research nearly six thousand schools!

The groundwork laid in the initial self reflection and campus touring all coalesces in April. April is fantastic, but a successful April hinges on a successful search process. And a successful search process begins with expert guidance toward the best colleges to fit any individual student. Once again, we’re here to help.

How Test Optional Policies Have Punished Applicants

By Kathy Laberge, College Admissions Coach

Yes, punished. Colleges and universities like to say not requiring standardized tests has increased chances of admission for students across the board, especially for those from underserved communities and school districts. As I write this we are on the cusp of another Ivy Day, and at The College Advisor of New York we expect to see a repeat of the confusion served up to the Class of 2023.

Colleges and universities have certainly created quite a conundrum for themselves. One year ago, in reference to the cohort of highly selective schools referred to as Ivy Plus, I wrote: “These institutions have created their own monster. And while we may not sympathize with them, we must know how to navigate the new rules of the game.” This statement remains true in 2024.

The pandemic necessitated a year or two with no standardized test scores. However, while Test Optional was once an admission plan offered by a few colleges, it is now the norm. Prior to 2020, colleges based admission decisions on first GPA and rigor of coursework, and then standardized test scores. Other factors such as essays and extracurriculars played a part in application review. Now, however, with the most comprehensive screening tool removed from the decision process colleges are forced to place more weight on the once secondary factors.

Or so one might think.

Competition between colleges is not limited to athletic fields and a capella vocal competitions. To appear selective in the allegedly omniscient rankings, schools must boast credentials other institutions cannot achieve. To remain selective a college must turn away an incredibly high percentage of its applicants. Test optional policies and the removal of supplemental essays serve to drive the total number of applicants ever higher. Students see how little effort is required to submit an application, so they opt to take a chance.

If a school is large, or popular, or selective then it has become more highly competitive than ever before. Quite simply when application numbers go way up acceptance rates go way down. And when applications increase, a holistic review of submitted materials is far less likely. How can a student know how to present the best possible application to a certain school? How can they even know if such an application is worth their time?

Furthermore, Test Optional policies created such a dramatic increase in application submissions that colleges are now suffering the consequences of their decisions. Admission offices are understaffed, and some are physically incapable of reviewing applications holistically. Some are even using Artificial Intelligence as the first reader of applications. Artificial Intelligence! Ask any professor what grade an AI generated project will earn!

An electronic decision-making tool will most definitively not generate a holistic review of applicants. If a potential student is automatically and categorically rejected due to a GPA that is statistically below the minimum used for screening purposes, then any counteracting strengths possessed by that applicant will not be seen or considered. Suppose they are an Olympic caliber athlete? Suppose they spent the last two years battling cancer? Suppose they work nearly a full-time job to support themselves and their family? I will always choose a student who has demonstrated grit over one boasting of an incredibly inflated GPA such as those often awarded by many American high schools.

The SAT/ACT once acted as a barrier to applying where chances of admission were slim. Data was readily available to inform students if their scores were in range. Certainly, high school students have always, and always should, apply to a few schools that would be a stretch. However, published SAT/ACT scores were used to guide students into not wasting time and application fees on hopeless submissions. Now solid professional guidance is needed more than ever to assist families in interpreting trends and admission odds.

Furthermore, some schools like the selective University of California system, have gone test blind. This means they refuse to consider the SAT/ACT altogether, which clearly punishes high performing students. One of our brightest clients this year – a resident of California – was rejected at three University of California Universities. He scored a perfect 1600 on the SAT but was not allowed to submit his scores. Talk about punishment. Clearly, this student would have excelled at most any college in the country.

Two Ivy League schools and several other colleges have reinstated mandated standardized testing. Surely more will jump on that bandwagon. We think this is excellent news; it will lead to more thorough application reads for the students who are truly capable of the academic rigor required at elite colleges and universities.

In the shrouded rooms where decisions are made, some schools are still fully reading applications. Others are relying on electronic decision makers. How is a high school student or their parent to know which is which? How can an applicant strategize and present the most appealing application?

Ivy day has always instilled a mixture of excitement, trepidation, and dread in applicants. Yet students could console themselves by knowing the hard work required for a successful high school experience coupled with a careful and well written application would ensure they had presented their best selves. Acceptance was never assured, but a fair review was an unwritten promise.

