Interviews

Interviews

There are differing recommendations about the importance of interviews, with the consensus view that interviews were overall less important than college admissions essays, but should be done if they were offered.[69] One counselor suggested that if an interview was offered by a college admissions program, then it was not really optional but it should be seen as a requirement––not going to such an interview could be detrimental to a student's chances for admission.[10] One counselor suggested that a student try to get an interview, even if it was not required, since it might help "exhibit character strengths" that might not show up via grades on high school transcripts.[75] Several reports noted that most Ivy League schools have abandoned the interview requirement, but that if there is an opportunity for an interview, even with an alumnus of the college, then it is a good idea to do it since not doing it signals a lack of interest in the school.[10][168] Knowing a college can be helpful during an interview, so that an applicant can say something specific about the school, or a professor who teaches there, or a subject or internship opportunities, since it shows sincere interest.[14][168] Counselor Donald Dunbar suggested that a goal of interview preparation should be present oneself as "comfortable with spontaneous conversation" and being able to talk about interests without sounding like the answers were prepared in advance.[169] He suggested it was important to show intellectual passion and loving learning with a deep excitement,[170] and show "social maturity" with sensitivity, empathy for others unlike oneself, and concern for issues larger than personal career ambitions.[171] He advised that an applicant's attitude should not be what can the college offer but what can the student offer the college,[172] and to avoid asking questions about facts which are better answered elsewhere,[173] and to show an openness to new ideas, an ability to work cooperatively with others, ambition, and caring about others.[174] Counselors suggest that interviewees should be ready for sometimes provocative questions to test social sensitivity; Dunbar suggested that if an interviewer asks a "baiting or leading question", an applicant should respond by laughing while politely disagreeing with the perspective, and to keep trying to enjoy the conversation with the interviewer.[175] Dunbar advised that applicants should avoid sounding snide, annoyed, contemptuous, and avoid describing oneself as humiliated, bored, depressed, angry, shy, inhibited, anxious, frightened, and frustrated,[176] and should be upbeat but avoid going for the hard sell.[176] Another report suggested that shy or timid applicants were at a disadvantage.[177] Hernandez suggested that visits by college admissions personnel to the high schools were a waste of time for colleges, since there was not enough time to get to know specific applicants.[178] In addition, she felt that personal interviews were generally overrated, although she noted that many Ivies have alumni interviews which can help in borderline situations.[168] Hernandez suggested that a student try to find a common bond with the interviewer, and send a brief follow-up letter afterwards.[20] Interviews rarely matter at big colleges but may be more of a factor at small liberal arts colleges if offered:

Our advice is that if offered an interview, a student should take it ... And they should dress as if they are going to dinner with their grandparents. The biggest faux pax comes in inappropriate dress for both sexes. Spaghetti straps, buttons that pop open. For boys a rumpled T-shirt.... If you look in the mirror and you think you look good, change your clothes. This is not a date.

—Mamlet and Vandeverde[95]

Essays[edit]

There are differing opinions about the importance of the college essay. The consensus view is that the essay is less important than grades and test scores, but that an essay can make a difference in some instances,[10] often at highly selective colleges where they can "make or break your application."[131] There was one report that essays were becoming more important as a way to judge a student's potential,[131] and that essays have supplanted personal interviews as a primary way to evaluate a student's character.

Generally counselors recommend that the essay should not be too long, such as over 500 words. The Common Application suggests 250 to 500 words in length.[179] One advisor suggested that an essay longer than 700 words risked "straining their patience,"[180] but the 500-word suggested maximum length is not a hard–and–fast rule, and what's important is honing and rewriting:

Writing is easy; rewriting is hard. And essays deserve to be rewritten several times. Lots of kids think the objective is to write about something that will impress the admission office. In part that is true, but what impresses an admission officer is an essay that conveys something positive about the applicant; that allows the committee to get to know the kid just a bit from those few pieces of paper. The essay is an opportunity to provide a different perspective about the applicant, a reason to accept a kid. It is an opportunity not to be wasted.

