Another week, another Friday update!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

STATE SCHOOL APPLICATION NUMBERS RISE

Applications are predicted to rise at a lot of state schools this cycle, and we are already seeing this play out at the University of Georgia. UGA’s Early Action deadline was October 15, and the school received over 20,000 applications - a huge 25% increase. We will be paying close attention to these numbers at other public schools as we come upon the November 1 deadline.

RETURN OF BIG TEN FOOTBALL

College towns across the Midwest are preparing for the return of Big Ten football this weekend. Though the rules prohibit even the players’ families from entering the stadiums to watch the games, the mayors of these towns are still concerned that they will turn into COVID-19 test cases with the return of alumni and fans who will follow the team to the towns’ restaurants and bars, even if they can’t attend the game. It will definitely be interesting to see whether the weekend ahead brings about an increase in cases, or if students, fans, and alumni can celebrate safely. 

DUKE’S TEST-OPTIONAL ADMISSIONS PLAN

It’s the question that everyone has been asking - how will highly selective schools read applications fairly when some applicants submit test scores and others don’t? Many admissions officers have told us that they have no clue, which is not particularly surprising but concerning nonetheless. Christoph Guttentag, Duke’s Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, shared an interesting approach recently and I wonder if more schools are going to follow his lead.

One way he hopes to ensure fairness to applicants is by “ensuring that the percentage of accepted students who applied with test scores will roughly equal the percentage of students who applied without.” In other words, the office will be working to make sure that the admissions rate is roughly the same for test-optional and non-test-optional students.

I will admit that I have spent far too long wrapping my mind around how this could play out in terms of strategy. Anecdotally, I think that the likelihood of a student having taken the SAT or ACT a couple of times before March of their junior year also correlates with higher levels of achievement on paper (or at least higher levels of motivation) across the board. Many of these students were hardcore about test prep during the summer after their sophomore year, and that’s the same personality type that finishes essays early, has straight As, and so forth.

Yes, there are some outliers. But by and large, I think that this will be a more qualified group of applicants simply because the ones who prepared and took these tests earlier than their peers are more academically driven in general. So how will it play out if an admissions committee is committed to equal percentages? Could it end up that kids in the group with scores will actually face some discrimination, in a sense? Maybe it’s actually a better idea for a strong candidate to withhold scores to be placed in the pool with less competition? It’s just so hard to say because we don’t know if other schools will follow this route or if Duke will stick to the plan. I’m so intrigued!!!

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

We all know by now that the COVID-19 pandemic has reinvigorated the debate surrounding the use of standardized testing during the college application process, and I’ve talked before about how some schools that go test-optional this cycle may never go back. This Huffington Post article by a Class of 2021 applicant from Arlington provides some more insight into the testing system from a student who is going through the process right now. It is definitely worth a read, and I hope that colleges and universities take note of all that our students can accomplish when they aren’t spending time on test prep! 

The Washington Post published an article this week written by one of Shannon’s favorite Boston College professors! For an office like ours, full of English majors, the need for college literature classes is obvious. But for those who are more skeptical about study in the humanities, this is definitely worth a read. Learning how to read and analyze texts is, as Professor Rotella puts it, essential “equipment for living.” We notice how our own students improve as they work with us on their college essays through the Wow Writing Workshop, and we’re excited to be able to provide them with skills that they can use in their college writing and literature classes. Despite the emphasis that many students, families, and schools place on STEM subjects, there is always a reason to learn how to read and write well as part of a good education. 

The specter of the Varsity Blues scandal is still haunting elite college admissions. This article from the Atlantic covers the latest casualty of the scandal - high-stakes niche sports. While most parents don’t go as far as photoshopping pictures of their children playing a sport they’ve never played, there is still a culture in wealthier districts of students competing in sports like squash, crew, and fencing in the hopes that they will be able to enter top schools as athletic recruits. 

On its face, this extreme strategy seems like it could work - almost 18% of Princeton students are athletic recruits (compare that to only 2% at a state school like the University of Alabama!). But as this article suggests, niche sports are on the chopping block at many schools, and the financial strain from COVID-19 may mean that even more schools consider cutting the squash or fencing program. 

Another article from The Atlantic this week - they are on a roll - explores the real reason that students choose to go to college. No one knows it better than we do, as we hear from our students and families: college is about more than the classes. Sure, our students are looking for strong academic programs and career preparation, but they are really excited about the campus experience. There has been a lot of debate about whether schools should discount tuition if students are learning online, and this article speaks to the reason for that. Even if students are able to attend classes and learn the material (whether that is possible for some students online is a whole different debate!), they are certainly missing something essential about the college experience.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

I mentioned in last week's blog post that I find it very gratifying to work with last-minute students because we are able to restore order in their lives so quickly. Here's some completely unsolicited feedback I received this past week from one of their parents!

To give context, this student's parents signed their contract on October 5 and she submitted her first early application on October 21! This particular application required two supplemental essays plus her main Common App essay, so we've been busy with her but we made it happen! We have been working with a lot of students who are just beginning the process, and it was nice to hear this positive feedback. I’d like to agree that we are really good at what we do :)

If you are interested in working with us for those regular decision deadlines (they are coming up faster than you think!), please book a Meet & Greet.

Enjoy the weekend! Such amazing weather today!