Former Admissions Officers Discuss Personal Statement Red Flags

From In Genius Prep

When writing the Common Application personal statement, high school students often aren’t sure exactly what is off-limits. Of course, a lot of things depend on the reader but overall, there are some personal statement red flags that every student should be avoiding. At InGenius Prep, we are lucky to have a team of former admissions officers who have a lot of experience inside the admissions office, who have read hundreds—if not thousands—of essays. So, we asked Former Admissions Officers from Duke, Georgetown, University of Chicago, Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins, Bowdoin, and more on what counts among their biggest personal statement red flags.

Plagiarism

“The most glaring among personal statement red flags is plagiarism. Almost every admissions office uses tools to guard against the scourge of plagiarism and if a student has used content without giving due credit to where or who it came from, that is a major issue and would definitely be catastrophic to their chances of admission.” - Former Assistant Director of Admissions, Georgetown University

Lack of Research

“Another pitfall is a lack of research to back up claims made or obvious errors in facts that are included. A student may think that they have stated things accurately but if a quick check reveals otherwise, that is one of the personal statement red flags [I notice] because it shows carelessness and complacency. It is generally quite easy to confirm information from multiple sources before using it, so not much leeway would be given to a student who did not bother to verify the accuracy of their facts.” - Former Admissions Officer, Top 30 School

Clear Lack of Proofreading

“Typos, punctuation, and grammar mistakes. While AOs are not grading these essays, they are evaluating your writing strength and how that will translate to the classroom. Everyone makes mistakes, but we also expect that these essays are edited thoroughly.” - Former Admissions Officer, Johns Hopkins University

Inauthentic Voice

“Fancy words used incorrectly immediately show me that the student isn't writing in their authentic voice. Or when I see vastly different writing ability in the personal statement vs the supplements—I get suspicious about how much inappropriate help they're receiving.” — Former Admissions Reader, Ivy League University

“While maybe not quite a "red flag" one of the most common (and easily correctable!) issues I see in college essays is what I think of as students pushing too hard to impress. So be judicious in your use of semicolons, dashes, etc. I usually recommend going ahead and using a period instead of semicolons where you could have two sentences. But the biggie is in word choices that seem chosen to impress (the thesaurus is NOT always your friend).  And that can have the opposite of the intended effect, resulting in awkward phrases, lack of clarity, and the phrasing sounding unnatural. Read your essays aloud and be on the lookout for anything that doesn't sound natural.” — Former Admissions Officer, Top 10 National University

Inconsistency

“Personal statement red flags can also occur if there is contradictory or inconsistent content in the personal statement when compared to other parts of the application. The person reviewing the file has access to everything – transcripts, activity lists, recommendations, essays, and more. Therefore, if a student were to write something that was clearly not consistent with what the reader sees elsewhere, they may begin to wonder about the veracity of what you are writing, and that is a really dangerous place to end up.

Students occasionally take the risk of writing about something that is totally disconnected to other parts of their application, academic or otherwise. Now sometimes that works and sometimes it does not. It is always better to have some connection, even if it is a tangential one, to other parts of the application. What that does for a reader is to show a common thread throughout the student’s application and gives them a better understanding of the synergy between the different parts of their application for admission.” - - Former Assistant Director of Admissions, Top 25 National University

Generalizations

“You should also avoid sweeping generalizations, clichés, and generic statements that are obvious. Without context or examples, this type of content in a personal statement shows that either this was an essay done at the last minute or that not enough effort was put into it. It is one thing to have weak writing skills, but backing up assertions with examples or connecting them with other facts is very necessary. Otherwise, the perception of the reader may become that the student is not really interested in the college and has basically just done the minimum. 

Of course, given that most students use the Common Application and the same personal statement goes to multiple institutions, it is even more important to write well to the best of their ability. Students must try not to embellish things beyond reason and ensure that they are accurate with facts and support their assertions robustly.” - Former Assistant Director of Admissions, Georgetown University

Unstructured Essays

“The other biggie when reading an essay is that the points, structure, and how everything fits together isn't clear. Often this turns out to be an issue where the connections seen in the writer's head don't make it onto the page. So connect the dots for the reader. Give transitions that show us how things fit together, which could be the logic, sequence of events, or just signaling a change in direction. You don't want a reader asking ‘how does this fit together?’ or ’why is this person telling me this?’” - Former Admissions Officer, Top 10 National University

There you have it! Hopefully, now you have a better grasp of personal statement red flags and make sure you avoid things such as plagiarism, inauthentic voice, lack of consistency, and all of the things mentioned above. Write an essay that conveys who you are so that admissions officers can gauge whether you’re a strong fit for their institution or not. Good luck!

