Weekly Update: March 12
We hope everyone has been enjoying the beautiful weather!
BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK
UMD CONFIRMS TEST OPTIONAL FOR 2022 AND 2023
The University of Maryland is the latest school to announce that admissions will be test-optional for the classes of 2022 and 2023. They specify that students who choose not to submit test scores “will not be disadvantaged” in the admissions process. Living-learning programs and merit scholarships will also be test-optional, though the English proficiency test requirement will remain in place.
AN INTERESTING SPRING BREAK IDEA
We’ve written before about the variety of plans that colleges and universities have this semester to prevent students from traveling for spring break. From starting in February, to ending in April, to giving students single days off throughout the semester rather than a week-long block, we thought we had seen it all. But UC Davis has a different plan - offering $75 gift cards to local businesses as a “staycation” grant to 2,000 students who agree to stay on campus during spring break. That’s one way to incentivize students to follow CDC guidelines!
TJ ADMISSIONS LAWSUIT
Last Wednesday, the Pacific Legal Foundation filed a lawsuit against Thomas Jefferson High School, alleging that the school’s admissions policies are discriminatory against Asian-American students. This comes after new admissions criteria were put in place for TJ’s incoming class of 2025. These changes include increasing the class size, eliminating the application fee, and no longer requiring teacher recommendations.
This case definitely recalls the affirmative action case against Harvard, as well as those that other Ivy League schools have faced recently. For more of my thoughts on these cases, you can check out my Newsy interview on our Facebook page!
BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK
This article by Jeff Selingo examines the future of admissions in light of all of the changes we have seen during the pandemic. One of the things that is most fun (and most challenging!) about this work is that things change all the time, but Jeff thinks that some of the changes will stick. Here is an excerpt from the article:
"The numbers from this year’s early-decision rounds were reaching high-school seniors just as many of them were applying for regular decision. For a certain set of prospective applicants — namely upper-middle-class and wealthy students — the early numbers seemed to indicate that applying test-optional might be the way into a selective college."
Key word here - SEEMED! Sure, the early numbers seemed that way to applicants, but that’s not necessarily what they actually said. Test-optional admission alone in the absence of other positive attributes wasn't enough to help a typical upper middle class or wealthy applicant gain admission to a selective college. As always, our current clients should speak with us first before deciding whether the test-optional route is the best choice for them, given their applicant profile.
Quite an article from The Atlantic this week - “Private Schools Have Become Truly Obscene.” I was actually interviewed for this piece last summer, though not ultimately quoted. COVID-19 has definitely thrown the major differences between public and private schools into the spotlight this year, especially as schools have decided whether or not to offer in-person instruction.
It is worth noting, though, that just because more private schools send students to highly selective colleges, that isn’t necessarily about the school - it could be about the student. The sort of highly-motivated, full-pay student who attends an elite private school is often the same type of student who is admitted to an Ivy League school. The article also mentions the endowments at Exeter and Andover without noting that these schools, like Harvard and other Ivy Leagues, are also need-blind, admitting students regardless of demonstrated financial need.
But it was a funny read nonetheless and I love the author. This was my favorite line:
College admissions is one of the few situations in which rich people are forced to scramble for a scarce resource. What logic had led them to believe that it would help to antagonize the college counselors? Driven mad by the looming prospect of a Williams rejection, they had lost all reason.
Tongue-in-cheek, but also SO TRUE. As I’ve said before, a student’s [school-based] college counselor at school plays an essential role in the admissions process. This is NOT the person to antagonize, trust me!
Bad news for some class of 2021 students from the Wall Street Journal - college wait lists are likely to be longer than ever this year. This is in part because schools, concerned about pandemic yield numbers, have chosen to be conservative with admissions (which may mean that more students are admitted off the waitlist in the end). But it could also be a symptom of the sheer numbers of qualified applicants that applied to highly selective schools, just the latest sign of a crowded playing field.
This is also a great reminder to NEVER DOUBLE DEPOSIT - not only could it end with two rescinded offers of admission, but you may be taking a spot from another deserving student who won’t be able to attend that college because the school didn’t have an accurate idea of enrollment numbers until it was too late.
Something else that can lead to rescinded admission: not being careful with your social media use. Check out our blog post from earlier this week, from guest blogger and hiring expert Jayana Garvey, for more tips about keeping your social media in tip-top shape.
Students might enjoy this list of secrets and surprises from former college admissions officers. There is some great insight here, but keep in mind that some of these come from admissions officers at less selective schools and may not be true about the schools where our students apply. Legacy students certainly aren’t always accepted (though for more on the impact of legacy status, check out this blog post!) We definitely hope that students keep #15 in mind: “One thing that’s really important to know is that at schools with really low acceptance rates, probably 50-60% of the applicants are equally qualified, and only 5-10% will be admitted.” So true! You can only control what you can control - at some point, even the most qualified applicants are relying on luck!
OFFICE HAPPENINGS
We are really excited to introduce a new offering to past, present and future clients alike - academic coaching! We've proven that breaking down the college admissions process into manageable chunks makes it more successful and less stressful. Now we are officially helping students from ninth grade through graduate school approach their regular academic work in the exact same way! Check out yesterday’s blog post to learn more about this offering and set up a session.
Lastly, I couldn’t finish this without acknowledging the one-year “Covid anniversary.” Exactly a year ago today, March 12, was our last normal day seeing clients in the office. I wish I had something meaningful or insightful to say about the past year, but nothing could come close to capturing the challenges we have all faced. From a business standpoint, though, everything has moved forward so seamlessly and I’m incredibly grateful for that. And we are so close to the finish line now!
Enjoy the weekend!