The days of preparing one application and submitting it to all colleges are in the past. To make admission most likely, each application needs an approach and presentation tailored to individual colleges. Solid guidance and expert advice is critical to this personalized approach. So good luck, Class of 2024! And to the Class of 2025, we are here to help!

Ivy Day Take Away

By Kathy Laberge, College Admissions Coach

On March 30^th at 7 00 PM the Ivy League released their admission results and in doing so they added more fuel to the already raging fire of confusion about selective college admissions.

But let’s look beyond a collegiate athletic conference and consider the colleges and universities that boast of competitiveness and prestige that is consistently ranked among the best in the nation. These schools, often referred to as “Ivy Plus,” include Stanford, MIT, The University of Chicago, Duke, Cal Tech, Johns Hopkins, Vanderbilt, Rice, and Washington University, among others. Perhaps they were not gridiron giants a century ago, but in 2023 they have cemented themselves among the most selective of schools in a country with no shortage of outstanding higher education institutions.

Fortunately, no College Advisor of New York student would ever apply to all the Ivies or “Ivy Plus” schools. Our counseling underscores the truth that a student at home in gritty (way) uptown Manhattan will likely not be satisfied in rural New Hampshire. The student who wants to take advantage of the glorious nature in western New York State will be distressed in urban Philadelphia. That being said, if we have placed a college on your list of schools then you have every right to apply with optimism. We never suggest a student should apply to a school where they cannot achieve the academic expectations. We think you are capable of admission, though obviously not assured of the same. And we prepare our students that no one is admitted to all their institutions of this caliber.

Yet the number of applications at these colleges has nearly doubled in the past five years. Sadly, current applicants are riding the wave of covid induced confusion. The test optional policies that began during the pandemic have now become standard. High schools, determined to keep student morale high, enacted a strategy that included grade inflation at staggering levels. An impromptu massive experiment in education practices inspired innovation and creativity, but it could not alleviate the loss of learning and the emotional toll that took place during the pandemic. Consequently, the admission offices of selective colleges and universities are seeing an overwhelming increase in applications from students thinking “Hey! You never know.” As we all are aware – things have changed.

As the likelihood of applicant enrollment is gaining importance in the decision making process it is counteracted by a flood of applications from students who are unlikely to be able to complete the school’s academic coursework. Admissions offices are inundated with applicants, in some cases to the point of physical inability to deliver decisions on time. What’s an admission committee to do? How can informed and holistic decisions be made?

These institutions have created their own monster. And while we may not sympathize with them, we must know how to navigate the new rules of the game.

At The College Advisor of New York we have noticed some trends in how colleges assess applicants. Colleges are offering additional rounds of Early Action and Early Decision and at some schools, Early Decision is becoming the new Regular Decision. These practices are penalizing high school seniors. Even today, some colleges have yet to deliver Early Action admission decisions to students. Those results were expected in mid-December. Other schools are so eager to meet their yield goals, they are filling more and more of their first year classes in October and November, thereby restricting acceptance for the teenager who takes their time and truly thinks about where they will be happy or who wants to keep their options open.

Yes, there are strategies to increase your chances of admission. Yes, we can teach you how to submit an application that highlights all your achievements while introducing you to committees as a human being with passions and aspirations in addition to your stats and rankings. But our focus is always on the enigmatic concept of “fit.” This year alone, we’ve had students admitted to Stanford and Yale, only to turn them down. We’ve had others who happily selected their least selective, lowest ranked college over other great options. Why you ask would someone turn down Stanford? For many reasons. But the overarching rationale is that they determined, after thoughtful reflection and some solid counseling by our staff, that they would have more opportunities for internships, faculty mentorship, social and athletic endeavors, and an overall better experience at their “safe” or “target” school. In our humble opinion, this is the essence of college selection. Our clients did exceedingly well this season, and we are proud of them. ALL of them had excellent options from which to choose at the end of the process.

Admissions has always employed both art and science to construct a new class. While it seems they have now added magic beans and Yahtzee dice to their judgment arsenal, they still hold all the power in the applicant vs institution game. At The College Advisor of New York we even that playing field and advocate for our students. Let us help your family beat them at their own game.

