Being deferred can be disappointing and confusing, but here is our Great College Advice on what to do if deferred. Email a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) to your admissions rep with the following:

• Updated first semester senior year grades if they will help your case;
• Submit relevant additional materials like awards and honors;
• Emphasize that you continue to be interested in attending this college.

Email a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) if your college application is deferred 

Some schools may have specifically asked you not to contact them. If that is the case then there is likely not a specific reason why you were deferred. There may be little you can do to increase your chances for acceptance during the regular decision round. Some colleges do not want you to send letters. Instead, they want you to update information in their admissions portal. These updates may include checking a box that you still want your application to be reviewed in the Regular Decision round as well as space for more information. However, for many colleges, you should send a Letter of Continued Interest to the regional admissions representative in charge of your application. Here is what you should include in your LOCI: 

Send updated grades if it will help your case 

Most colleges will require you to submit an official semester grade report. If you did have a low grade on your first quarter grade report and your grade has improved, then certainly let your colleges know. If you are still struggling in the class ask the teacher to write you a letter of recommendation. The letter should illustrate the steps you have taken to improve your grade (i.e. tutoring, seeking help with questions outside of class, etc.). 

Submit additional materials that are relevant 

Some colleges may ask you not to submit additional materials. Some colleges will encourage additional letters of recommendation, as well as updates on awards and activities and further information on the student’s interest in the school. It is fine to ask teachers, counselors, employers, etc. to send additional letters of recommendation to the college.  

If you have received an award or recognition since you submitted your application, tell them about it. This is not the time to be modest! Perhaps you have been cast as the lead in the musical, appointed to a community board, or you did a bunch of volunteering over the holidays. Please share whatever information you can give to colleges that is new since you submitted your application.   

Inquire as to why you were deferred 

Whether in the letter or through a call to the admissions representation, reach out and politely ask if any detail can be provided as to why you were deferred. This admissions officer will have the most accurate account of why you were deferred. The admissions rep may have a question about a specific grade, or your application may have been incomplete.  

Demonstrate your continued interest in attending this college 

Colleges also want to admit students who will definitely enroll in their institution. So, it is important to continue to show interest in the school even though you are disappointed. You will clearly show interest by taking the initiative to find out why you were deferred. Also, submit additional materials before the college asks you to.  

You can also ask to do a phone interview, visit the school (only if you live close enough for it not be a great expense) and send an email or two (don’t send too many) to the admissions officer in charge of your application. Resist the temptation to engage in gimmicky, silly things like sending cookies to the admissions office.  

By the end of January, you should check in again with the college and make sure they have all the information they need to make a final decision on your application.  Again, this is best done through the admissions officer who is directly in charge of your file. 

See this Wake Forest admissions blog post to not only see their advice to students that have been deferred. Here’s an excerpt:

…you can — and should! — share with us updates to your grades; we want to know how you’re doing in your classes and how your year has progressed since clicking that “Submit” button. You’re also welcome to send additional recommendation letters too, especially if you feel they will add significant value to your application or include something of which we weren’t initially aware. And one more directive: please be in touch with your admissions representative. Each of our Admissions Deans reviews applications according to where you attend school; this individual not only knows the most about your school but is also best equipped to advocate for you. I wouldn’t say that you should necessarily reach out to them every week, but please do let us know that you’re still interested and why.

Also, explore Wake Forest in more detail from our recent campus visit in this blog post.

Does being deferred mean I have a better chance of being admitted later?  

Not necessarily. While most colleges try to defer applicants who they think have a good shot at admission in the regular round, reality is that some colleges are using the deferred status as a security blanket. They don’t want to reject qualified applicants until the last possible moment. This also means that, unfortunately, you could be put on the waiting list.  

Should I apply to additional schools if my application is deferred?  

If you did not have a balanced college list before receiving your deferral, then you should definitely apply to additional schools. If you were deferred from this school, it is possible that you may not be admitted to schools with a similar profile. Review your list to ensure that you have an adequate number of “target” and “likely” schools. 

Remember that this decision is not permanent. A deferral just means you will have to wait a bit longer. You will eventually receive a final decision on your application. We are hoping you receive the answer you desire!

Ready to begin the college admissions journey?

The team at Great College Advice has deep experience in guiding students along the road from high school to college.  If you’d like more information about our services, contact us for a free consultation. Or just pick up the phone and call us at 720.279.7577.  We’d be happy to chat with you. 

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post What to Do If Deferred first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

What is legacy admissions? Legacy college admissions is a policy that grants preferences to the children of alumni. The policy has been particularly important in the Ivy League and other elite, private schools. The logic has been that children of alumni may be among the most eager applicants, as they have learned a lot about a school literally at their parent’s knee.

Legacy admissions pays the bills

Legacy admissions is an important of business strategy. At these private, elite universities, alumni represent a huge chunk of the donors who regularly and generously give to the college. It makes sense, from a business perspective, to cultivate these donors with the abstract promise that their children will be given special consideration when they eventually apply for admission. It also makes sense that satisfied parents who see their progeny running around the campus of their alma mater will continue to give–and perhaps give so that their grandchildren, too, might be given the same sorts of preferences.

According to a 2023 study by some Harvard researchers, the real boost for admission is not legacy status, but wealth. Raj Chetty, who has done a lot to dispel myths about how higher education really works in this country, and his colleagues have shown that more than any other factor, wealth of the student’s family is the best predictor of admission. Families in the top one-percent of income have a better chance of admission.

Legacy admissions increases a college’s yield rate

Colleges are very protective of their “yield rate”: the percentage of offers of admission that are accepted by students.  Harvard has a high yield rate above 80%.  Less selective universities have yield rates that hover in the 20% range. In other words, only 1 in 5 accepted students end up attending these universities.

Many families unfairly believe that the higher the yield rate, the better the college. But, the fact is that even at not-so-selective schools, children of alumni have a higher propensity to accept an offer of admission than a kid whose parents did not attend.  And what is true at the not-so-selective schools is also true at the very selective schools.

However, some of this link between yield and legacy has disappeared, as the Ivies have tended to show a clear preference to admit legacies in the Early Decision round–when the nominal yield rate is already 100 percent. The University of Pennsylvania used to make it quite clear–on their admissions website–that legacies would need to apply ED if they wanted the legacy “bump” in admissions. Interestingly, such language no longer exists on the Penn website but it still buries a paragraph for legacies at the bottom of its ‘preparing your application’ page.

The future of legacy admissions

A number of highly selective, private colleges have eliminated legacy preferences over the last several years:  Wesleyan University, Amherst College, Johns Hopkins University, and Carnegie Mellon University were among the first to eliminate legacy status in admissions. A few public universities have done away with it, too, but legacy admission was never as important at public universities as at the elite private schools.

Still, colleges and universities that still cling to legacy admissions policies are on notice that the public at large is not all that happy with those preferences. Kids on campuses are protesting against these policies. It’s hard for Boards of Trustees to defend the policies. However, the Trump administration’s Department of Education has yet to weigh in on legacy admissions.

Legacy Admissions Trends

Education Reform Now updates its ‘The Future of Fair Admissions: Legacy Admissions‘ on an annual basis. The highlights of its 2025 report include:

• Just 24% of four-year colleges now consider legacy status, down from 29% in 2022 and 49% in 2015;
• Since 2015, 452 colleges and universities have stopped considering legacy status in admissions;
• Only 11% of public institutions, but 30% of private universities still consider legacy in the admissions process;
• In 24 states, there are no public or private colleges that consider legacy;
• States that have banned legacy admissions in recent years include California, Virginia (public only), Illinois and Maryland.

