‘Tis the season…for early application decisions!

Over the next few weeks, many schools will release their early application decisions - especially those with binding early decision plans (some non-binding early action decisions will not come in until January or even February). If you aren’t sure when to expect decisions from the schools on your list, check out this website for expected dates and times.

Make sure to consider where you want to be when you receive your decisions. We recommend you log into your portal or open your email or letter in the privacy of your room or home, not in your high school cafeteria ​​or while with a group of friends. You need to be able to have an honest, emotional response. We have seen a trend developing in which students record themselves opening their admission decisions and then post the video on TikTok. We definitely do NOT recommend this approach!

You should also take some time to decide how you want to share this information, whether positive or negative. Tell your parents. Tell your counselor at school. And of course, tell us! Beyond that, remember that YOU get to decide if and when you choose to share your news with anyone else.

Read on for some helpful tips, broken down by decision!

• If Accepted:

• First of all, congratulations!

• Be gracious. Congratulate yourself. It is ok to celebrate—but be appropriate. Remember there are many of your peers and friends who have not heard anything, are still applying to schools, or have been deferred, waitlisted or denied ​​(sometimes by the same school that just accepted you!).

• Be grateful. Thank your parents. Thank your recommenders. A hand-written thank you note goes a long way for an educator who cares about your success and puts the effort in to meet your school’s deadlines. 

• Be engaged. Your acceptance is not the signal to check out or give in to “senior slide.”

• Be proactive. If you have been accepted early decision, be sure to withdraw your applications from the remainder of your schools. You agreed to do this when you signed the early decision form.

• IF Deferred:

• Continue to work hard in your classes. Many schools will ask you to submit midyear grades in the portal, on the SRAR, or from your counselor.

• Check with us or your school counselor before sending additional submissions. More is not necessarily better. Follow the school’s directions for submitting materials.

• Compose your letters of continued interest (LOCI). Write brief (seriously: brief!) letters that state why you want to attend the schools and why you would be a great fit. Check out our prior blog post: Writing an Effective Letter of Continued Interest: Instructions and Samples, and again, only do this if the schools at which you were deferred will accept them (most will!).

• If Waitlisted:

• Respond. Be sure to follow the school’s instructions to accept your place on the waitlist. 

• Redouble your efforts and study, study, study. These schools will see your 3rd and 4th quarter or winter and spring term grades, which, if strong, can help you.

• Refocus. Be sure to deposit at another school by May 1 to ensure you are going to college somewhere, even if you remain on other waitlists.

• If Denied:

• Process the news. It’s ok to allow yourself time to be disappointed (for a day or two). What you feel is real and needs to be expressed, but cannot take over your life. This sounds impossible, but don’t take it personally. Read our previous post:  5 Steps to Take After Being Deferred or Denied Early Admission.

• Maintain perspective. Remember you have a balanced list for a reason.

• Pull yourself together and submit your remaining applications. Do not allow a denial to paralyze you. You need to continue to work hard in your classes and make sure all of your remaining applications are submitted.

• Prioritize self-care. Got a shredder? Print out your letter and shred it! Have a fire pit? Invite friends over and make s’mores out of your denial letters! Be creative and find a way to move forward!

If you ARE A CURRENT CLIENT:

• If you need help adding new schools to your list or reviewing application materials over winter break, make an appointment with Colleen or Sally to review it and discuss whether or not you need to make any changes

• If you need more essay coaching meetings, book them as soon as possible (but don’t add new schools without running that by us first)!

If you need help now but didn’t work with us earlier in the process on an ongoing basis, it’s not too late.

• If you need help adding new schools to your list or reviewing application materials over winter break, you can book one of our Class of 2024 Strategy Sessions.

• If you already know where you want to apply and just need help finishing up all those essays, you can book pay-as-you-go essay coaching sessions here. 

NOTE: We may be able to add additional essay coaching availability depending on demand, so the earlier you let us know you need help, the better! Please send our admin team an email to discuss options if you can’t find a session that works for you using the links above.