Understanding The Three C’s of Today’s College Admissions

By Kathy Laberge, College Admission Coach

Today’s College Admissions

Every year many parents of our students express shock at the fact that they would not, today, be accepted into their own alma maters. The entire college application process has become more competitive, more costly, and more complicated than it was when we opened our doors and began counseling students more than 18 years ago.

Fierce Competition

The Ivy League Colleges, and many other popular/selective schools, have become extremely selective in today’s college admissions process. As one example, Colgate University’s applicant pool increased by more than 146% from 2019 to 2021. As a result, their acceptance rate decreased dramatically from 26% to 12%. Even Northeastern University in Boston – once a safe school for many – accepts only 7% of its applicants, as it now receives more than 96,000 applications. Factors such as grade inflation, the jettisoning of SAT and ACT scores, campus diversity goals, and complicated data mining have turned what was once a mundane rite of passage into the Hunger Games. Colleges intentionally entice a rising number of applications and want to protect or improve their yields—the percentage of accepted applicants who enroll. That yield is critical to the business of the university; it affects their bond rating, rankings, and the quality of their future first year classes. And it is driving many of the changes families are now experiencing.

For some perspective, consider that there are about 27,000 American high schools, ergo 27,000 valedictorians. Ivy League colleges admit about 18,300 freshmen. This means that not even all valedictorians are attending Ivy League schools. Although applications have increased by one-third or more during the last five years alone, available spaces have remained constant at the small set of elite institutions where class size has remained relatively unchanged for the past half century. Today there are simply more students applying to more schools. According to the Common Application, the average student now applies to 6 colleges, and overall, apps this year have increased by more than 36%. High achieving students often apply to 15 colleges, which we do NOT recommend. More importantly, thirty years ago, half of high school graduates were applying to college. Today nearly two-thirds of graduation classes submit applications.

With the huge increase in applications, yields have decreased, so some colleges are now tracking student interaction and using that data in their decision-making processes. The staff knows precisely when prospective students opened an email from the school, how long they spent reading it, and whether they clicked through to any links. They know how long a student spends looking at their website and even at what point in their high school years they began researching their college. Admissions officers say information on demonstrated interest is generally used to decide on borderline candidates and select those most likely to enroll. At The College Advisor of New York, we teach our students how to establish relationships with their college admissions representatives. We help them understand the various strategies to help them boost their demonstrated interest score. If they follow our advice then they can impact their admission decisions.

Complicated and Stressful

We want our students to stretch themselves, but grade inflation means almost half of American high school students now graduate with an “A” average. The SAT has been redesigned twice since 2016 and another major change is taking place in 2024. Most importantly, the Covid-19 pandemic created a need for test optional admissions. As test scores and GPAs hold less sway, admissions offices are searching for other metrics. This has evolved into the story that softer, more subjective items are deciding factors in admission, and this fiction is another factor in the increase of applications submitted by graduating seniors. That notion is simply not true at the top 60 or so most competitive colleges and universities. However, at many of the 2,000 4-year colleges across the United States, more than half of the applicants are admitted. The fluctuation in scores and testing protocols makes it more difficult for applicants to properly manage their applications and for admissions staff to assess applicants.

All of this elicits many more questions for our families: Should my child take the SAT at all? Should he try the ACT? What’s a “good” score? To which colleges should he send his test scores? Will my applications be competitive? This is why guidance, goal setting, and reality checks are the cornerstones of our program.

Costly

Campus visits, once critical for the student in deciding where to apply, have evolved into costly demonstrated interest campaigns used by admission committees in decision making. One college visit can easily cost families over $1,000. If the prospective campus requires an airplane then that cost can easily triple. The price of application submission ranges from fifty to one hundred dollars per school, meaning merely sending in applications can easily cost over $1,000 for an average student and $2,000 for those who have submitted multiple applications to “Hail Mary schools.” We help our clients save money on these visits by targeting colleges that will be a good fit early in the process. Our staff has collectively visited more than 600 colleges, so we can filter students’ lists significantly, thereby saving our clients time and money.

More importantly, there are now 60 plus colleges that cost more than $80,000/year or more than $320,000 over 4 years. Even public colleges are approaching $30,000/year, and out of state publics now approach $60,000/year in many states. Understanding financial aid and scholarships early in the process – as our clients do – decreases overall costs.