Watch out for more blogs in this series with the tag “FAO Advice” as we ask our Former Admissions Officers for more tips on admissions behind-the-scenes and FAQs from our students!

 

Check out the following podcasts!!

 Writing and Essay Strategies

 Creative Writing Strategies

Former Admissions Officers Offer Tips on the Activities List

From In Genius Prep

The Common App activities list is more than a resumé. It is a significant element that provides admissions officers insight into your personality and how you choose to spend your time outside of school. A strategically-written activities list can help distinguish you from your peers. Admissions officers use your extracurricular titles, descriptions, and the duration of your participation to understand what you’re passionate about, whether you’re a hardworking and committed individual, and how your extracurriculars connect to the rest of your application.

Students often have a lot of questions about writing the activities list. Two of the most common questions regarding the component are 1. What kind of activities (besides students’ most obvious extracurriculars) can go on the activities list? And 2. What is the best way to order the activities list? In this new series, we have outlined all of the nitty-gritty details that you need to know about creating an impressive activities list. Using tips from InGenius Prep’s Former Admissions Officers (FAOs) from top schools such as Dartmouth, Georgetown, UChicago, Johns Hopkins, and Duke, we have covered exactly what to include, and how to prioritize all that you’ve done.

What Kind of Activities (Besides Just the Obvious) Can Go in the Activities List?

Consider EVERYTHING

While school activities that show long-term involvement, achievement, and leadership definitely have value, it is those activities that are not the usual fare that will stand out even more. So, here are a few options that fall outside the obvious school activity list:

• Past or present internships or employment (even better if it directly or indirectly connects to your future college major).
• Summer programs at leading universities or academic summer camps are always noticed, whether or not connected to your future plans.
• A club or business you have started, independently or as part of a team, shows your entrepreneurial spirit and the ability to take the initiative. All the better if you have achieved any successes that you can talk about specifically, with details.
• Independent research projects through programs such as IGP’s Academic Mentoring program, especially if there is an end product such as a paper or report available for you to submit or a link to the website if you were published.
• Challenging and interesting national/international competitions such as iGems or the Wharton Global Investment Challenge
• Online courses can show versatility and a desire to challenge yourself, whether relevant to your future major or simply exploring a personal interest.
• Travel experiences that lead to better cultural understanding, whether it is an exploration of your own heritage or simply looking to learn more about cultures that you would normally not be exposed to in your home country.
• Using your talents to interact with the community as a volunteer such as a musician who plays twice a month at a retirement community or something similar.

This is hardly an exhaustive list, but there are endless ways to show that you are pushing yourself past the limits of what your school has to offer by pursuing opportunities in the local community and beyond. The idea is to have a strong base of activities to show that you have maximized what you could do at school, but combine those with external activities to show that you are willing to challenge yourself outside that comfort zone.”

- Former Associate Director of Admissions, Georgetown University

Take Your Own Initiative!

“Most impressive activities to me are ones where the student is actively seeking out or creating opportunities that align with their interests and personas. So that could include starting a club or organization (sometimes it is easier to found a non-profit than getting a school to approve your club!). Also look for ways that you can put hobbies and other interests that you are pursuing independently (learning from YouTube videos, Google searches, etc)  "on paper" by taking an organized class on them or getting certifications. The other advantage of this is that you don't have as much risk of gaps in knowledge in an area that solely doing your own independent research can create.”  - Former Admissions Officer, Top 10 University

Hobbies: Things You Collect Or Records You’ve Set

“I've had students list funny collections like "500 Lego minifigs, including original designs", the number of books they've read or movies they've seen during high school, if that's part of their story.” - Former Admissions Reader, Ivy League School

Jobs And Volunteer Work

“You might not realize that part-time jobs and volunteer experiences also count as valuable activities. You can definitely add them to the activities list and you should - especially if you’ve been involved in them throughout high school, have led projects as part of these endeavors, or if they fit your application persona. Admissions officers appreciate knowing that candidates are responsible individuals who bring experience in a variety of ways.” - InGenius Prep Application Expert

ALMOST Anything—Let Them Get to Know You

“It's really important that a student helps the admissions officer get a true understanding of their life outside of school. Almost anything can be added in this section, including internships, a part-time job, family responsibilities, or even a hobby that takes up a lot of time. Students should view this section as being "inclusive" of their time outside of school and shouldn't be shy in adding activities that give an AO more information about who they are as a person.” - Former Admissions Officer, Top 10 National University, Top 5 Liberal Arts College

What is the Best Way to Order the Activities List?