Education Reform Now even includes a list of colleges and universities that still consider legacy admissions according to the most recent data submitted to the US government.

Many Highly Selective Universities Still Consider Legacy Status in Admissions

According to the 2025 legacy admissions report by Education Reform Now, 56% of highly selective universities, defined as <25% acceptance rate, still consider legacy status in their admissions process.

A big reason why parents are willing to shell out so much money to pay full price for these elite schools is the “connections” they will make with the movers and shakers of America. They know that what they are paying for is not so much a classroom education where one learns from particularly brilliant professors. Rather, they are paying for access to the elite of America as well as the ‘elite’ corporations that hire at these universities including McKinsey and Goldman Sachs.  Doing away with legacy admissions altogether could fundamentally change the Ivy League universities.

Second, if legacy preferences were entirely eliminated, along with all other non-academic, non-merit factors in admission (including the wealth of the family), would these institutions have the allure that they do now?  We all cannot be rich, but maybe we can rub shoulders with them?  We can’t all be from American dynastic families, but maybe we can hang out and drink beer with them, and maybe have one as a lab partner? If admission to the top private universities were simply a matter of academic merit alone, would everyone still want to go to them?

Example of Legacy Admissions: Yale

While many things have changed in the admissions offices in the Ivy League, legacy admissions has remained an important part of the Ivy League and other elite, private colleges and universities. We might also want to keep some perspective. Back in 1980, 24% of Yale’s freshman class were legacies.  The most recent data point for the Yale Class of 2027 was that it had decreased to 11%. Of course, 11% is still significant: about 180 students out of this 1647 in the first year class.

Does it help to be a legacy when applying to college?

Sure, it helps to be a legacy if you’re applying to the college to which your parents attended–if you’re applying to one of those schools that still exercises legacy preferences.  At least as so far as we know, right now.

But it also helps if you’re an athlete, or a musician, or an artist.

It also helps if you want to study Portuguese and the college is desperately looking for students to fill Portuguese classes.

And it certainly helps if your parents can shell out the full price for the cost of four years of tuition, room, board, fees, and beer money.

You get the idea. Being a legacy is just one hook amongst many when it comes to applying to college. And that hook may be disappearing. Or it may not.

But being a legacy at the top Ivies, aka, “the holy trinity or HYP” – Harvard, Yale, Princeton) – isn’t what it used to be.

Need help with the college admissions process?

If you want to chat about the possibilities and the pitfalls of exercising your legacy status, give us a call.  There is no right or wrong answer to this question–at least not at the moment. What you need to do is examine your goals, your preferences, and your own moral compass.  We can help you sort through the issues to come up with your own approach. So don’t hesitate to give us a call or contact us on our website.

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post The Future of Legacy Admissions first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

A reader recently wrote in to ask our opinion about dual enrollment courses. She wanted to compare them to the Advanced Placement (AP) options at her son’s school. The question came from a post we wrote analyzing AP courses in the college admissions process. Since she is not the only one to pose the question, let’s dive into the differences of dual enrollment and AP programs and compare them as best we can–with an eye to their relative importance in college admissions. Here is why AP courses (and the IB curriculum) are preferred by selective universities:

Also, see our blog post on What is Dual Enrollment? and the benefits of dual enrollment classes.

Advantages of Dual Enrollment

The advantages of dual enrollment courses in college admissions include:

• High schools can offer honors-level courses without hiring new staff
• Districts can save money by partnering with community colleges
• Parents can save on college tuition because these college credits are transferable to most state universities
• Students demonstrate that they can handle college-level work
• Students who doubt their own abilities to succeed in college experience success and are more likely to apply to college–and eventually graduate
• Community colleges and 4-year institutions build a pipeline of students moving from high school to college
• State governments and local governments appreciate the collaboration between K-12 and higher education

Which is Better: AP or Dual Enrollment for college prep? 

The answer is: it depends.

First, some schools are unable to offer both AP and dual enrollment courses. In fact, rural high schools are much more likely to rely on dual enrollment courses than AP, because dual enrollment is less expensive to the school district–especially if there is not enough demand to fill a complete AP course. But, International Baccalaureate, or IB programs are rare because this program is both expensive and affects the entire curriculum offerings at a school that adopts the program. So if there is no AP or IB option in your school, you should definitely consider dual enrollment options. (If you want to dig into whether you should select an AP or IB curriculum, check out this post that compares the IB and AP programs.)

Second, if your goal is to reduce the costs of attending a state university, dual enrollment credits are a guaranteed discount. Because states automatically require these courses to transfer, any DE course you take will reduce the number of credits you must complete (and pay for!) while in college. As long you dually enroll in a college prep course and you get a C- or better, you get the college credit.

The AP tests and the IB diploma program, by contrast, come with high-stakes tests:  take the course and then take the test. If you pass an AP test with a score of 3, 4, or 5, you might get college credit. The amount of credit would depend on the policy in place at a particular college or university.  But note that your grade in the AP course has no bearing on whether you get college credit.  The credit you receive depends on your score on the exam.  Thus you could get an A+ in your AP US History class, but get a 2 on the test–in which was you would receive no credit anywhere (well, you’d get the high school credit that leads to your high school diploma, but it would not give you any benefit once you arrive at college). 

The Benefit of IB and AP Exam Standardized Testing

IB and AP exams are standardized. They are normed tests. Thus, presumably, a score of 5 on the AP Chemistry means the same thing, no matter whether student attended a private school in Connecticut, a rural public school in Alabama, or an international school in Uruguay.  Similarly, a perfect 7 on the IB English A exam would be considered the same no matter where in the world the student attended secondary school. 

By contrast, an A in that dual enrollment chemistry class might or might not be the educational equivalent of a chemistry class in another location. Some high schools have higher standards than others, some community colleges have higher standards than others, and some individual teachers have higher standards than others (a fact that every high school student everywhere understands). Dual enrollment courses are not standardized. There is no “norm.” An A in one place could be different from an A in another.  

AP or Dual Enrollment for college prep? Highly selective universities tend to prefer IB and AP over dual enrollment

Thus, highly selective universities in the United States tend to favor AP and IB exam results over dual enrollment credits because they are standardized. Not only are the highly selective less likely to grant you the credits you receive in dual enrollment courses, they are more likely to discount the value of those courses, especially if you had the opportunity to take those rigorous AP or IB courses in your school or community. 

Third, if your school has a strong AP program that has a history of success in helping students earn 4s and 5s on the AP test, you might want to consider the AP courses if you plan to attend a highly selective college or university. The reason is this: the AP test is a demonstration of proficiency and competence in a subject matter.

While credit is a demonstration that you did what the teacher or professor required of you, the AP test is a nationally-normed test (and the IB is globally-normed). A score of 5 on an AP test communicates that are you a good student who can handle college-level work, that you are capable of performing well on cumulative examinations, and that you have demonstrated a high degree of mastery of the subject matter. This is why selective colleges and universities strongly prefer AP and IB results over grades in dual enrollment courses.

See our blog post discussing whether to take AP or IB classes in high school.

So Should You Take an AP or Dual Enrollment for college prep?

Again, it depends. Remember that not every student has a choice, as not every school offers AP courses while most public high schools are able to offer dual enrollment options. 