Fixing Today’s College Admissions

So wouldn’t it be nice if colleges would stop advertising to students who have no hope of admission, simply because they want to pad their applicant count? Wouldn’t some clarity of academic expectation in admissions help alleviate all these needless applications and their ensuing literal and psychological cost? Overwhelmed admission officers end up quickly scanning files or deferring early action applicants to the regular admission pool. The confusion generated by these new practices is placing an enormous emotional toll on students. The students themselves are trying to hedge their bets by applying to more and more colleges. At The College Advisor of New York, we say “Please! No!” You need to be more thoughtful. Admission isn’t the lottery, and fantasizing “You never know, I could get in” is the wrong mindset. We DO know. Let’s focus on quality over quantity. You can only enroll in one school so let’s carefully manage the selection and application process to find the student’s best fit at the best price.

One More College Visit? Yes!

By Deb Coco, College Admissions Coach

The February doldrums are very real in the lives of high school seniors. The applications were submitted long ago and the waiting is now all but agonizing. It does feel like a helpless few months, but the window is closing in on the letters you’ve been waiting for and over the next 5-6 weeks, things will begin to take shape.

Acceptances are exciting; you’ve worked hard for them! I still remember when my daughters opened theirs, and I now love receiving “I GOT IN!” emails from my students. Your hard work comes full circle. But that “fat” envelope – or online portal message – contains more than just your letter of acceptance. It may have merit aid information (if “X” school awards merit scholarships, but there is also most likely an invitation to something called “Accepted Student Day.”

Often, this gets tossed aside with the envelope in all the excitement. You KNOW college “X” is the school of your dreams so why would you visit AGAIN? Enter a letter from school “Y” with not only an acceptance, but a fairly substantial scholarship. As Dr. Dean always says, “it’s nice to be wanted” especially with a merit award that will defray the cost of your overall tuition. “X” dream school offered nothing, (but it is your #1 choice) and “Y” school offers both, but it is lower down on your list. What they both offer is a chance to level the playing field by opting IN to their Accepted Student Days.

These events were darkened by the pandemic, but they are back and we are so happy because these visits are extremely valuable. Accepted Student Days welcome their admitted pool of freshman so you can take another look with a fresh set of eyes. And believe me, it will look different in the spring . . . there will be Frisbee on the quad, the campus will be buzzing with activity, and you will know you are just a few months from possibly being one of those students – it is intoxicating. From personal experience, Admitted Student Days played a crucial role in my own daughters’ school choices; they had good options and were just “betwixt and between.” Some colleges and universities just knock this day out of the park. They roll out the red carpet, open the athletic buildings, dining halls, auditoriums, residence halls AND will let you attend lectures. This was ultimately what swayed my children; hearing from some top faculty in their fields of study. They left knowing “if I might be in that professor’s class, this is where I want to be!” What a WONDERFUL feeling.

So, yes, it is one more visit and it can be time consuming. However, you are looking at four very expensive years and you’ve worked hard to get this far; it is worth taking the time to truly seal the deal with confidence. I’ve heard more than a few stories from students who have met their freshman roommates during these days . . . they are well attended and worth it. And, on the flip side, you might find out that a school you thought looked incredible in September, has lost its bloom – this happens too. That is never time wasted!

We are closing in on the final stressful weeks. Hang tight, think positive, and do not delete that Accepted Student Day Invitation!

Test Optional Admissions: How it’s Changed College Admissions For All

Since the Pandemic, test optional admissions policies have become increasingly popular in the world of college admissions. The vast majority of colleges now have test optional or test blind policies. These policies allow applicants to decide whether or not to submit their standardized test scores (such as the SAT or ACT) as part of their college application. This can be a beneficial option for students who may not perform well on standardized tests, but excel in other areas such as GPA, extracurricular activities, or personal essays. There is, however, a major, unintended consequence of test optional admissions policies: They have resulted in selective colleges – and other popular schools – experiencing dramatic increases in applications. This, in turn, has caused those colleges to be much more competitive.