—Steve Cohen in The Washington Post, 2011[10]

Advisors suggest that the essay should be concise, honest (with no embellishments), coherent, not boring,[18] accurate, evoking vivid images, revealing a likeable[18] and smart individual, with cautious use of humor, and possibly touching on controversial topics but in a balanced way.[180] Other tips include avoiding jargon or abbreviations, overly emotional appeals, profanity or texttalk (example: Schools H8 2 C texttalk), or artiness (e.g. poetry in an application)[18] or being cocky.[14]

Former guidance counselor for students at Andover and college admissions authority, Donald Dunbar, suggested that essays must emphasize personal character and demonstrate intellectual curiosity, maturity, social conscience, concern for the community, tolerance, and inclusiveness.[181] He advises don't just "be yourself", but show your "best self",[182] and that demonstrating class participation suggests a "willingness to go beyond selfishness" and shows enthusiasm for learning.[183] Alan Gelb suggests that the only no-no is "shameless self-promotion".[184] Topics to avoid include babysitting experiences, pets, encounters with illegal drugs or alcohol or criminal activity,[185] excuses to explain a low grade,[185] stories about a former home or big brother or sister,[186] simply listing achievements,[185] expressing thanks for being chosen as a leader, talking about a "wilderness leadership course,"[187] general complaining or whining,[185] racism or sexism or disrespect for groups of people,[185] bad taste or profanity or vulgarity or bathroom humor,[185] early love or sex experiences,[185] criticism or disrespect for parents,[185] telling only jokes,[185] excessive bragging or too many instances of the "I" pronoun,[185][188] divulging personal health information about yourself or a friend or a family member,[185] copy-and-pasting a term paper in the essay form[185] such as about global warming or the European debt crisis, and experiences involving lawbreaking or illegal activity.[185] Applicants should not express opinions too strongly as if no possible counterviews were possible.[185] The topic should be something the applicant cares about,[189] and which shows leadership in the sense of "asserting yourself to help others have more success"; according to Dunbar, leadership was not necessarily about being in charge such as being the team captain or school president.[190] Applicants should present a broad perspective and avoid simplistic words such as "never", "always", "only", or "nobody", which suggest narrow thinking.[191] Dunbar advised against the standard "tell 'em what you've told 'em" essay formula but doing something different, interesting, exciting.[192]

Former admissions director Michele Hernandez agreed, and suggested that the best essay topics were a slice-of-life story, with poignant details, in which the writer "shows" and does not "tell".[193] She suggested that a student show their essay to a literate friend and ask if would they admit this person to the college[193] She recommended that applicants not try to come across as a "preppy well-off kid" but downplay parental status.[194] Advisors Mamlet and Vandeverde suggest that students proactively try to explain an unusual grade, such as a low grade in a core course.[195]

Teacher recommendations[edit]

Some colleges ask for teacher recommendation letters, typically from 11th or 12th grade teachers of core courses, and preferably who know the student well. One report suggested that having more than four recommendations was a mistake, and that a "thick file" indicated a "thick student" to admissions personnel.[18] One report, however, was that teacher recommendations were becoming less important as a rating measure, according to one report.[131] There is a report that some colleges are asking for recommendation letters from parents to describe their child:

You might think they do nothing but brag ... But parents really nail their kids. They really get to the essence of what their daughter is about in a way we can’t get anywhere else.

—Deb Shaver, director of admissions at Smith College[196]

Other considerations[edit]

Archway outdoors shot says Dickinson College.

Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Advisors counsel that applicants should meet deadlines,[71][197][67] spend time researching colleges,[71] be open-minded,[70] have fun,[70] communicate what "resonates" to the applicant about a particular school,[42] not fall in love with one or two colleges,[41] follow directions precisely[67] and make sure to click the "submit" button.[14] Rudeness towards staff members, feigning enthusiasm, and being pretentious are other turnoffs reported by admissions officers.[67] There is strong consensus among counselors and advisors that starting the college search early is vital. One recommends starting early in the senior year;[70] another suggests that even this is too late, and that the process should begin during the junior year and summer before senior year.[42] And sources suggest that students who begin the process earlier tend to earn more acceptance letters.[71] Another advantage of beginning early is so that applications can be proofread for mistakes.[42] Advisors suggest that emails should be sent to specific persons in the admissions office, not to a generalized inbox.[14] Advisors suggest that applicants sending in paper applications should take care that handwriting is legible, particularly email addresses.[14] Advisors counsel that mistakes or changes should be explained somewhere in the application; for example, an adviser at Grinnell College suggested that a record need not be perfect but there must be an "explanation for any significant blip."[14][41] Advisors suggest that applicants should "own up to any bad behavior" such as suspensions since schools are "dutybound to report them", and suggest that a person should "accept responsibility and show contrition for "lessons learned," according to one view.[14][198] Disciplinary actions are usually reported to the colleges by the high school as a matter of course. Advisors suggest that the application should help a student position themselves to create a unique picture.[41] It helps, according to one advisor, if a person knows himself or herself, because that enables an applicant to communicate effectively with a prospective school.[42]