Consider the Individual Student—Because Each Candidate is Unique

“ One has to always treat each student as a unique individual and the strategy for the activity list will vary depending on the list of activities. The rule of thumb is to start with the largest possible number of activities and whittle them down to the final list. The obvious thing is to start with the most impressive one (achievement, awards, longevity) and move forward having ranked your activities on the same scale. 

However, most impressive varies from student to student and one would emphasize the same activity for two students differently based on these factors. Remember, there is probably no right way or wrong way to order the activities but it is always better to shoot the big guns upfront so you capture the attention of the reader quickly. That said, the rest of the list is sometimes overshadowed by the outstanding achievements at the top. So, we are back to square one where it is clear that the order of the activities will vary for each student, with the caveat that we are looking at the attributes mentioned earlier to make those decisions.” - Former Associate Director of Admissions, Georgetown University

Consider Impressiveness

“Most impressive first, and generally most impressive is something you've founded, followed by activities you have leadership positions in. But I'd also consider putting activities that best align with your persona and what is in your essays at or near the top. Lastly, if your activities fall into a few general categories, I suggest grouping those together, even if that means that some less impressive activities end up above more impressive ones in a different category.” - Former Admissions Officer, Top 10 National University

Consider Importance to YOU

“AOs expect you to order them in order of importance to you — the top 5 should be your most important activities. It's good to have activities that show commitment and leadership over time as well.” - Former Admissions Officer, Top 10 National University

Think About Your Application Persona

“We talk a lot about the importance of the "Application Persona" at InGenius. Basically, the thread and narrative of the entire application. The activities list should reflect that same story. Having the first several activities be connected to your persona will help solidify that idea to the AO and help them better understand the value that you'll bring to their college/university. But as the instructions say, always start with the most important activities at the top. This doesn't mean activity #7-10 are not important, it just means that they likely haven't taken up as much time as the others or may not be connected to your persona.” - Former Admissions Officer, Top 10 National University

Number 9 and 10 Should Also Be Part Of Your Strategy

“Obviously the most important [activity should go] first. I put weakest as number 9 and try to end with something a little quirky or unexpected.” - Former Admissions Reader, Ivy League University

Hopefully, now you have a clearer understanding of what to include in the activities list and how to go about adding them in order. Watch out for more blogs in this series with the tag “FAO Advice” as we ask our Former Admissions Officers for more tips on admissions behind-the-scenes and FAQs from our students!

 

8 Summer Activities that Impress Colleges

By: CollegeData

Colleges are interested in how you spend your summer vacation because what you do in your spare time says a lot about you -- and your motivation to learn and grow. Here are some things you can do this summer that might make you a stronger college applicant.

When students think of summer activities that can help them prepare for college, they often think of college summer programs such as Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program or Columbia University’s Summer Immersion or traveling abroad for an extended period of time. These are excellent activities for your college resume, but they can require advance planning – including submitting applications several months before the summer begins – a competitive admissions process, and/or a large bank account.

Fortunately, there are other ways to show colleges you’re the kind of curious, motivated, and intelligent student they want to admit – and many of them don’t cost anything except your time and effort.

1. Get a job—any job

Working during the summer — as well as during high school — can demonstrate all kinds of positive personal qualities that colleges look for, including leadership, organization, maturity, responsibility and collaboration. Your job doesn’t have to be impressive, unusual, or related to your future career. According to Harvard University’s admissions blog: “The type of work is actually less important than simply holding down a summer job. Colleges always want to see students who are willing to work hard in any context.” In addition, earning money for college is never a bad idea.

2. Take an online class

Colleges like to see students challenge themselves beyond their high school curriculum, which is why any additional, focused learning over the summer can be a plus.

Consider taking college-level courses online from a community or four-year college. For example, UC Berkeley allows high school students to attend some summer courses virtually. Or, look into taking a class from an online learning platform, such as edX or Coursera, which provide access to classes at various universities. Many of these courses – such as Harvard’s CS50 Computer Science Courses – are offered for little or no cost.

