Selective college admissions: a peek behind the curtain
September 2nd, 2015Many people believe it is more difficult to get into college than it was 10 or 15 years ago. And there’s truth to this belief within the cadre of best-known colleges.
Why are some colleges and universities becoming more selective? There are several reasons for this change and Vanderbilt University provides excellent illustration in this article. We think you’ll gain useful insight into the selective admission process at Vanderbilt and, by extension, other schools around the country as you read about the changes that have led to a dramatically different admission landscape. We’re grateful to Vanderbilt for pulling back the curtain on what is viewed by many families as a rather opaque process and for emphasizing the importance of finding the right fit on student and college side alike.
Reading this article, I was reminded of my many years on selective college admission committees at Tufts, Brandeis and Washington University in St. Louis. I can vouch for the accuracy of the process described!
Published by Vanderbilt Magazine, Summer 2015
In the space of about a decade, Vanderbilt has gone from being a regional darling—What’s that quaint old saying? “The Harvard of the South”?—to a fierce global competitor in its own right.
No longer content to live in the shadow of any other institution, today Vanderbilt vies for the absolute best students anywhere in the world, attracting them with academic, cultural and financial-aid offerings that make even the most determined Ivy aspirants think twice.
Read more at Vanderbilt Magazine >>Tagged: Admission decision, Applications, College
Choose the Right Extracurriculars at the Right Time for College Applications
August 12th, 2015While it’s back to school for many students this week, we thought extracurriculars might be on your minds at the start of the school year. Author Brian Witte wrote an article for US News that correctly points out the importance of matching extracurriculars with what students are passionate about. However, we think it is most important to keep that internal focus as opposed to thinking externally about what an admissions officer might want to see. We believe students need to develop their activities around personal growth, apply their strengths and improve their weaknesses in order to learn more about themselves as they prepare for college.
When meeting with students we say, “Don’t let the tail wag the dog!” In other words, if you spend all of your time wondering what might please an admission committee, you’ll miss out on marvelous opportunities to grow and change. By deepening involvement and leadership in activities of great interest, you’ll become a more interesting and capable individual, one who just might change the world around you. If that makes you a more intriguing applicant for college, summer programs, jobs and scholarships, well, that’s icing on the cake.
Article published August 18, 2014
By: Brian Witte
It is no secret that the extracurricular activities you pursue in high school can significantly affect your college admissions experience. But it’s true that not all activities are created equal, and some could have a disproportionate effect on your chances of getting accepted to your ideal college.
There are no specific extracurricular activities that will magically unlock the Ivy League gates or guarantee admission to a particular university. Competitive colleges and universities are besieged by academically strong students. What they desire are students who can contribute to the campus community.
Read more at US News >>Tagged: Admission decision, Applications, College, Opportunity
Insights on college interviews
July 9th, 2015As high school seniors prepare for the college admission process, it’s important to start thinking about admission interviews. Many schools require or highly encourage interviews as part of the admission process and the interview can be an excellent way to demonstrate depth of interest in – and learn more about – a school. When a college recommends but doesn’t require an interview, Shrop Ed believes students should view this as a requirement and an opportunity. If students are unable to visit the campus there are many other options available such as a Skype interview, an alumni interview or an online interview format.
The article below was written in 2010, yet we feel it remains quite relevant and gets to the heart of the interview process.
By Martha Allman, Wake Forest Director of Admissions
October 19, 2010
As high school students apply to college this fall, we strongly encourage our applicants to interview with us, either on campus, via webcam through Skype or if all else fails, through an on-line interview format. The interviews have proven invaluable as we evaluate applicants and have sometimes been so revealing that we have questioned how we ever made admissions decisions before the interview!
Read more at Wake Forest University News >>Tagged: Admission decision, Applications, College