International applications[edit]

Foreign (non-US citizen) students applying from another country form a large and growing percentage of applicants (including accepted applicants) to American universities.[199] According to Andover counseling director Sean Logan, applications to American universities from foreign students have increased dramatically in the past decade.[61] International applications are typically similar to domestic ones but with additional complications. Most international applicants do not receive a GPA score or transcript from their school.[200] Most will not normally take SAT or ACT exams, so these must be arranged. Most American universities are happy to accept international and foreign qualifications such as the International Baccalaureate or IB, or British A Levels,[201] although it is often up to the applicant to elaborate on the meaning of these qualifications.[202] Non-native English speakers may be asked to provide English language qualifications. If a university requires or offers an interview, these can normally be conducted over the phone or with alumni residing in the applicant's country, according to Uni in the USA,[203] a guide book catering to the growing number of British students seeking to study in the United States.[204] International applicants often must cope with higher tuition fees and less available financial aid, although this varies significantly by college. Further, international applicants also have to apply for a student visa, which can be a complex and time-consuming process.[205]

How colleges evaluate applicants[edit]

Factors having considerable importance

Factor % Agree

Grades in college prep courses 83%

Strength of curriculum 66%

Admission test scores 59%

Grades in all courses 46%

Essay or writing sample 27%

Student's demonstrated interest 23%

Class rank 22%

Counselor recommendation 19%

Teacher recommendation 19%

Subject test scores 10%

Interview 9%

Extracurricular activities 7%

Portfolio 6%

SAT II scores 5%

State graduation exam 4%

Source: 2010 survey by NACAC[206]

Colleges seek a well-rounded class, according to one advisor, including women students skilled at basketball. Hope College women's basketball team celebrates victory.

Overview[edit]

Factors in admissions (in order)[7]

1. Grades in college prep courses

2. Strength of curriculum

3. Standardized test scores

4. Overall high school GPA

5. Essay

6. Teacher & counselor recommendations

7. Extracurricular activities

8. Class rank

9. Student's demonstrated interest

Colleges use a variety of methods to evaluate applicants. One source noted that four of every five colleges accept more than half of all applicants, and three-fourths of students who apply to colleges are accepted by their first choice college.[207] Depending on the size and values of the school, admissions criteria can vary from being almost entirely formulaic to involving significant subjective judgment regarding the student's "fit" for the institution.[208] Criteria vary considerably by school, and one view is that the "great deal of inconsistency across institutions" sometimes gave an incorrect impression that "student selection is arbitrary."[208] Criteria include standardized test scores (generally ACT and/or SAT), class rank, grades (as shown in the high school transcript), degree of extracurricular involvement, and leadership potential. One report suggested that the most important criteria, in order of importance, were (1) grades in college preparatory courses (2) strength of curriculum (3) grades in all courses and (4) class rank.[131] Many colleges also rely on personal essay(s) written by the applicant and letters of recommendation written by the applicant's teachers and guidance counselor; one benefit of the essay is to help colleges such as Pitzer College, which claims that half of its applicants have "perfect or near-perfect grades and test scores", have a way of further differentiating students.[131] Institutions place different weight on these criteria: for example, some schools do not require or even accept the SATs for admission. It should be noted that some factors are beyond a student's control, such as a college's need in a given year for diversity, legacy applicants, or athletic recruiting.[41]

It is a gargantuan task for admissions staff at selective colleges to analyze and process thousands of applications with a "huge mail deluge" since there are often six pieces of mail for each applicant, including transcripts, letters of recommendation, and the application itself.[209] College admissions personnel spend less time on average reading each particular application; in 2009, the average admissions officer was responsible for analyzing 514 applications, and the trend was in the direction of officers having to read more and more applications.[131] A typical college application receives only about 25 minutes of reading time, including three to five minutes for the personal essay if it is read.[210] Advisors suggest that understanding some of the criteria can help an applicant apply to colleges with greater success. Some colleges extract information from the federal FAFSA financial aid form, including names of other schools which the applicant is applying to.[114] Counselors urge students and parents to understand what types of things colleges tend to look for in applications, and plan accordingly. A key attribute which admissions evaluators look for, according to Mamlet and Vandevelde, is authenticity—a real person who comes through the application, not a packaged artificial entity[211] or distortion crafted to impress an admissions officer.[95] An admissions officer at Vanderbilt University wrote about how their office evaluates applicants: "It's really about, 'What did I take advantage of in the environment I was given.'"[41] Several reports suggested that colleges were not looking for the "well-rounded kid"[125] but rather a "well-rounded class":[212][213]