If your goal is to reduce the cost of your college education and you plan to go to a public university in-state, there is no doubt that dual enrollment options are going to save you money and reduce the time necessary to earn your college degree. For the vast majority of Americans, the dual enrollment option is the smartest choice.  No high stakes exams.  No doubts as to the ability to transfer credits to college. Take those dual enrollment courses, get good grades, and get through college more quickly and more cheaply.

If you want to attend one of the most selective colleges and universities in the United States–and your high school offers them–then take the AP or IB courses on offer.  They are considered by admissions offers at these universities to be more rigorous, and the cumulative examinations at the end of the course demonstrate clearly how you stack up against other students taking the same subject across the country (or across the world). 

What should I do if I don’t have a good AP teacher?

Standardized tests, despite their flaws, do help admissions officers compare apples to apples. They help to separate grades from proficiency. High scores provide external verification that the grades a student earns are an expression of content mastery. 

However, as we have noted, not all teachers are the same. The AP curriculum is challenging and rigorous. Not every teacher is either trained or experienced in delivering this curriculum. For example, there is a low-performing high school nearby where nearly 80% of the teachers are first-year teachers–every year! AP courses at this school are being taught by very, very inexperienced teachers. 

Therefore if you are considering AP courses offered at your school, ask questions and do some investigating. Some schools have very low pass rates on the AP exams. Even students who get high grades in their AP courses core only 1 or 2 on the exams. (In other words, these students fail and will absolutely not receive any college credit, nor will they be able to brag about their high scores on their college applications). 

Just because a course is labeled AP does not mean that it is a good course. Nor does the label mean that a student will achieve the level of mastery required to score a 5 on the AP exam. Many, many schools across the country offer AP courses that are very poorly taught. Many teachers simply do not have the content background or pedagogical skills to prepare students for these rigorous exams.

A Student Vouches for the Value of Dual Enrollment Courses

Over the years, students have read our blog and written to share their own experiences and insights. A young woman who attended the College of William and Mary read this post a while back and took the time to write to advocate for dual enrollment courses. She attended a high school in Virginia and then enrolled at the selective, public liberal arts college in that state. It’s worth quoting this letter in full, because it speaks to the priorities and choices students face as they choose the right path for themselves. There is no right and wrong answer to the question, “which is better, an AP course or dual enrollment classes?”.  Each student and family must make decide what makes the most sense given their values, priorities, and preferences. 

So thank you, Sarah, for writing in with your opinion, and we’re happy to share it below.

As a current college student, I vouch for the dual enrollment option when high school students are looking through their course options. I went to a very small, rural high school in Virginia, and had the opportunity to take DE credit classes through local community colleges. I finished at the top of my class and I am currently an academic junior at the College of William and Mary.

During my freshman year in college, I came to find that a majority of my friends took AP classes, got an A or a high B in the class, but couldn’t get a 4 or 5 on their AP exam (mind you, these students came from great private and public high schools all over the country, each with its own long-standing AP track). William and Mary requires a score of 4 or 5 to get credit from an AP course. I can’t tell you how many of my friends got burned by taking AP. All 39 of my dual enrollment credits transferred and I am graduating in 3 years.

A lot of really great colleges and universities require high AP scores. So it is very important to do your research on the school you wish to attend. Taking an AP class may look good on a transcript. But how good will it look when the student doesn’t pass the exam with the necessary score? I feel like AP is put up on this pedestal as being the best of the best. However, there is nothing wrong with dual enrollment classes, and taking DE doesn’t mean that one could not handle the supposed “harder” AP course load. I can assure you, the classes I took through my governor’s school were more than challenging.

Best of luck,

Sarah

Do you need help with the college admissions process?

If you have the option of choosing an AP course or dual enrollment, the choice can be difficult. The path you choose has a huge impact on your academic life in high school, and can also affect your extracurricular life. So it’s important to choose wisely. 

The college prep experts at Great College Advice have loads of experience in guiding students in this big decision. We can help by asking questions to elicit your true feelings and your rational priorities. Either of these curricular programs can be pathways to college success. Both are respected by college admissions officers. But which is right for you?

If you need to talk through these priorities and preferences, give us a call or contact us on our website. We’d be delighted to help you map your college journey.

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post AP or Dual Enrollment for College Prep? first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

Whether you are a “blue chip” NCAA Division 1 athletic recruit, or whether you are hoping to play in the NAIA, or whether you’re interested in a NCAA Division 3 team, these questions can help you determine whether this team, this coach, and this athletic program are right for you.

Why are these questions important? Because they help you stay in control. Often high school athletes are in awe of the college coach. This is especially true if the coach is recruiting the student heavily. What young athlete wouldn’t feel great to know that a coach in a far-off university was interested in having her play for his team? It’s flattering. It’s exciting.

But you don’t want to be star-struck or tongue-tied. You want to be ready to gather the information you need to be sure that the coach, the team, and the university are the right fit for you. So be ready with questions to ask in those conversations you have with coaches.

What questions to ask college coaches about athletic recruiting

Questions to ask college coaches about your athletic career

• What position will I play on your team?
• Have you personally watched me play? Or have you watch my video highlights? If so, why do you think my skills fit into your program?
• Describe the current players competing at the same position. What skills do they possess?
• How many freshmen are being recruited for my position?
• Where do you see me fitting in the program this year? Years 2, 3 and 4?
• What chance do I have to win playing time as a freshman?
• I know you have a list of potential recruits for this position. Where am I on that list?
• Can I “redshirt” my first year? Under what conditions do you typically redshirt players?
• What are the physical requirements each year? (training commitments, weight, etc.)
• Will I receive a written contract or tender?
• What are your expectations of me as a player? As a person?
• How has NIL impacted your recruiting process?

Questions about the college coach and coaching staff

• How would you best describe your coaching style?
• Where do you place your emphasis (offense, defense) during training and games or matches?
• When does your head coaching contract end?
• What is each of the assistant coaches responsible for?
• How does your team treat walk-ons?
• What is the typical year like for your student athletes? (off-season training program)
• What is the typical day like for your student athletes during the season? During the off-season?
• How important is this particular sport to your school’s athletic director?

Questions to ask college coaches about sports and academics

• What is the admissions process for a recruited athlete?
• What percentage of your players on scholarship graduate in four years?
• What is the team’s GPA from last year?
• What do you do to academically support your players? (Tutors, study hall requirements, staff, class load)
• Am I allowed time to make up classes and tests missed because of the competition schedule?
• Are tutors provided for athletes?
• How do students make up for time out of the classroom?
• What are your policies for missed practices or being late due to class commitments?
• Do you have a solid academic advising center? How many players take advantage of it?
• How many credits are required for me to be eligible to compete?
• How many credits are required for me to keep my financial aid?

Questions to ask college coaches about the team

• Do the players on the team all live in the same dorm?
• Will I be required to live on campus all four years?
• What state/region do most of your players come from?
• Are there any unique team-building activities you do in your program?
• How much travel do you have in a typical year?
• What are the most impressive accomplishments of your program in the past five years?
• What are your team’s conduct rules? Are they the college’s minimums or are they tougher?
• Am I expected to stay in town during the summer?
• What are my off-season responsibilities?

Questions to ask coaches about finances and scholarships

• Specifically, what expenses does the financial aid and/or scholarship package cover? (Tuition, room, board, books, special assessments, supplies)?
• If I’m injured, what happens to my financial aid/scholarship?
• What conditions are used to determine the annual renewal of the scholarship?
• Do I need medical insurance? What medical expenses does the college cover? 