Test Optional Admissions: SAT STyle

Not requiring the SAT or ACT has made it easier for students who may not perform well on standardized tests to apply to colleges. These students may have previously been discouraged from applying to selective colleges due to their test scores, but test optional policies allow them to still be considered for admission based on their other strengths and accomplishments. This has led to an increase in the number of applications to selective colleges, as more students are able to apply without the burden of high test scores.

Test optional policies have also led to an increase in the number of diverse applicants to selective colleges. Standardized tests have been shown to disproportionately favor students from certain racial and socio-economic backgrounds, and test optional policies have helped to level the playing field for students from underrepresented groups. This has increased the diversity of the applicant pool at selective colleges, leading to a decrease in selectivity as more students are able to meet the admissions criteria.

Qualified Applicants?

Finally, test optional policies have also led to an increase in the number of applications from students who may not have otherwise applied to selective colleges. Some students may be hesitant to apply to selective colleges due to the perceived competitiveness of the admissions process, but test optional policies may make these schools seem more accessible and encourage more students to apply.

Test optional admissions policies have had a significant impact on the college admissions process, increasing the number of applications and decreasing selectivity at popular, selective colleges. This is one reason why it’s critical for students and families to look beyond the rankings and the brand name schools to find colleges that are a great fit for them. Doing so will increase admissions choices as well as scholarships. At The College Advisor of New York, we work with students to gain admission to selective colleges, while also helping them find “hidden gems,” so that every student has excellent options.

Making Peace With 2021 Admission Results

By Kathy Laberge, College Admission Coach

Dear Class of 2021,

It isn’t you, it’s them. Only the colleges know what they were seeking in a freshman class this year. You have every right to be baffled, disappointed even. This was an extremely confusing year for both applicants and colleges.

Not a day goes by when our staff doesn’t share stories of our students. We have mentored, pushed (maybe even shoved,) and cheered you on. Over an admission season we may share our delight in a particular essay or bounce application strategies off one another. And now, in April, we share our excitement at admissions and scholarships, and, also discuss our dismay at a disappointing rejection. We gaze into our crystal balls trying to determine why Princeton accepted an applicant, but Brown did not. Why did Harvard take a student, but that same student was denied at Northeastern?

These answers are held secret in comfortable conference rooms (and confidential Zoom meetings). Building an incoming class is akin to practicing medicine, a combination or art and science. Every admission officer from highly selective colleges we have ever spoken with has told us they turn away hundreds, even thousands, of viable candidates each year. Colleges decide where to weight their admits and those factors vary annually. Some years they may need more high GPA students, others may be focused on increasing diversity, and other years may demand more students who will pay the full tuition tab. Their decision is not based upon who they want to admit; they are forced to decide which students they must turn away. In short, each year they extend a place in the class to students who meet their needs and those they deem most likely to accept an offer of admission.

This year the most selective colleges reported some of the lowest acceptance rates in history. Harvard saw a 42% increase in applications and MIT had 66% more applicants than last year. Even New York University, housed in a city plagued by Covid-19, saw an increase of 20%. Admission officers were overwhelmed by the sheer number of applications. Some colleges called in retired employees to review the applications and others had to give shorter looks to submissions.

Why did we see this increase in applications? Did students reach for dream schools because they were test optional? It is said standardized tests provide a common denominator. They can serve as a triage tool, a way for admission officers to not assess the curriculum at every high school from which an applicant emerges. In a year when many candidates could not submit standardized test scores how can a student be blamed for taking a wild shot at an Ivy? We suspect 2020 offered students time to make their sole extracurricular activity applying to colleges, even though the time and effort required to prepare those applications is astonishing. You can’t win it if you’re not in it, right? Our students were spared this ordeal, but we weep for all the wasted time, money, and emotion that was expended on crap shoot applications.

The first meeting at The College Advisor of New York is spent stressing our commitment to finding a student’s right fit. We know there are more than (the top) twenty-five excellent institutions of higher learning in this country. A terrific education is available at countless colleges and universities. Competition for faculty positions is fierce and we proudly number some former students on numerous campuses as faculty. Our confidence is not misplaced, we know firsthand how extraordinary these people are. In fact, the vast majority of our clients were admitted to most of their schools. The “top twenty-five” are overrated.