3. Create your own project

Developing a project of your own can make admission officers take notice – especially if it ties into a personal passion or future career.

Here are some ideas:

• Start a blog, video series or podcast about your favorite academic subject
• Write a short story, novel, or article and get it published
• Organize a fundraising event for a local charity
• Start a business or nonprofit organization that addresses a problem or supports underserved individuals in your community
• Pull together a band, theater group or dance troupe to entertain others
• Organize and lead a clean-up team to improve a local park, playground, or beach
• Volunteer for a political campaign or a nonprofit with a mission that is meaningful to you
• Develop and complete a research project

4. Job shadow 

Job shadowing is a way to learn about different jobs and professions by following and observing an employee performing their job. If you’re interested in becoming a veterinarian, for example, you might spend some time observing a veterinarian in the office. See this guide to job shadowing for more information and tips for finding job shadowing opportunities.

Informational interviewing, which is an informal conversation you can have with someone working in an area that interests you, is another way to learn more about different jobs and career paths. The objective is not to find a job (it is not a job interview) but to ask questions, to get information about different aspects of a career and educational paths leading to it, and to make professional connections. 

Your interview or job-shadow experience may inspire you in ways that you can write about in your college applications.

5. Read and self-study

Taking the initiative to learn something completely on your own can also help you stand out to colleges and show your passion for learning.

For example, let’s say you love languages and you teach yourself Hindi over the summer. Or you are passionate about American Literature and make it your goal to read every book and short story written by Mark Twain. Or perhaps you are fascinated by finance, so you spend the summer learning the fundamentals of investing, trading virtual stocks, and reading books by leaders in the field.

You can also get a jump on any AP coursework you plan to take in the fall using online resources like Khan Academy, the Princeton Review, or Kaplan, or brush up on your math and science basics to prepare for the coming year of high school.

6. Prep for the SAT or ACT

Although many schools have adopted test-optional and test-flexible policies, you may still want to take the SAT or ACT and submit your scores to colleges, as good scores may enhance your application even at test-optional schools. If you plan to take or retake these tests, summer is a good time to prepare for them. You might consider taking a test-prep course, working with a tutor, or studying on your own using books and free online resources.

7. Research colleges

Colleges like to see that students are serious about their college journey and have considered what kind of educational experience they want. Summertime may offer you the free time needed to think about the college qualities that matter to you and to begin to build a balanced college list of reaches, safeties and match schools.

If you’re just starting to think about college, you might set aside some time this summer to visit college websites, go on virtual or in-person college tours, or attend some of the online programs or seminars offered by the admissions office.

If you’re narrowing down your college list, dig into academic departments, professors and their research, and student clubs at some of your finalist colleges. You might also consider reaching out to the admissions office and see if they can put you in touch with current students.

8. Improve your online presence

Colleges sometimes look at social media to learn more about applicants, and you’ll want them to see evidence of your interests and abilities in your social profiles. You might consider creating a LinkedIn profile that lists your extracurriculars, work experience, and honors and awards. Take the time to remove images and posts that don’t reflect well on you.

Don't forget to Recharge

Although it’s important to take advantage of the summer to build up your college resume, it’s also important to rest and recharge, spend time with family and friends, and have fun. Choose your summer activities wisely — go for quality not quantity — and don’t forget to enjoy your summer in the process.

 

Four Common In-State Residency Bumps and Loopholes

By: The College Essay Guy

1. If your parents are separated and live and pay taxes in different states, then you might qualify for in-state tuition in both of those states.
2. Your parents owning a vacation home or you having a relative who lives in the college’s state does not qualify you for in-state tuition.
3. Your moving to a state after graduating high school in order to attend a college in that state rarely qualifies you as an in-state resident right away.
   • Most states have a minimum requirement of 12 months of continuous residency (Alaska asks for 24 months and Arkansas requires only 6) prior to enrolling at a college in order to qualify for in-state tuition. This means that, unless you can prove that you—the student—are financially independent of your parents, your parents usually have to live in that state for a full year before you are eligible for in-state tuition.
   • Some colleges allow you to ask for a change in residency status from out-of-state to in-state partway through your college years; some don’t, and the residency status you have when you start is the one you keep.
4. If you or your parents are not US citizens or legal residents of your state, qualifying as an in-state resident and/or being eligible for state aid programs can become trickier to determine, as the rules vary drastically by state.
   • Best case scenario: You qualify for in-state tuition and state financial aid programs
   • Good scenario: You qualify for in-state tuition, but not state aid
   • Not great scenario: You don’t qualify for in-state tuition or state aid
   • Worst case scenario: Your state actually prohibits any public college from allowing you to enroll, i.e. you can’t attend even if you were willing and able to pay out-of-state tuition.