Summary

The most important thing to keep in mind as you formulate questions to ask college coaches is that you are in control. Playing sports in college is a big commitment. When you are signing a contract for a scholarship, you have to do your due diligence. In essence, you are trading your athletic abilities for a college education. Your experience playing your sport in college should be a fun and rewarding one.

You want to make sure that the coach is someone you respect and someone who can train you to be a better athlete and team member. You want to ensure that your teammates have a similar approach to the sport and that you will find your place among the other players. Moreover, you want to be confident that the university whose uniform you wear will provide you with the educational opportunities you want and need, both during your four-year undergraduate experience and well beyond graduation.

So whether you are talking to a coach on the phone or in person during an official team visit, be ready to ask questions that will help you discern whether this is the right athletic–and educational–opportunity for you. Use this handy reference of questions to ask college coaches to help you get the information you need to make the right decision.

Need help with athletic recruiting as part of your college admissions process?

The team at Great College Advice has deep experience in guiding students along the road from high school to college.  If you’d like more information about our services, contact us for a free consultation. Or just pick up the phone and call us at 720.279.7577.  We’d be happy to chat with you. 

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post What Questions to Ask College Coaches When Being Recruited? first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

A college education will probably be the first or second most expensive purchase that an individual will ever make over the course of his or her entire lifetime. Yet, most people will select an institution and either completely ignore the cost or not be aware of what the true cost of that school will be. Then, once they get accepted and have their heart set on one school or another, they find that the cost of education is far more than they expected. 

While it is true that a college education has gotten incredibly expensive for almost anyone, a huge contributing factor to skyrocketing student debt is that students are choosing to attend schools that they simply cannot afford. Students and families are compelled to take on significant loans to pay for these high-cost educational choices. And then find themselves in very challenging financial situations upon graduation. 

Instead of taking the “fire, ready, aim” approach to choosing a college, families should be much more measured with their tactics if they want to avoid being overwhelmed by college costs. 

How do I calculate the cost of college?

• Know your budget;
• Explore a lot of different colleges;
• Calculate the all-in cost of each school;
• Research the financial aid generosity of each college;
• Determine the likely financial aid package you’ll receive based on your income and assets.

How do I calculate the cost of college as an admissions factor?

Step 1: Know your budget 

Before you even consider applying to college, take stock of your family’s financial situation. Ask yourself, how much do I have available to spend for a college education, and how much am I willing to spend and sacrifice? Consider the future. What if something happens and you have a lot less money coming in once the student has started college (e.g., you lose your job, an expensive health issue crops up, etc.)? Will you still be able to fund college? Are there other family members who will also need to tap into the family’s finances in the future? 

Step 2: To assess the cost of college: Cast a broad net, initially 

Identify a number of schools that fit the student’s interests and academics. Don’t just choose one or two; find several. Even if the student thinks he or she knows the exact college where he or she wants to go, expand the search. First, there’s no guarantee that the student will get admitted to that school. Second, there’s no guarantee that the school will fit your budget. By finding many schools that could be a good match for the student, you will increase your chances of putting together a list of schools that you can afford. 

Step 3: Explore the fully loaded cost of college 

You cannot assume that the price of college will be “about the same” irrespective of where you attend. From one college to the next costs will vary tremendously. Where do you find information on school costs? What is meant by “fully loaded” costs? Schools will generally provide tuition information on their websites. Many schools will include what is called an estimated Cost Of Attendance (COA), too. 

The COA represents an approximation of your fully loaded cost, and will usually include: 

• Tuition 

• Room and Board 

• School Fees 

• Books and School Supplies 

• Travel 

• Personal Expenses 

Visit each school’s website that your child is interested in, and if the school provides an estimated COA use it as a starting point to calculate your costs. You need to figure out what your actual outlay is likely to be based on your own individual circumstances. Schools use an average number to figure costs like travel and personal expenses, but you should try to be more exact.  

For example, if the student will be bringing a car to campus, the school will not add car-related expenses into their COA calculation. But you should put it into yours. In short, project how the student will be living while attending college and tally up all the costs associated with that lifestyle. 

Step 4: Investigate the financial aid generosity of each school 

Not all schools are created equal when it comes to their financial aid generosity. Some will meet full financial needs while others won’t. Some schools will be very generous with merit aid for those who don’t meet the criteria for need-based aid. And others will only provide merit aid to a select few. 

To figure out just how generous a school is with their aid, a good source is College Data. Click on the College Search tab where you can search by a specific school name which then presents a Facts & Information page for that school. Click on the Financials tab of this section which reveals what percentage of financial need was met at that college, how much it provided in need-based and merit aid, and how many students were awarded aid for the most recent year available. 

By looking at this information for each of the schools of interest, you can get a good sense of how generous a school is and whether you might have a shot at getting some aid. 

Step 5: Assess your likelihood of receiving financial aid to reduce the cost of college 

You know your budget. Also, you know what your finances look like. You know what the cost of college is. You know the typical aid packages offered by the schools on your list. But, you still don’t know what each college on your list is actually going to cost you.  Will you qualify for financial aid and bring down the COA? While you can’t get a definitive answer about your costs before you apply and actually get admitted to a school, you can get a reasonable approximation of how much a college education will cost you at a given school. 

Colleges are required to make online Net Price Calculators (NPC) available to the public. NPCs allow prospective students to input some basic financial information about themselves and then the NPC calculates approximately how much financial aid they are eligible for and how much it will consequently cost them to attend that school – the “net price”. Net Price Calculators can be found at a college’s website, and The College Board also provides an NPC for the hundreds of colleges that utilize its NPC tool. 

Beware that the NPCs provide only an estimate of your likely cost, and sometimes a very loose one at that. The information captured isn’t as thorough as on an actual financial aid application, and the NPCs don’t take into account either special circumstances or your potential eligibility for merit aid (which is based on student performance rather than financial strength). So, the output of the NPC is likely not what you expect to receive. 

Still, by going through the Net Price Calculator process for each school on your list, you’ll get a directional sense of what the school will cost you.
The bottom line is that if finances are an issue when you are first considering where to apply consider your budget, school COA, and financial aid in the calculation. By doing so, you just may save yourself a little heartache and a whole lot of money. 

Need Help with the College Admissions Process?  

Figuring out the likely all-in cost of college at specific universities can be very complex. As part of our comprehensive packages, we help families assemble a well thought out college list that takes into account any financial aid considerations. So, please contact us for a complimentary consultation. At Great College Advice, we provide personalized college consulting focused on helping make the process of preparing, selecting, and applying to college more successful, less stressful, and more fun.   

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other.

The post How to Calculate the Cost of College first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

How to get into Penn – Isaac’s ambitions

Isaac’s mother contacted Great College Advice toward the end of his sophomore year of high school. Her son was a straight-A student at a competitive school in suburban Denver, and he had it in his mind that he wanted to aim for the Ivy League and other top universities. She made it clear that this was his ambition, and that she and Isaac’s dad simply wanted to give him the best shot at achieving this goal.

Soon after, Isaac called. He asked us a number of hard questions. He clearly had been talking to other college consultants because he seemed to know what he wanted. As his mother indicated, Isaac was firmly in charge of the college admissions process from the very beginning. The Ivy League was his own goal—not one that had been planted in his brain by someone else. His mom contacted us later to say that Isaac had selected Great College Advice to guide him with the Elite package of services. Clearly this was a young man who wanted advice and was willing to incorporate it into his own plans.