In a year where lengthy college waitlists are the norm and highly selective colleges have turned away so many promising young adults, we urge you to maintain perspective. College will be grand. You will learn astonishing amounts of information, discover passions you never knew you had, and make lifelong friends.

It isn’t you. It’s them. So, perhaps they didn’t tender an offer of admission to you. And that? Is their loss.

Getting to know you was our privilege.

Dean, Barbara, Ann, Beth, Erin, Deb and Kathy

Getting In: Open Your College Mail

By Barbara Healey, The College Advisor of New York

Right about now high school juniors and many sophomores should begin noticing that their mailbox is overflowing with unsolicited letters and catalogues from colleges all over the country. The volume of college mail you will be receiving from college admissions offices over the next several months can be overwhelming. In addition, your child is likely to be receiving emails from colleges as well. How do college admissions folks get your contact info? They purchase names from a variety of sources, including The College Board, makers of the PSAT, SAT, and AP Courses, and ACT, the competing college admissions test company. It may seem flattering (I can’t believe how many schools are recruiting my student!) – but that’s not necessarily the case.

In fact, your student is receiving this mail as part of an aggressive marketing campaign on the part of the colleges. College admissions officers spend millions of dollars each year on “Enrollment Management” practices designed to attract the most applications.

Demonstrating Interest

Demonstrating interest in a college is a key factor in admission decisions at many schools. In our College Advisor Blog archives, we posted an article more than 7 years ago on this topic, but the advice still rings true today. Demonstrating interest in a college is a key factor in admission decisions at many schools. So what should you do? If you are receiving mail from a school your student has expressed an interest in, save it. Open it. Respond if appropriate. If you are receiving mail from a school that you know does not match your student’s interests (they want to stay close to home; this school is 3,000 miles away), toss it. Unsure? Save it and take a look. All too often, students and parents come to us with a list of 8-10 “brand-name” schools – colleges that everyone has heard about. But there are so many schools that might be a better fit — academically, socially and financially – and this is your opportunity to learn a little more about them. We often call these “hidden gems” and Dr. Dean has visited all of them. Of course, The College Advisor staff is happy to help you identify schools that are a good fit for your student. Over the past two years alone, we have helped with over 2,000 college applications to more than 300 different colleges in 32 states and 2 countries. Contact us to learn more about how we can help your student create a custom-tailored list.

College Admissions Interviews in the Time of Covid-19

By Kathy Laberge, College Admissions Coach

We are now in the last month of 2020 and the year continues to toss twists in our path. Between the challenge of sitting for standardized tests, completing course study remotely, essentially being denied most extracurriculars, and experiencing difficulty conducting campus visits in person, the college search and selection process for the Class of 2021 continues to be challenging.

Campus admission offices are thinking on their feet and recalibrating their evaluation protocols. It has always been a truism that admissions staff evaluate potential candidates during every interaction. An informal conversation while on a tour, an email requesting information or expressing interest, and the number of times a candidate interacts with a college are both evaluative for Admissions and fairly low pressure for students.

Formal College Interview has almost disappeared

But then, the calendar turned to 2020. The days of the formal college interview had almost disappeared. Now, many colleges require or recommend an interview, or are offering virtual interviews. Some schools are requesting applicants submit a two-minute “video portfolio” in lieu of an interview.

It’s always a good idea to seize an opportunity to demonstrate your interest in a school so we at The College Advisor of New York are embracing the silver lining. Our students are being offered more alumni interviews than they have in past years. These conversations have always been used, but they didn’t carry much weight; if a candidate was a clear, poor match for a college then a closer look would ensue. In most cases, the interviewer would merely report their impressions of a student’s personality and goals., This year, even if conducted over Zoom, college interviews could be one of the very few interactions available to candidates.

So, what makes a good college interview?

How can the process benefit both the applicant and the institution?

The answer is in the conversation. The college interview process can be nerve-racking. Students should remember they are interviewing the schools just as the colleges are interviewing them.

The discussion gives the college another opportunity to evaluate students and help determine whether or not to offer admission and merit aid. It provides the college with an opportunity to give more information about the school and answer questions. Furthermore, the interview gives the college a chance to learn more about the student, their interests, and how they will be able to contribute to the school.