Colleges are looking for ... the well-rounded class. Colleges put together their entering class as a mosaic: a few great scholars for each academic department; a handful of athletes; some musicians, dancers, and theater stars; a few for racial and economic diversity; some potential club leaders, etc. Colleges want a kid who is devoted to – and excels at – something. The word they most often use is passion.

—Steve Cohen in the Washington Post, 2011[10]

Colleges want students who have demonstrated through their actions an ability to see and connect with a world that is larger than they are.

—Robin Mamlet and Christine Vandevelde, 2011[214]

Academic evaluation[edit]

Admissions results 2012[edit]

2012 Admission Decisions for selected colleges

Source: The New York Times[215][216]

Based on self-reported data from colleges

---Click triangles to sort columns---

University St Ap-

plied

# Over

-all

rate Early

rate Regu

-lar

rate

Amherst MA 5511 12% 10%

Babson MA 5511 29% 53% 21%

Barnard NY 5440 21% 45% 18%

SUNY-Bing. NY 28174 42% 56% 36%

Boston Coll MA 34000 29% 40% 26%

Boston U MA 43979 45% 47% 44%

Bowdoin ME 6716 16% 25% 14%

Brown RI 28742 10% 19%

Caltech[217] CA 5225 17% 19%

Carleton MN 5850 26% 41% 26%

Carnegie-Mel PA 17300 27% 26% 27%

Claremont Mc CA 5056 12% 29% 10%

Colby ME 5241 29% 50% 29%

Colgate NY 7795 29% 51% 27%

Columbia NY 31851 7% 20%

Cooper Union NY 3556 6% 9% 6%

Cornell NY 37812 16% 33%

Dartmouth NH 23110 9% 26% 8%

Dickinson PA 5843 40% 53% 28%

Duke NC 31600 12% 25% 11%

Elon NC 10195 51% 86% 29%

Emory GA 17502 26% 38% 25%

G Washington DC 21759 33% 38%

Grinnell IA 4554 30% 58% 28%

Hamilton NY 5107 27% 44%

Hanover IN 3546 62% 62%

Harvard[218] MA 34302 6% 18% 4%

Harvey Mudd CA 3591 17% 20% 17%

Johns Hopkins MD 20496 18% 38% 16%

Juilliard NY 2319 7% 7%

Lafayette PA 6654 34% 56% 32%

Lehigh PA 11527 32% 63% 30%

Lewis&Clark OR 6506 64% 85% 58%

Macalester MN 6031 35%

Middlebury VT 8849 18% 32% 16%

MIT[219] MA 11632 9% 11%

Northwestern IL 32066 15% 33% 15%

Ohio State[220] OH 26100 63%

Olin MA 785 18% 18%

Pitzer CA 4227 16%

Pomona CA 7457 13% 38% 16%

Princeton NJ 26664 8% 21%

Rensselaer NY 15203 43% 43% 35%

Reed OR 3131 34%

Rice[221] TX 12393 21% 31%

Rutgers NJ 28126 59%

Scripps CA 2373 30% 39% 30%

St. Lawrence NY 4033 46% 87% 43%

Stanford CA 36631 7% 13% 7%

SUNY StonyB NY 27305 38% 38%

TCNJ[222] NJ 9956 47% 55%

Texas A&M TX 31478 59% 59%

Trinity CT 7716 33%

UC Berkeley CA 61702 21%

UC Davis CA 49416 46%

UC Irvine CA 54532 36%

UCLA CA 72657 21%

UC Merced CA 13148 75%

UC Riverside CA 29888 61%

UC San Diego CA 60838 38%

UC Santa Bar CA 54831 42%

UC Santa Cr. CA 32954 60%

U Chicago IL 25277 13% 18%

U Delaware DE 26534 53% 53%

U Florida FL 29220 41% 41%

UNC Chapel H NC 28491 27% 38% 16%

U. Penn. PA 31217 12% 25% 10%

U Puget Sou. WA 6772 53% 88% 53%

USC CA 46030 18% 18%

U. Virginia VA 27200 29% 29% 23%

U. Wisc-Mad. WI 29008 54% 54%

Vanderbilt TN 28335 13% 25% 12%

Vassar NY 7908 22% 43% 21%

Wake Forest NC 11366 32% 43% 31%

Wash & Lee VA 5970 18% 40% 15%

Washington U MO 28826 15% 31% 17%

Wesleyan CT 10503 20% 45% 18%

William & M. VA 13651 31% 48% 29%

Williams MA 7067 17%

Yale CT 28974 7% 16% 5%

Results for admissions decisions for selected colleges are posted in the table to the right.

Statistical analysis[edit]

There are numerous reports that colleges use proprietary mathematical algorithms as part of their process for evaluating applications. Some colleges hire statistical experts known as "enrollment consultants" to help them predict enrollment by developing computer models to select applicants in such a way as to maximize yield and acceptance rates.[114] Some of these models take into account factors such as an applicant's "zip code, religion, first-choice major and extracurricular interests, as well as academic performance".