The puzzle of how to get into Penn

Isaac was an academic specimen. Despite the extremely high rigor of his coursework at his very rigorous school, he did not have a single B grade on his transcript. He would go on to get super high standardized test scores, too. But, where Isaac fell short was his extracurriculars.

This is not to say that he wasn’t doing some awesome things. He played on the varsity baseball team as a 10^th grader; his team routinely won the annual state championship. He was a solid member of the school’s debate team, where he specialized in Public Forum. But, he was not yet a stand-out in debate. He was a leader in his local Jewish youth group. Isaac was also something of a news junkie; our conversations nearly always began with a review of the week’s headlines—especially in international affairs. Yet none of these activities were impressive enough to help him stand out in a field of tens of thousands of qualified applicants who would be applying to Penn (his first choice) and the other Ivies.

Isaac needed something more. But in order to achieve more, he would have to make some decisions.

As with so many top students, Isaac was extraordinarily busy. Baseball took up a lot of his time—especially during the season. Debate was also a very time-consuming activity requiring a ton of preparation. Isaac had intellectual interests beyond the classroom, but despite his love of reading, he didn’t have much time to dig into books beyond those assigned by his teachers.

A tough decision

Baseball was clearly part of the problem. Isaac loved baseball, but by his own admission, he wasn’t good enough to be recruited by a Division 1 Ivy League school. He also knew that he was unlikely to play baseball no matter which college he attended. His baseball career was coming to an end; it was just a matter of when. Still, Isaac was hesitant to give up the game. He loved it, and had some very tight friendships on the team.

Should he stay with the sport or not? Isaac wrestled with the question for weeks. Part of the problem was deciding how to use the time he might free up if he did quit. What would he do? Would he be able to build accomplishments fast enough and impressive enough to win him a place in the Ivy League? I couldn’t promise him that he could (though give Isaac’s drive, we thought it would be a good bet). We also warned him that he had to make a decision that he wouldn’t later regret—especially if he was denied by Penn.

He agonized over this decision. So did his parents: they wanted such a momentous decision to be his own.

Decision Made

Isaac eventually decided to drop baseball. He decided his own potential outweighed the risks. And he also figured he might learn some more things about himself along the way. (Spoiler alert: he was right!)

His new accomplishments

This decision was super difficult for Isaac. But once he made it, he poured himself into other things so that he could rack up more achievements:

• He began winning Public Forum debates, and he performed very well at the State level. In 11th grade, he became captain of the team.
• He deepened his own understanding of Middle East politics and then sought out a research assistantship at a local university with a professor who specialized in the subject.
• He applied for—and landed—a fantastic internship with a state representative at the Capitol, where he worked twice a week after school.
• Isaac ramped up his activity with his youth group and breathed some life into it by organizing new programming.

How to get into Penn? Write Some Awesome Essays

Then Isaac wrote some amazing essays. His Common App essay was a deeply personal account in which he was able to present an aspect of himself that caused him a lot of worry and psychological insecurity but that he was slowly conquering by broadening his perspective of what is truly important in life. He also wrote a supplemental essay about traveling to Israel with a large group of teens. He highlighted a particular experience that encapsulated the human dimensions of the conflict in Israel and Palestine. It was both wonderfully academic and intensely personal.

Outcome

Isaac applied Early Decision to Penn but was deferred. He was intensely disappointed, but handled it well. After three and a half months of agonizing limbo, Isaac was finally admitted to Penn in the regular round, and was breathlessly excited.

How to get into Penn or other Highly Selective Colleges

Clearly there is no one way–there are as many ways as there are Penn students. But two things are clear: a record of accomplishment and the need to focus on a few areas of interest where you can make the biggest impact.

A Record of Accomplishment both In and Out of the Classroom

First, there is no fixed timeline or formula that will result in an admissions offer from the Ivy League. What is important is that you do the things that you enjoy, and that you do them to the maximum. What Penn and other Ivy schools want is a record of accomplishment. They want to see that you are a high achiever…not just in the classroom, but in life more generally. Of course they like athletes, but if the athlete is not good enough to play on an Ivy League Division 1 team, then that athletic participation doesn’t mean a whole lot.

Focus on activities where you can make the biggest impact

Which leads to the second aspect: getting into the Ivies sometimes requires some tough decisions that must be made in conditions of uncertainty. Isaac couldn’t know–in advance–that his decision to drop baseball would be the right one. We know in retrospect that it probably was. But that made the decision no less difficult at the time. He really agonized. We had many conversations about it, and in some ways it was made even more difficult.

College preparation–like most of life–is about making tough decisions. In the end, Isaac’s decisions worked for him. And he learned a lot about himself in the process of making these decisions. He had to leave baseball behind, but he discovered new talents and new interests that he might never have had the time to explore had he stayed on the team. And that, too, is part of life’s beauty–and mystery.

So how do you get into Penn? Make good decisions, work hard, excel in as many ways as you can, and hope for some good luck!

Need help with how to get into Penn or other Ivy League universities?

The expert admissions counselors at Great College Advice can help you in every aspect of the college admissions process: high school course selection, extracurricular activities, standardized test planning, researching colleges, essay assistance, and overseeing the college application process.

Contact us today for your complimentary consultation.

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With nearly 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post How to Get Into Penn: The Case Study of Isaac first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

College Fit and Social Engagement

On the one extreme are the campuses where apathy tends to reign supreme:  most students are primarily concerned with their various activities, academics, and personal lives.  On the other extreme are the colleges where virtually everyone on campus seems to have a cause they support, and where community service is central to college life.  Whatever the merits of political and social engagement, students must ask themselves where they fit on this continuum.  How engaged are you now, and how engaged do you want to be over the next four years?

Keep in mind that most college campuses lean to the left, politically speaking.  There are many reasons for this, and an exploration of these reasons would take us on a tangent.  However, there are many campuses where more conservative students will feel quite comfortable and plenty of kindred spirits.

So the first order of business is to take your own political and social temperature.

• Are there issues that you care deeply about?  Examples might include animal rights, the environment, abortion, or homelessness.
• Have you ever been or wanted to be more politically active?
• Philosophically speaking, do you think one of the reasons to pursue an education is to learn how to be a more effective, more active citizen?
• Or is education primarily a means to get a successful job and contribute to society in that way?

What are the questions you might ask to get a bead on the level of political and social engagement on campus?

One way is to look at the college’s mission statement, and then ask students, faculty, and staff the degree to which they feel that mission is put into practice.

Examples might include themed “living and learning communities,” principles of course design, numerous and active student organizations, or particular campus-wide programs that help to channel student engagement in specific directions.  In each case, make sure to compare campus priorities and initiatives with your own:  is this the sort of place where you envision making your own contributions to society?

If so, it may be a perfect match.

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With nearly 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post Elements of a Great College Fit – Social Engagement first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

Check out this short video about how to choose a college major.

Should You Study Business in the Ivy League–Or Anywhere Else?

If your goal is to go to Wall Street and spend for first few years post-undergrad working for one of the bulge bracket investment banks, then, yes, studying business in the Ivy League makes a lot of sense. The Ivy League is where these banks recruit from. There are so many alumni network connections you will make as you start down the internship and job search process. There will also be multiple opportunities in areas like finance to work for hedge funds, private equity, and large multinational corporations. 

But will it be your ticket to riches and success? Possibly if this is all you care about rather than work/life balance. But there are no certainties here. A business major–by itself–will not make you more money than that philosophy major across the dormitory hall from you. Similarly, going to an Ivy League school will not necessarily make you more money than if you went to a liberal arts college or a state school. Average salaries published by colleges and third party sites are not indicative of your potential success. They should not determine your interests and they definitely do not reflect your aptitudes or abilities.