If this residency issue applies to you, here are some resources to help you determine if a public university in the state you live in is actually going to be financially feasible.

• US Map of Color-coded by Policy
• Comprehensive Summary of State Policies

Want more information about residency policies? Here’s a helpful article to get you started. Here’s an even more helpful article with lots of lists, if you really want to dig into this.

 

What Are Honors Colleges vs. Honors Programs?

By Road2College

As a high school senior, it can be tough choosing between a small college and a large university, and knowing which school can be the right fit. For those who have never been away from home, a small school with more interaction between the student body and the teaching staff might provide a more nurturing environment.

Even some students looking for all the “BIG” things that come with a large school: sports teams, Greek life, lots of activity, and other students may also want a nurturing atmosphere within the larger campus.

For those who do want both, honors colleges and honors programs can be the best of both worlds.

A huge advantage to attending these programs is financial: At many of these schools you get the low tuition of a public university, but the perks of going to a smaller liberal arts college or a selective private institution.

Ultimately, an honors program can be the perfect solution for a high-achieving student who wants to keep pushing themselves in college, but may not have the resources to attend a private institution.

And while these programs might be something of a “bargain,” you can rest assured that they’re valuable opportunities and the quality of the education they offer is top-notch.

What’s an Honors Program vs Honors College?

Honors Colleges (which are essentially a college within a larger university) boast of smaller class sizes, access to more seminar-style classes, closer student-professor relations, and the opportunity to opt into extensive academic rigor, such as submitting a thesis during your graduation year.

Some schools even offer honors students priority registration, the opportunity to be part of a special honors community, and additional scholarship money.

Honors Programs usually have the same perks as an honors college, except that honors programs aren’t part of a particular college: These are programs that you fulfill as you get your degree at another of the university’s colleges.

Further, while it’s tricky to put forward an average completion rate for honors programs and colleges, it seems to hover between 83% and 91%. (Keep in mind that this number is different from the university’s graduation rate.) Overall, an honors program sounds like a pretty sweet deal, right?

Here’s what some members of our Paying for College 101 Facebook group had to say about the Honors Colleges their students attended:

“Usually a guaranteed acceptance to the graduate school, registration for classes first, better dorms, specializes advanced classes to enrich the students, mentoring.” –Claire

“Nicer dorms. Enhanced student services (more data tracking therefore a closer eye on the population) even though they often need it less.” –Jill

“At my son’s college he has smaller classes, more contact with professors (has been to dinner at their homes a few times), preferential registration, and more opportunities for internships and research.” –Janet

“If you’re in the honors college at my daughter’s school they give you a $4k scholarship per year. But she has an extra class every semester and she has to take certain seminars. She said the class is a lot of writing and it’s fairly difficult. She did it because she likes to write and is pretty good at it. If you don’t like writing, she thinks it would take up a lot of the students time.” –Melissa

Not so fast. As with all things in life, there are both pros and cons for every situation.

“My daughter was invited to several honors programs but declined because we researched and it really makes no difference. Pretty much just so you can say “my kid is in honors” in my opinion.” –Kimberly

Is an Honors College Harder?

Some of the cons of joining an honors college or program include having to maintain a higher college GPA than other students, dealing with the stress and expectations of a more demanding program, still having to take large lecture courses, and maybe facing resentment from the student body at large for having access to more resources, more scholarships, and better facilities.

The benefits can certainly outweigh the negatives, but do keep in mind that the benefits come at a price: Academic rigor is tantamount to these special programs

While it’s ultimately up to you to weigh the pros against the cons and decide whether an honors college or program is worth it, being part of an honors college can be something that ultimately enhances your college years. In addition, graduating from an honors college or program can enhance your post-college experience.

You might want to graduate with honors to give your application a boost when applying to grad school, to get a leg up on research while you’re still an undergrad, or to show employers that you’re not the type to shy away from a challenge.

You might not know exactly how this experience might relate to your future (you still have time to decide), but being an honors graduate might open even more doors of opportunity as you figure things out.