As long as the candidate is polite, attentive, and prepared, it should only help chances of acceptance. Also, the interview is an opportunity to learn more about the school and help students decide whether or not it would be a good fit.

There are some questions candidates should prepare responses to in advance. Additionally, students should prepare questions for the interviewer in advance. Feel free to carry a notebook or laptop for recording pertinent points and to consult so the information you want to share is covered. This is not the place to use a notes app on a phone – it just doesn’t look good.

Once both parties are comfortable and have introduced themselves (no handshaking, it’s 2020!) be ready for a conversation.

“Tell me about yourself” is quite common as an opening question and you should have an answer ready. Colleges truly want to know more about you, so paint a portrait of yourself that will separate you from other candidates. Be specific, honest and personal. There will be plenty of time to discuss academics so use this as a chance to reveal what inspires you or talk about one of your passions.

“Why are you interested in this college?” is also a very important question asked in college admissions interviews. In part, it is designed to determine your level of interest a particular school. Your response here should be well researched, specific, and convincing.

You may be asked who you admire, why you want to concentrate in a certain field of study, what you are looking forward to in campus life, where you see yourself in ten years, what you perceive to be your strengths and weaknesses, or any number of other topics. All these are designed to nurture conversation and the exchange of ideas.

The coaching staff at The College Advisor of New York is well versed in interview prep. We conduct mock interviews, but more importantly, we teach you how to compose your responses, how to conduct yourself, and how you – the student – can walk away from an interview feeling better than you did before the conversation began. In short, we help to inspire a sense of confidence in yourself.

The report from an interviewer almost always helps your candidacy because it helps flesh you out as a multidimensional person. Students should view the opportunity as a tool to enhance candidacy and make the best college admissions decision. There really is no downside!

My College Applications Have Been Submitted …Now What?

By Erin Wheeler, College Admissions Coach

What happens after my college applications are in?

This year’s admissions process has been exhausting for everyone involved. Cancelled SAT’s, lack of campus tours, online classes, flexible deadlines, and new admissions requirements have us all going a little crazy this fall. BUT there is something you can control, and that is your own behavior. As a student, you CAN control how much interest you display to each college. Showing this “demonstrated interest” exhibits that you are seriously interested in attending their school. This may help the admissions officers view your application a bit more favorably, especially this year.

YES, you can (and should!) continue to show that you have a serious interest in that particular college, even after the college applications have been submitted.

How do you do this? Here are some simple ideas to try this month:

1 – Send a follow up e-mail to your college admissions counselor

On the college website, go to the admissions section, then look for a tab that says “contact us” or “meet our team”. Admissions staff members normally have territories they are responsible for handling, which means that all applications from your area are processed by the same person. Find that person and send a quick e-mail! Let them know you have applied, are excited to hear back from them, and maybe include a detail about your application that you want to highlight. Establishing a relationship with that representative is a great way to help your chances for admission.

2 – Schedule a college applications interview

Even though you can’t visit every campus right now, many are offering online interviews with staff members or even a student interviewer. This is a wonderful way to get some extra time with the admissions folks and let them hear more about you, your achievements, and your desire to attend their school.

3 – Attend a college event

Again, most schools have moved these events online, but you can still participate! Sign up for a webinar that uses Zoom, communicate during a live online chat, or attend a live student information session. You want the school to know that you are present and engaged during these online sessions.

4 – Take a campus tour

Some colleges campuses are open for small campus tours, both during the week and on weekends. Even if you checked in the past and the school was closed for tours, please check again! Schools are working very hard to find creative ways to get prospective students on campus using small tours, self-guided tours, and personal experiences (without a large crowd).

5 – E-mails and social media

Your inbox is full, we know! However, it’s important you are engaging with e-mails from schools where you’ve applied. Are they asking you to set up an applicant portal? Complete a form? Please be sure to do those things! You may also be receiving e-mails with information about your major, invitations to participate in something, or to follow them on various forms of social media. Please don’t ignore those messages! Click through them and respond as appropriate. Many schools DO track student interaction with these types of messages.

The past several months have changed the way we all live and learn; that is for certain. But what has not changed is the fact that colleges want to admit students who show interest in attending. Take the time to communicate with your schools and let them know you would be honored to attend their institution. It is time well spent and will always be an asset to your application.