As you decide what to major in, think about what keeps you engaged, what interests, you, and where your abilities are the strongest. Also remember that no matter what field you go into in today’s economy, you will be “in business.” At some point, you’ll probably have to learn some of the fundamentals of business. Maybe you’ll learn them in college. Maybe you’ll even learn them in the Ivy League. Or somewhere else.

But to put it in Yoda speak, “learn you will.”

Need help with the college admissions process?

If you need assistance in the college admissions process, please contact us for a complimentary consultation. At Great College Advice, we provide personalized college consulting focused on helping make the process of preparing, selecting, and applying to college more successful, less stressful, and more fun.

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With nearly 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other.

So, studying business in the Ivy League is your dream? If you want to major in business at an Ivy League university, you may need to broaden your horizons as only Penn and Cornell offer undergraduate degrees in business.

First, a Bit of History

The Ivy League universities are among the oldest in the country. Five of the eight are among the 10 oldest universities in the country:

• Harvard – 1636
• Yale – 1702
• Penn – 1740
• Princeton – 1746
• Columbia – 1754

Brown and Dartmouth were founded a little bit later (in 1746 and 1769, respectively). Cornell is the outlier: it was started in 1846–almost a century and a half after Harvard. As we shall see, this is part of the reason that Cornell looks so very, very different from the other schools with which it plays football.

And that’s the key here: the “Ivy League” is a relatively recent creation. Eight schools got together and created a sports league. So the “league” in Ivy League has nothing to do with academics whatsoever. Like so much in America’s university system, sports is sort of the tail that wags the dog.

The Liberal Arts Focus of the Ivy League

The traditional curricular focus of all the Ivy League schools harkens back to the traditional academic subjects that people like John Adams and Benjamin Franklin studied: philosophy, law, and theology. At the time, of course, “science” was more or less an outgrowth of philosophy, or the inquiry into knowledge. The same was true of mathematics: it was all sort of rolled into the study of the current state of mankind’s knowledge of the world.

So, it wasn’t until the 19th century that Europeans and Americans began thinking of teaching university courses that were directly relevant to both agriculture (where most Americans were employed at the time) and to the advances of the Industrial Age (and the rise of engineering as a discipline). Cornell, for example, still has a solid agricultural program, as well as a veterinary school. A large part of Cornell’s mission was (and still is, to an extent) to improve the agricultural yield of our farmers. (This was true of all the so-called “land grant” universities).

A Professional Focus is Relatively New for the Ivy League

So it wasn’t until much later that universities began teaching subjects directly related to the economic development of the country and to the professional development of individuals. Prior to this, education at Ivy League schools was limited to the economic and political elites. Then, the subjects taught were considered most relevant to being an “educated person.” Graduates of the Ivies might very well go on to take their place (by birthright, mostly) in the upper-class establishment of American society.

Business: Today’s Educational Imperative?

Fast forward to today. The educational priorities of the American public have shifted. There are a lot of reasons for the shift.

• College has become so expensive–especially at selective institutions–that families are more conscious of the “return on investment or ROI”: what will be the short and long-term economic payoff of earning this degree?
• A continuing national philosophy that is best expressed by the words of Calvin Coolidge: “The business of America is business.”
• Majors like history, English, and philosophy are now considered “useless” by most Americans. In other words, even elites are looking askance at the idea that these disciplines can train the mind, improve one’s ability to think analytically and to tap into a knowledge of history and culture as a way to guide humanity forward.
• Americans have an increasing skepticism about knowledge and elitism in general (even though the majority of our presidents and many of our political leaders are graduates of Ivy League institutions).

Today, the most popular and common major in American universities is business. Over half of Americans graduate with a business degree of some sort.

Can You Study Business in the Ivy League?

6 of the 8 Ivies do not offer undergraduate majors in business – Dartmouth, Brown, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Columbia. However, Penn (Wharton) and Cornell offer undergraduate degrees in business. Of course, some of these do offer MBAs (Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Columbia, Penn (Wharton) and Cornell). 

Study Business in the Ivy League at the University of Pennsylvania

The Wharton School of Business at Penn offers degrees in business. Interested students submit an application direction to Wharton. While there are some joint programs that link liberal arts majors with business, there is not a lot of intellectual or curricular cross-over between Penn’s College of Arts and Sciences and the Wharton School.

Along with that, it’s also important to note that Penn also has a School of Nursing and a School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

The Wharton School Concentrations

• Accounting
• AI for Business
• Behavioral Economics
• Business Economics and Public Policy
• Business Analytics
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation
• Environmental Management and Policy
• Finance
• Health Care Management and Policy
• Leading Across Differences
• Legal Studies and Business Ethics
• Management 
• Marketing
• Marketing and Communication
• Operations, Information, and Decisions
• Marketing and Operations Management
• Real Estate
• Retailing
• Statistics

Each concentration above requires only four courses, so it’s easy to switch around or pursue more than one. Clearly, Penn has a wide range of business offerings, which makes it even more attractive to students who want to get study business in the Ivy League.

Study business in the Ivy League at Cornell

Cornell is the other school at which you can study business in the Ivy League. Cornell now has the SC Johnson College of Business, which is a unification of two other programs at Cornell – The Dyson School and the Nolan School of Hotel Administration.

The Dyson School

The first program is the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, which offers (naturally enough) a BS in Applied Economics and Management. Despite its history and anomalous institutional structure, the curriculum at Dyson mirrors more or less what one would find at any college of business for undergrad. The core requirements are supplemented by at least one concentration.

• Accounting
• Applied Economics and Management
• Business Analytics
• Entrepreneurship
• Finance
• Food Business Management
• International Markets and Development
• Marketing
• Strategy  
• Sustainable Business and Economic Policy

The other alternative for studying business at Cornell is to zero in on a particular business–one in which Cornell has particular strength: hotel administration. Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration offers a BS in Hotel Administration. 

Studying Business in the Ivy League: Some Alternatives

If you decide not to attend either Penn’s Wharton School or Cornell’s Johnson School, then how else might you study business in the Ivy League? Here are some ideas.

Study economics

Perhaps the best alternative–academically speaking–if you want to study something somewhat related to business, then you could take up the “dismal science” of economics. In fact, a larger and larger proportion of Ivy League students are studying economics these days. 

Join business-oriented clubs and societies

Most of the Ivy League colleges have a variety of business-oriented activities on campus, from incubators for entrepreneurs to investment and finance clubs, to marketing and communications. Look for these on the student activities pages of the college’s website.

Become a leader in any club or association

Becoming a business leader is about exercising leadership in a particular context. But leadership is something one can learn in a variety of contexts. So don’t pass up an opportunity to develop that leadership in any way you can. Whether you lead groups of students in sports, the arts, community service, religious organizations, or any other sort of club or association, you will be cultivating the sort of skills and habits that can make you a leader in the business world. And most clubs will need certain kinds of abilities, including accounting and management. So if you are particularly excited about those activities, step up and lead!

Check out this short video about how to choose a college major.

Should You Study Business in the Ivy League–Or Anywhere Else?

If your goal is to go to Wall Street and spend for first few years post-undergrad working for one of the bulge bracket investment banks, then, yes, studying business in the Ivy League makes a lot of sense. The Ivy League is where these banks recruit from. There are so many alumni network connections you will make as you start down the internship and job search process. There will also be multiple opportunities in areas like finance to work for hedge funds, private equity, and large multinational corporations. 

