The Anatomy of An Admission Decision
Two days ago I found myself talking with Jean and her parents about her college future. Jean had submitted six applications including one for Early Action consideration. Now, however, a deferral letter from the EA school had shaken her confidence. While she wasn’t hysterical, it was clear that Jean was questioning herself. Would she get in? Could she get in? And what about her chances of finding admission to the other, equally selective universities to which she applied?
These were all good questions. While Jean possesses the academic credentials to be competitive for admission at any college or university in the country, the deferral letter had left her wondering what it would take to get in and had she done all she could do. I couldn’t find fault with the schools she had chosen nor the process she had followed in choosing them. On the surface, they all made sense for her–they were good fits. Digging deeper, however, I was able to uncover factors that might have influenced the outcome of her EA application and, if not addressed, would certainly have an impact on the outcomes of her other applications.
First, although Jean and her parents had been evaluating college options since her 9th grade year, she hadn’t visited any of the campuses in the last eighteen months. More specifically, she had never formally visited the school to which she applied EA. Despite her passion for the place, its admission officers had no way of knowing about her. Second, she had not sufficiently established her “hook”–the credential that might set her apart from her peers in a tight competition. A student leader and two-sport athlete with aspirations for playing in college, Jean had not made contact with college athletic recruiters in her sports. Finally, Jean had indicated on her application for admission that she would be a candidate for financial aid–a factor that could complicate things even at an institution that is reputedly “need blind” in the admission process.
As I talked with Jean, I wanted her to understand how the EA university might have reacted to her application. While she is a great candidate academically, the admission officers could afford to look for more as she competed with thousands of others who looked just like her. In making its decisions, the admission committee wasn’t asking: “Is she good enough?” Rather it was making a series of value judgments: “Who among these great candidates do we value most? What does this candidate bring us as we attempt to build a new community?”
In Jean’s case, when the admission officers asked, “If we admit her, what do we get?” nothing jumped out at them. What’s worse, they could find no evidence of her interest in their school when they asked, “What is the likelihood that she will come?” Uncertain of her level of interest and likely contributions, it is reasonable to assume that the next question of Jean was, “Is this someone in whom we are prepared to make a financial investment?”
It wasn’t long before Jean and her parents began to see the logic of the decision-making process at the highly selective schools to which she was applying. They could now rationalize the EA decision. More importantly, the despair that had hovered over the start of the conversation had given way to an excited sense of possibility as Jean began to develop a new “To Do” list. Even at this time of the year, Jean realized that it is not too late to get on the radar screens of the schools to which she had applied. Specifically, she saw the need to eliminate the perception that her interest in a given school is random while conveying a sense of the passion and talent within her that would set her apart from the rest of the competition.
Jean would make immediate plans to visit the campuses of the “high priority” schools on her list and attempt to introduce herself to the person(s) responsible for recruiting in her region. She will make sure they have her most recent grades as well as documentation of a couple of honors that have come her way since she submitted her applications. She also took heart in the possibility that she could still contact the coaches at some of the smaller colleges on her list and make sure they got the tapes of her athletic performance.
I admire Jean for her response to the situation. Rather than hanging her head and feeling pessimistic about her college future, she is already taking steps to affect the outcomes. Realizing that applying to college is a process and not an event, she is asserting herself. In doing so, she will eliminate the randomness of her application.
Will this new-found self-advocacy assure Jean admission to her favorite schools? Not necessarily. It will, however, give her the chance she deserves. At the very least, the schools on her list now have reason to pause in considering her possible contributions to the communities they are building. Now, they will have a better idea of what they get should they admit Jean–and they’ll have more confidence that hers is a serious interest that could result in her enrollment if accepted. Finally, if they value her for what she has to offer, they will be more likely to invest in her with financial aid and/or scholarships.
Consider the possibilities as they exist for you. When you apply for admission, take charge of the process. Seize the opportunity to build relationships with decision-makers (admission officers) at the schools that are important to you and be sure to tell your story. Give the admission officers every reason to want to include you in the communities they are building as they admit their entering classes!
To learn more about what is going on behind the closed doors of the admission office and to ask questions about what you can do now to make a difference with your application, plan to join the January 22 Straight Talk About College Admission teleseminar, “Taking Stock of What is Going on Around You.” Go to http://www.theadmissiongame.com/teleseminar_registration.php to learn more about the program and to register for the toll-free call-in information.
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