Is Being in an Honors College Worth It?

As you can see from these examples, honors colleges ask much from you as a student, but you’re setting yourself up to get a lot in return.

Going to college is all about growing as a person, whether that’s academically or otherwise, and honors colleges offer a huge opportunity to grow intellectually, socially, and generally as a person.

It’s true that there’s no one-size-fits-all college, and there isn’t one honors program that’s perfect for everyone. Think about what you want out of your overall college experience.

Take a look at the honors programs and colleges at the schools that you’re considering while you’re applying to college, as some only allow admission from incoming college students. Be aware of deadlines as well, because some honors colleges close admissions sooner than the overall university.

If you’re not sure whether these programs are for you at this time, keep in mind that many programs offer continuing and transfer students a chance to apply or be invited. So, consider that those students who are no longer first-year students can still get in on the game.

Just as you should stay on top of things now as you plan your potential honors college experience, you should also look to the future. How do you see yourself leveraging this experience for future opportunities?

 

Seven Changes Coming With the Digital SAT

   From BlueStars College Advising

1. US students will take the new exam starting in March 2024. This means that current high school sophomores will need to decide if they want to take A) the old SAT in 2023, B) the new test in 2024, or C) the ACT, which is not introducing changes at this time.

2. The new SAT is adaptive, offering certain levels of questions based on a student’s performance in earlier sections.

3. Because it is adaptive, and there is no one version of the exam to circulate offline, the SAT will be much more secure.

4. The test is shorter, about 2.5 hours, which means that students might be able to take the exam during the school day.

5. There is more time per question, making speed less of an issue for test takers. With more time, fewer students will need accommodations.

6. The key to scoring high on the whole exam is performing well on the opening sections so the test’s AI adaptively offers hard questions in subsequent sections; if a student gets too many answers wrong in the opening sections, they’ll be offered easier questions only, which will limit each section score.

7. Practice exams will be coming out this fall through the College Board and Khan Academy.

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What Kind of Community Service Does a College Look For?

Edited from BlueStars College Advising

A 2018 Businesswire survey of college admissions officers found that community service can be a deciding factor when colleges are considering applicants. This means that if two applicants each have near-perfect academic records, the one more engaged in community service will have an advantage.

“Authenticity and resilience are prized traits for applicants.” explains Dr. Aviva Legatt, author of Get Real and Get In; How To Get Into the College of Your Dreams by Being Your Authentic Self.  “Colleges want to see applicants with the internal drive and resilience to lead something bigger than themselves. Stories of adaptability, ingenuity, and community-mindedness will undoubtedly impress.”

Here’s one example.

Kyla was a student at a public Bay Area high school with aspirations of becoming a doctor. In 9th grade, she started a school club that collected donations of medical equipment like shower chairs, bed pans, and crutches, and delivered the items to free medical clinics in nearby underserved communities. This work was not glamorous. Kyla worked very hard forming community relations, gathering equipment, and keeping the other students in the club motivated and productive. By the time she applied to college, admissions officers viewed her as a systematic and effective person, and accepted her to both Stanford and Columbia.

Meaningful community service is the key. It is important that students choose a service project that demonstrates their interests — for example, a student who is passionate about literacy might want to get involved with an afterschool program or organize a reading hour.

Some other great suggestions include:

1. Volunteer with an animal rescue. Students can learn about animal welfare and advocacy.

2. Interested in conservation or climate change? Research and collect environmental and biological data. 

3. Work with the Red Cross to help organize a blood drive and save lives.

4. For the politically inclined, promote a cause by taking action.

5. Raise money for an organization by doing something that you love.

6. STEM students might find ways to teach technology to senior citizens.

7. For students interested in architecture or engineering, create a community garden.

8. Create an awareness campaign to inform others about an important issue

9. Organize a clean up (beach, park, school)

10. Host a charity event

 

College Trends 2023

From CollegeData

Where will you get into college in 2023? Here are 7 trends that might affect college admissions in the coming year, according to admission experts.

Understanding how the landscape of college admissions continues to shift will help you manage your expectations and make smart decisions throughout the college admissions process. Here are 7 trends to keep an eye on in 2023.