But will it be your ticket to riches and success? Possibly if this is all you care about rather than work/life balance. But there are no certainties here. A business major–by itself–will not make you more money than that philosophy major across the dormitory hall from you. Similarly, going to an Ivy League school will not necessarily make you more money than if you went to a liberal arts college or a state school. Average salaries published by colleges and third party sites are not indicative of your potential success. They should not determine your interests and they definitely do not reflect your aptitudes or abilities.

As you decide what to major in, think about what keeps you engaged, what interests, you, and where your abilities are the strongest. Also remember that no matter what field you go into in today’s economy, you will be “in business.” At some point, you’ll probably have to learn some of the fundamentals of business. Maybe you’ll learn them in college. Maybe you’ll even learn them in the Ivy League. Or somewhere else.

But to put it in Yoda speak, “learn you will.”

Need help with the college admissions process?

If you need assistance in the college admissions process, please contact us for a complimentary consultation. At Great College Advice, we provide personalized college consulting focused on helping make the process of preparing, selecting, and applying to college more successful, less stressful, and more fun.

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With nearly 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other.

The post Studying Business in the Ivy League first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

If you are going through the college application process, more than likely you are encountering supplemental essay questions asking you to elaborate on why you want to attend that institution. The question takes many forms: Why are you a good fit? What will you bring to our campus? What is it about our school that makes you want to attend? But, ultimately, it’s really the same question just asked in a different way: “Why this college?” 

In my line of work as a college advisor, I read a lot of these essays, and I can say that I see many weak attempts at answering this question. Students seem to fall into the same “traps” every time. So, in this article, I’m going to cover the do’s and don’ts of writing a great response to the “Why our college?” question. Follow my advice, and it should lead you to an essay that will stand out to admissions officers.

Do your homework and research schools in advance and take notes. Your ‘why this college?’ essay should contain the following:

• Take clues from how the question is asked: some may focus more on your major or may focus on leadership;
• Explain why you want to spend the next 4 years of your life being involved in intellectual and academic pursuits;
• Discuss how and why you fit at that school;
• Give examples how you plan on getting involved;
• Be specific.

Getting Started: Do Your Homework 

“Why do you want to go to this college?” I ask. 

“I dunno.” 

You’d be surprised at how often I engage in this little snippet of conversation. Often young people settle on a college choice without much thought. Maybe it’s close by. Maybe it’s famous. Or perhaps Mom and Dad have pushed the college. Maybe it’s where your friend attends, or where your boyfriend wants to go. 

But this essay forces you to really think about why you want to go—and to present your reasons in an essay. 

So the first thing you must do before you start writing is to know the answer to the question: “Why this college?” 

One of the ways to do this is to sort of reverse-engineer your choice. You need a list of criteria that drives your college choice. So if you find yourself at a loss to come up with solid, rational reasons, perhaps have a look at this article about how to choose a college based on such criteria.  

Once you have this solid list in hand, then you can begin to craft your response to the “Why this college” essay. 

Construct a template for the Why This College essay 

If you have carefully thought through the basic criteria for all the colleges to which you will be applying, and if you have carefully selected colleges that fit those general criteria. Then you can begin to build a generic framework for answering this question. 

What follows is a list of “dos” and “don’ts” for answering the “Why this college” essay prompt. 

The Why This College Essay DOs: 

DO take clues from how the question is asked 

Since these questions all fall into the same category of “Why do you want to go to our school?”, it’s easy to simply just answer it with that particular question in mind. But you should read the question carefully because each college will have a slightly different angle on it. You want to be sure that you are answering all aspects of the question. Sometimes, colleges will give you clues as to what they are looking for in how they phrase the question, and this can help you develop ideas on how to answer it. 

DO explain why you want to spend the next 4 years of your life there being involved in intellectual and academic pursuits 

While this tip may sound like a no-brainer, you’d be amazed at how many students forget to mention the academic reasons that attract them to the school. Instead, they focus on all kinds of other things: awesome sports teams, a beautiful quad, or a killer climbing wall. But aren’t you going to college to get an education, first and foremost? 

Think about and research the educational opportunities that are offered at the school. Why are they an academic fit with who you are, how you learn, what you have done, and what you are interested in pursuing? Think about the general curriculum of the degree, the structure of your intended major, and other academic resources that attract you (e.g., specific research facilities, academic centers, specialized libraries, and/or study abroad). 

You don’t have to know what you want to major in to include this in your essay. In fact, if you are undecided, it’s okay to talk about that, but then consider: what does that school have to offer you to help you explore and decide? 

DO discuss how and why you fit at the school 

Schools want students on their campus who are going to be happy and successful. Just as every student is different, so is every college, and admissions offices want to be sure that you understand what their school is all about before you land on their campus. After all, if you get there and you don’t fit in, you’re not going to be happy. 

What do I mean by “fit?” For example, say you are applying to a school with a student body that is known to be significantly involved in community service. And this is something that you yourself have been a part of while in high school. Talk about that. What if you are looking for a school with a lot of spirit? Because that’s something that you didn’t have in your own high school experience? You can discuss that. Whatever aspects of a school are attractive to you, be sure to back them up with personal reasons. 

DO give examples of how you will get involved at college and have an impact on campus 

Colleges are all about building an academic community. with the key word being “community.” That means that they don’t just want students who are going to go to class, go home, and not contribute to the life of the campus. Colleges and universities are just pieces of real estate: it takes people to animate them and give them the vibrancy that probably attracts you. 

College admissions people are looking for givers. They are looking for individuals who will enliven the campus. So, tell them how you plan to get involved. 

Think about the activities you enjoy. How will you continue those activities on campus? Show the admissions committee that you envision yourself in that same activity once you get to college. For example, if you enjoy making ceramics, give them a vision of how you—as a political science major—will spend time in the pottery workshop firing your work in the university kiln. 

Also, think about the activities you’d like to try. Explain why this new activity interests you and present a detailed vision of how you’ll get involved. For example, perhaps you live in Florida but your chosen college is in a snowy locale. Give an image of yourself rollicking in the drifts and engaging in winter sports wearing a puffy parka. Show the admissions folks that you are excited by the possibilities of your new “home.” 

DO be specific 

I cannot stress this enough. Above, I suggested topics that you should try to cover in your essay. With each of these, you must get specific, specific, specific. And did I mention that you have to get specific? So, discuss some classes that intrigue you. Find a professor who focuses on your area of interest and mention her work. Talk about particular clubs and activities where you could see yourself contributing. Name the academic center or the name of the swimming pool. 

Highlight things that impress you about the campus and make you want to go there. Touch on interactions that you make with students, staff, or alumni of the school. Name names. Let the college know that you are really interested in attending their particular institution by showing them that you know about and are interested in specific things. 

As I said before, you need to do your homework and tailor your essay to each college. While the structure of the “Why this college” essay may be the same from college to college. The substance of the essay must be highly specific to each college on your list. 

DO your research 

Before you ever start typing your response to this essay question, know what you are talking about. Spend some time on the college’s website so that you truly understand what the school has to offer you. And why you really should want to go there. Check out what the college prides itself on. Look at the course offerings. Be clear on how the curriculum works. Educate yourself on the extra-curricular opportunities. The only way you can get specific (see bullet point above!) is to do your research. 

