Why It’s More Important Than Ever to Have ‘8 FIRST CHOICES’ in College Admissions

This year has been unprecedented for its surprising admissions outcomes.  Nothing is ever ‘a given’ in the admissions process, but 2021 debunked even long held beliefs about fit and predictive expectations.

The pandemic made every business reevaluate its operating procedures and, at its core, a college or university is a business.  Readily relied upon past academic metrics, most especially standardized test scores, were forced to occupy a different position in the application process for current high school seniors with over 900 schools offering test optional admissions to their applicants.  However, test optional does not mean test blind; thus if you submitted test scores, they would be viewed, begging the question of, test optional or not, in which institutions did test scores remain a significant factor? For example, at the University of Pennsylvania, 75% of the students who were admitted in the early round submitted standardized test scores, whereas only 25% of the early admits did not. 

The implied assurance of test-optional admissions to a student is that colleges will give both submitters and those who do not submit equal consideration. But one has to wonder if that is even possible in a human endeavor such as college admissions that relies on data and information - the more the better -  and where test scores have been an incumbent component for many years.  How would one unsee a test score once seen or what reliable totally impartial method would one have available to use to compare two comparably matched candidates - regardless of a test score -  where one has submitted a competitive test score and one has not?  It will be interesting to hear more from admissions offices as to how procedures were transformed to administer the test-optional policy.

One clear consequence of the pandemic and a test-optional approach has been a rise in applications to the most prestigious universities as students adopted a “Why not take a shot,'' philosophy.  This uptick in application numbers at these schools, already an endeavor of exponential odds despite your stellar high school record, has now become galactic.  In addition to the empowerment of taking a ‘test-free shot,’ some students this past cycle applied to upwards of 20 schools, further contributing to the astronomical rise in applications to top-tier universities.  In response, acceptance rates at these schools tumbled to all-time lows with Harvard at 3.4%, Yale at 4.6%, Brown at 5.4% and Princeton at 4%. But it is not just the Ivies; NYU reports an admit rate of 12.8%, Tufts at 11% and Northeastern at 18.9%.

Another casualty of Covid that has changed the admissions landscape has been access to sports teams and participation in extracurriculars.  Now students are scrambling to reclaim their previous activities as they slowly come back; identifying outside-of- the-box options that stay true to your brand are great ways to enhance that increasingly important resume and help you to stand out as a student that an admissions officer would want to complete the profile of the class they are building.

A last noteworthy factor for the class of 2021 and beyond is that a renewed search for equity became a more prominent facet of this last admissions cycle.  Emphasis has always been on building classes versus accepting a student based solely on personal attributes and credentials.  First generation students, low income students, and students of color demonstrated a dramatic upward trend as part of the classes who will be coming to many campuses this fall.  For next year, international students will also be returning to campus, competing for admissions offers along with everyone else.

So what is important for current juniors to know and do as the opening of the  Common Application looms in August, under 4 months away?  Why 8 first choices? Here’s the rumblings we are hearing from admissions offices around the US.

• An oldy but goody: infuse your application with your honest and authentic self.

• Demonstrate your meaningful character traits, such as commitment and resilience, through your writing, extracurriculars, and volunteerism.

• Act purposely to create strong resumes and seek compelling recommendations.

• If you can take “a test” and your score is of benefit to you in this competitive field, take it and submit it.

• Don't be caught off-guard by college and university requests for new methods of evaluation and remember NOTHING is OPTIONAL

• Have 8 first choices - ( a mantra I have co-opted from Joyce Slayton Mitchell’s helpful book of the same name published in 2014)   ie. fall in love with many schools for their unique and valuable attributes, BUT should you have a resolute affinity for one school which offers ED, seriously consider using it. Just don’t lose faith in the others.

  • Early admission applications to Penn rose by 23%, at MIT by 62%, and Harvard experienced an increase of 57% from last year.

• Remember there are over 5,000 colleges and universities in the United States - many wonderful in innumerable ways - Commit to your own unique path and don’t play follow the leader.

  • Do Your Research

  • Uncover hidden gems 

  • Apply to places that maybe others have yet to discover.

• Rick Clark of Georgia Tech offers some AMAZING advice; “Give a parent or younger sibling a Sharpie and tell them to rip the cover off brochures that come to your house in the next month. Then ask them to use a Sharpie to black out the name of the college everywhere it appears.  How does not knowing the name of a college change your perspective or opinions? How do the questions you ask change when you review colleges this way?”

• Lately, but of  unrivaled importance, you must have a balanced list - when April 2022 rolls around, you want choices. 

  • You are a year away from making a choice; lots of things can happen in 12 months. So now you are choosing options - 8 or more of them - then in April you will be armed to make a decision that feels right.

So let’s come full circle and embrace the meaning Mitchell had in mind when suggesting 8 FIRST choices; it is this - the emphasis during this process should be on you - who you are as a person - what you want to gain from your college experience.  Mitchell reminds us of a truth we as students and even counselors seem to overlook; “You can’t  choose your college until your college has chosen you.” Your ultimate choice will come from where you received an admissions offer, not from the list of where you applied.  She suggests prioritizing your top eight choices and making them all, in essence, first choices.  Identifying the qualities that make each school great and appealing to YOU. That’s great advice but, admittingly, a very hard thing to do.  So I will suggest a slight pivot.  

• Be sure your list is filled with colleges that you would absolutely enjoy attending and KNOW the reasons why these schools are on your list while the other 3900+  are not.

• The field of applicants is more competitive than ever, so settle for nothing less than balance with that list, and find it with an open and objective mind.

• Reach beyond name and notoriety and seek schools that are aligned with whom you are, and what you want academically, socially, and extracurricularly.

• Let yourself know yourself.