1. App volume – and competition – remain high 

Colleges saw a significant increase in applications during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 admission cycles, largely because many of these schools went test-optional. The Common Application saw this trend continue in 2022-2023, reporting that applications submitted through its portal were up 7.5% from the previous year. While the nation’s most selective schools saw big increases in their application volume, so did some less competitive public colleges. The State University of New York (SUNY) system, for example, reported that applications for the Fall 2023 term increased 110% from the previous year.

With the increase in applications, admission rates have been on the decline, most notably at highly selective schools. Harvard’s regular admission rate dropped from 3.43% in 2020-21 to a new record low of 3.19% in 2021-22, while Boston University’s admission rate dropped during the same period from 18.3% to 14%.

Admission rates also dropped at colleges that top students once considered reliable match schools or safeties. For example, during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 admission cycles, Colgate University’s admission rate dropped from 27.4% to 12.34%, while Auburn University's admission rate dropped from 85% to 24%. Admission rates for 2022-2023 have not been announced but are expected to remain just as low.

Given this competitive environment, admission experts say students shouldn’t assume they’ll be a ‘shoe-in’ at any school. “As the acceptance rates dip lower, even the most qualified candidates cannot be guaranteed an offer of admission,” says Lauren Dodington, a college admission advisor at The BestU. “Every student, no matter how high their GPA or test scores, should have a range of colleges that are possible fits, including those with acceptance rates at and above 50 percent.” 

2. At some colleges, Early Decision is becoming the new Regular decision

More students are applying to college with early application plans, like Early Decision and Early Action. Students who apply Early Decision or Early Action submit their applications much earlier than Regular Decision applicants and receive their decisions earlier. Students who apply to binding Early Decision plans must commit to attending the college if admitted; students applying Early Action usually don't need to commit.

Elite colleges including Harvard, Yale, Penn, and the University of Virginia received record high numbers of early applications during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 admission cycles, which resulted in record low early admission rates. For the current 2022-2023 admission cycle, early acceptance rates remained low. Duke University, for example reported its lowest Early Decision admission rate ever (16.5%, down 21.3% from the previous admission cycle), and Brown University’s early acceptance rate dropped from 14.6% in 2021-22 to 12.98 in 2022-23.

Before the pandemic, colleges admitted no more than 20-30 percent of their freshman classes through early admission rounds, but this is changing. For its 2022-23 freshman class, Barnard college admitted 62% through early admission, Boston University admitted 50%, and Penn 51%. 

“Some colleges are using Early Decision and Early Action as the preferred admission plan with Regular Decision admission becoming a ‘space available’ admission pathway,” says Dodington. “In these cases, waiting to submit an application in the Regular Decision round may reduce a student’s chances of admission.” 

3. Colleges are offering additional Early Decision rounds

Second Early Decision rounds have also popped up at more colleges and universities. According to Andrew Belasco, a counselor with College Transitions, more than 70 schools now offer an additional Early Decision round (ED2) featuring a later deadline than ED1 — often in December or January as opposed to October or November. This gives students who are denied from their first choice Early Decision school an opportunity to commit early to a second choice, and another chance for colleges to snap up students who promise to enroll if accepted.

So how should students applying to college approach early admission now? First, adjust your expectations. “Many students think that just because they’re applying Early Decision or Early Action, their chances will be better,” says Helen Ingerson, a lead counselor with BlueStars Admissions Consulting. “A college may have more open slots in the prospective class, but these students also face stiffer competition. Students who are not competitive within that stronger applicant pool may not see a statistical “bump” in their chances.” 

Next, students should be strategic about where they apply early. “For some students, it might make sense to apply Early Decision or Early Action to a slightly less ‘highly rejective’ school,” says Laura Schadler, student outcomes director and lead counselor at BlueStars. “When students are strategic and apply early at target schools in addition to reach schools, they can often maximize their chances for sizable merit aid packages.”

Students should also weigh the benefits of applying early against the drawbacks — which include having less time to polish your applications or perform thorough research into each college. “If you need more time to finalize your essay or to show off great fall grades, you should feel free to take that time,” advises Ian Parker, an advisor with Collegewise. Students who commit to a school in an early application round can’t compare financial aid offers from other colleges, either, which is a drawback for students who depend on financial aid.

Students applying ED also risk getting rejected instead of being deferred to the RD pool, a practice that Dodington thinks may be on the rise at some highly selective colleges but can actually be better for a student in the long run. “A student is better served by investing their energy into creating excellent regular decision applications, not by holding false hope in a college that is not seriously considering them.”