[114] Colleges have been reported to have mathematical algorithms which recalculate an applicant's high school grade point average by weighting different course grades by such factors as perceived course difficulty and strength of high school curriculum; this allows the college to come up with a revised GPA number for a student they can compare against applicants from different schools. Furthermore, many colleges track how well other students from the same high school have done—that is, applicants from the same high school who attended or are attending the college—by comparing their high school grades against their college grades, and admissions officers use this data to try to estimate the likely college grade performance of a given applicant. Generally admissions departments do not reveal the particulars of such mathematical analyses. According to Michele Hernandez, Ivy League admissions departments compile an academic index based on three main factors: (1) highest SAT Reasoning Math/Critical Reading score (2) average of three highest SAT Subject tests (3) converted rank score which is based on grades, class rank, and high school difficulty.[223] In her view, two-thirds of this evaluation is based on tests, while only one third is based on grades, leading her to conclude at one point that grades were less important overall as a factor than test scores,[223] while in a different chapter she also suggested that the high school transcript information described roughly 60% of the college's perception of a student's academic performance.[224] Next, the composite academic index score was combined with an analysis of personal factors such as extracurricular activity or the essay, such that the academic factor was weighted 70% to 85% while the personal evaluation was weighted only 30% to 15%.[223] Generally the particulars of the mathematical formulas are not revealed to the public,[223] and different colleges have different formulas. Part of the purpose of algorithms is to expedite the handling of thousands of applications in a short amount of time. For example, at Dartmouth College, data goes into a "master card" for each application, which leads to a "ready sheet", where readers summarize applications; then, an initial screening is done: top applications go directly to the director of admissions for approval while lackluster ones go to another director.[225] Dartmouth uses "A" for accept, "R" for reject, "P" for possible, with "P+" and "P-" being variants.[225] A committee might spend a week with the "P" ones, of which only about a sixth will become acceptances, according to Hernandez.[225]

Analysis of grades[edit]

The consensus view is that high school grades are probably the single most important factor in winning admission.[41] Maintaining high grades is particularly important for the fall semester of senior year, as well as winter grades if applying by regular admission,[43] and there is a report that colleges are paying greater attention to a student's grades throughout senior year.[131] Particularly important is academic performance in core courses,[226] and having a high grade point average based on good grades in AP-level or honors courses.[115] Colleges evaluate applicants often by examining how a student has successfully exploited what a high school has had to offer.[227][228] High school guidance counselor Erin Day of Summit High School in New Jersey suggested that of the top five criteria for getting into college, having good grades were first, second, and third most important overall (test scores were fourth, extracurricular activities and essay were fifth).[229] An ideal academic record is one of increasingly better grades in courses of progressive difficulty.[230] Hernandez wrote that colleges looked for patterns with both grades and test scores; high grades with low test scores suggested a hard-working student, but high test scores with low grades suggested a picture of a lazy student.[224] Ninth grade grades generally do not count much,[115] but trends are important—an upward trend in grades was a positive factor, a decline a negative one.[224] Public universities are more likely to evaluate applicants based on grades and test scores alone, while private universities tend to be more "holistic" and consider other measures, according to one view.[