The Why This College Essay DONT’s: 

DON’T focus on superficial aspects of the school 

Oh, how many essays have I read that have talked about how great the food looked in a college’s cafeteria? C’mon. Is that really a reason that you want to go to a certain school? Even if it is, that shows a shallowness of thought that you probably don’t want to reveal to the college of your choice. You must gear your essay to discuss more meaningful aspects. Common pitfalls when it comes to these more “superficial” topics are: 

School Setting and/or Geographic Location 

Students spend a good chunk of their essays focused on a school’s setting or geographic location. They simply talk about the location without either making it about the school or about themselves. (“And the University of XYZ is located right in the heart of ABCity, which I love so much!”) While the setting is, of course, an integral part of the school, when the student makes this the crux of their reason for attending. It sounds like the student just wants to get to that location. 

Regardless of the school itself, it’s perfectly fine to talk about the location and have that be a reason. But as with any other aspect of your essay, you need to make your discussion personal and relevant to you. (“I love the fact that the University of XYZ is located in the heart of ABCity because I’m a musician myself who loves listening to all types of music from show tunes to jazz. I would really enjoy getting a chance to go to the many different types of musical performances that I’ll find there.”) 

College Reputation 

A college’s reputation is NOT a good reason to say you want to go there. That says nothing about you nor why you are fit for it. On the other hand, if you can back it up with specific examples of why that reputation was earned, and its relevance to you, then go for it. For example, you could say, “I’m excited about the prospect of studying engineering at U of XYZ, which has attracted top-notch faculty, such as Prof. Prizewinner who teaches engineering in my area of interest.” 

DON’T just compliment the school 

“U of XYZ is by far the best place on earth! It has the most intelligent and motivated students anywhere! Your study abroad programs are like no other!” Most colleges are proud of their institutions, and they should be. But, let’s face it, none of them is a utopia. Unfortunately, you sound completely fake when you make sweeping, superlative statements about the school without also being able to support your claim. 

While you absolutely should be enthusiastic and think very highly of the schools you are applying to, and you should tell them. So, a better approach is to complement the school in the context of yourself. 

For example, if you want to study abroad, and the college has a strong offering in that area, that can be one of the main reasons that you are attracted to it. Then discuss a particular program they have that might appeal, And, explain why it excites you and why you feel it’s so top-notch. Remember, specificity is always best. 

DON’T waste words telling them what they already know 

Often, when students do get specific about particular courses, programs or activities that they are interested in at a given school. They spend the majority of their writing focusing on describing and explaining it. Well, guess what? The school already knows what that class, program, or activity is all about because it’s their class, program, or activity! Don’t waste your precious words. Spend your prose making it personal. Discuss how those courses, programs, or activities fit with who you are and what you want to accomplish. 

Yale changed its ‘Why Yale?’ essay prompt for this very reason, so applicants would write more about themselves rather than Yale.

DON’T write a “Plug and Play” essay 

A “Plug and Play” essay is one where you submit the exact same essay to each school that asks the question. Then you only change up a couple of small details, one of which is the college’s name. If you are applying to several schools, the “Why Our School?” question is one that you will probably have to answer multiple times during your application season. So the appeal of doing a “plug and play” is obvious. I do not, however, recommend this approach. 

Experienced admissions readers know a mostly generic “plug and play” essay when they see one. And it does not cast a favorable light on the student. It leaves the impression that the student didn’t have enough interest in the college to take the time to understand the school or to write an essay that was based on the unique things about that institution. 

It’s okay to reuse the same themes about yourself from one essay to the next so that you don’t have to completely reinvent the wheel. But you absolutely should tailor the essay to the individual school that you are writing about. Also to be genuine about the reasons that you are interested in that particular institution. 

DON’T go too broad when you have only a few words 

The length requirements for the “Why our college” essay cover a range. Some ask for just a few characters, while others have no restrictions. The most common maximum length requirements, however, seem to be in the 150-300 word range. I’ve recommended a lot of things that you should consider covering when you write this essay. But how do you do that when you only have a little bit of space to do it in? 

In a word: focus. Don’t try to do it all. Instead, pick one or two things that appeal to you about the school. Then drill down on just those things. Better to go deep than wide so that you can really make the argument, at least on one level. Why you and that institution are the right fit. 

Conclusion – the Why This College Essay 

Combining the dos and don’ts of writing the “Why our college?” essay will help you to strategically approach developing a truly strong piece of writing. While trying to incorporate all of these strategies into your writing may seem a little scary (and, of course, we are always here to help!), remember that the goal of any piece of writing that you do for a college application is to allow the admissions office to understand more about you, who you are, and what makes you tick. 

Great College Advice Guide to Supplemental Essays

• See our guide to why supplemental essays are important;
• See our post with tips on the college supplemental essay about your academic interests;
• See our recommendations on the ‘community’ supplemental essay;
•  See our guide to the ‘Extracurricular or Activity’ supplemental essay.

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With nearly 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other.

The post How to Write a Great ‘Why This College?’ Essay first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

Today a client and I had a long conversation about how to report her intended college major on her applications. Was choosing a major necessary when she is only 16 years old? She has been stressing out about it. She has many, many interests and an equal number of talents. And she just can’t decide what to be when she grows up.

I told her to join the club.

First, let’s take a look at the philosophical implications of choosing a major. In the grand scheme of things, a major isn’t all that important. Even career advisers say so. The fact is that beyond your first job out of college, your major won’t matter.  You’ll learn new skills on the job, and your career will mutate and morph as the economy evolves, and (more important) as your own understanding of where your interests and talents lie.

To give you more insight, you might want to take a look at a guest post in which a recent college grad recounts his own experience in choosing a major and making career choices right out of college. His conclusion is that what’s important is that you love what you are learning and that you build experiences, contacts, and skills that will help you pursue the jobs that most interest you.

It’s Not Necessary to Choose a Major Before You Get to College

The fact is, your job–and your career–will likely change many times before you retire. An article from the New York Times also admonishes parents (and college counselors) that it’s sort of unrealistic to expect that an 18 or 22 year-old can or should make career decisions as if they are making a decision that is lifelong and permanent. We all have the option of changing our priorities, of chasing new careers, of refashioning our professional selves at many different points throughout our lives.

So from a counseling point of view, I tell most of my students not to stress out about college majors and career choices. If a student has interests in engineering or business or other specialized fields it does make sense to understand the requirements necessary to enter those fields. For example, if there is a possibility that a student wants to go to medical school then she should know what the prerequisites are and thus be careful to complete them.

Or a prospective engineer may have to major in engineering from the get-go (but he may change his mind down the road as he learns more about engineering and about himself). Undecided does not mean “without decisions.” It’s smart to know what the options are and how to keep options open for as long as possible.

Sometimes It Make Sense to Choose a Major Early

However, with regard to completing college applications, there are times when it makes sense to declare a major. Why? Because admissions officer are also social engineers. They are looking for people to populate certain departments. Especially those hard-to-fill ones like art history, anthropology, music (at some schools), geology, geography, and others. So if you have a passion or skill that you plan to share on campus. It certainly doesn’t hurt to express that focus by announcing your intention to major in that subject.

Similarly, if a college has a particular strength or reputation in a certain issue, it makes sense to tell the admissions folks that one of the reasons that you are applying to that school is the excellence of that department–you are showing that you have thought about what makes that school a good fit for you.

Still, the majority of students heading to college are undecided. It’s okay in America to be undecided. Most of us are still undecided. We’re exploring, discovering, and learning. And isn’t that what it’s all about, anyway?

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With nearly 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post Choosing a Major for College first appeared on College Admission Counseling.