4. Uncertainty about submitting SAT/ACT scores deepens

More than 80 percent of four-year colleges in the U.S. will not require applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores for the 2023-2024 admission cycles. Two-thirds plan to extend their test-optional or test-blind policies through 2024-2025, and 90 colleges made their test-optional/test blind policies permanent. However, some colleges have maintained or reinstated their testing requirements, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Florida, Auburn University, Georgetown University, and the University of Tennessee system. Of the students applying 2022-23 through the Common App, 47% submitted test scores with their applications, compared to 78% between 2019 and 2022. 

With the boom in test-optional schools, college admission advisors are advising their students to submit test scores if they fall at or above the 50th percentile of the college’s previous freshman class. As a result, the majority of applicants submitting scores over the past two admission cycles have been students with scores well above average. This has increased some colleges’ average score ranges significantly. Students now worry that a SAT or ACT score that was “good” a few years ago may now be considered “below” average.

Students applying to college during the 2023-2024 admission cycle may benefit from focusing on their SAT and ACT subscores. “The total score isn’t always as important as sub-scores that align with the students’ major or interests,” explains Ingerson. “STEM majors must have very strong math scores and grades; history/humanities majors should have strong verbal scores; every college cares about the reading score, despite the major, because that’s the one that tells them whether a student can think.”

Dodington has noticed a small but growing number of students are choosing to forgo the tests entirely and apply only to test-optional or test-free colleges. “In these cases, students focus on earning their best grades in high school, writing strong essays, and engaging deeply in their activities, opting not to prepare for or take the ACT or SAT exams at all.”

5. More colleges accepting video submissions

Several colleges now offer students the opportunity to submit a video essay or introduction – some even before you apply. Brown, Tufts, Washington University in St. Louis. Goucher, Bowdoin, George Mason University and the University of Chicago are some of the colleges that let students submit a video with their application. 

“I’ve definitely seen more colleges offer video introductions as an optional part of the application process,” says Parker. “It’s a way for colleges to get to know the students applying in a less formal way than is possible in a written application.” Schadler agrees. “We strongly encourage our students to take advantage of the video introductions. This is a fun and important opportunity to share more of your personality and a story or two that is not anywhere else in the application.”

The key, says admission experts, is to be authentic, spontaneous, and not worry too much about production values.

6. Majors Go Under the Microscope

College admissions continues to be challenging for students applying to popular and competitive majors. Students should prepare for deeper scrutiny of their applications and their fit with the specific major program. “For popular majors like computer science and biology, you can’t just say you are interested in “all computer science” or “all biology,” says Ingerson. “Students should describe why a college has exactly the combination of programs in the specific subset of the field they are interested in — not just the major,” she says.

Students’ past experiences in high school should also line up with their desired major. According to Schadler, “You’ll want to demonstrate meaningful experience in your or field and be able to write about the ‘future you’: consider how you will be engaged in the study of this subject and what particular aspirations you have in mind for college and beyond.”

Students also might want to think twice about listing a less-popular major on their application, with the hope of transferring schools or departments later. “I hear about this strategy a lot, and it works out less often than students think,” says Parker. “If you wouldn’t be admitted to a major as a first-year applicant, it’s extremely unlikely you’d be admitted as a transfer.”

Dodington agrees: “Pathways to change majors within a specific college can be difficult, and admissions readers tend to see right through an interest that is not well supported by the rest of the application.”

It may make sense to consider a different but related major, advises Schadler, or propose a minor in the more competitive academic interest, as long as it aligns with what you’ve been doing in high school. “There is definitely a sound strategy around considering a cluster of related majors and thinking about which one might be less competitive at certain schools. But students will want to consider how easy it is to move around once in the school. Are their majors in different ‘schools’ within the university, for example?”

7. Focusing on your personal college fit is more important than ever

Most of these trends apply to the most selective, popular, and prestigious schools, which have always been difficult to get into. As college advisors will tell you, many colleges — not just highly selective ones — can provide you with outstanding educational opportunities and lead to success after graduation. 

One way to combat the uncertainty of a competitive admissions landscape is to stay focused on the factors that matter to you. Parker at Collegewise sums it up well: “Make sure that you’re choosing a college because it fits you, not because it matches an idea of success that others are defining for you.” 

If you take the time to do your research and keep yourself  open to a wide range of colleges and universities, you’re bound to find many college options that will be right for you academically, socially, and financially.