REMEMBER: We are rooting for you just as much as you are (maybe even more!). Stay smart, stay positive, and enjoy the rest of senior year! 

Weekly Update: February 21

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

VIRGINIA TECH RELEASES EARLY ACTION DECISIONS

The last of the major Virginia early action releases occurred with Virginia Tech on Friday evening. VT reported more than 47,000 applications for 7,085 seats in the freshman class, and so many qualified students were unfortunately waitlisted. We definitely encourage all students to read VT's Waitlist FAQ . Note that VT's released numbers represent totals, not just their EA pool. 

Note If you are interested in learning more about other VA schools and their early action data, keep reading! There’s more on this topic and my thoughts later in this post.

STUDENTS PROTEST AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY 

There’s a call for big changes at Georgetown University. In response to incidents over the past several months, students formed the group Georgetown University Protects Racists (GURP) and have been protesting the ways in which the university handles hate crimes and bias incidents. Georgetown officials are now working with student leaders to address these issues, and an external review of the university’s systems is being conducted. 

TRAGIC SHOOTING AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY LEAVES THREE STUDENTS DEAD

Last week a gunman opened fire at Michigan State University, killing three students and injuring five others. The attacker- Anthony Dwayne McRae- fled the scene and was later found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He reportedly did not have any ties to MSU, and his motive is unknown at this time. As of Sunday night, university police reported that three of the injured students remain in critical condition. Meanwhile, the MSU community resumed classes on Monday. Faculty and administrators are working to support students through the rest of the semester with lighter course loads and credit/no credit options for academic classes.

WELLESLEY COLLEGE APOLOGIZES FOR MISHANDLING SEXUAL ABUSE CASE

Last week, Wellesley College president Paula Johnson issued an apology for the school’s mishandling of a sexual abuse case. The written statement was released the same day The Boston Globe published an expose on Wellesley’s former running coach, John Babington. Babington was accused of sexual abuse by a student in the late 1990s but continued working at Wellesley until 2013. In her letter, President Johnson thanked the alumna for sharing her story with The Boston Globe and reaffirmed the school’s commitment to preventing sexual harassment. She insisted,  “There is no question that Wellesley would handle such conduct very differently today.”

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES EXCITING NEW MAJOR

There will be a new major to choose from at Clemson University in the fall of 2023! Clemson announced its plans to offer an undergraduate automotive engineering program next year- the first of its kind in the United States. The university is already regarded as a leader in this field of study, having launched a graduate program in automotive engineering in 2006. Now undergraduates will have the opportunity to prepare for dynamic careers in automotive manufacturing thanks to Clemson’s interdisciplinary and experiential curriculum, as well as its “unique geographic advantage.”

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

Does college need to be four years? That’s the question Professor Steven Mintz (University of Texas at Austin) recently tackled in his opinion piece for Inside Higher Ed. With the rising cost of college tuition, many students are dodging the traditional four-year model. Rather than paying for required electives and stressing out over overloaded semester course schedules, students are turning to online course alternatives and dual enrollment programs. The result is cheaper, more efficient credit earnings, but at what cost? Many wonder if these pathways diminish the value of a college education. The question is one that continues to incite big debates, and Mintz is happy to share where he stands. Ultimately, Mintz believes that students are bogged down in courses that don’t mean anything to them and are subject to far too many lectures and discussion-based classes. He hopes that in the future schools will turn to more meaningful, project-based learning opportunities for undergraduates, as well as increased options for “career-aligned degree pathways.” 

Race, politics, religion–these topics may be controversial, even off-limits in some places, but not at the University of Austin (and no, that’s not a typo - University of Austin, not UT Austin!). The university’s Forbidden Courses summer program creates a space for civil engagement on topics that are often “forbidden” as topics of discussion. Students have the chance to “inquire openly into vexing questions with honesty and without fear of shame.” In other words, students are free! Whether they want to ask questions, offer a dissenting opinion, or challenge a belief, they can do that. If you’d like to hear students share their experiences in the forbidden courses or see the lineup of Summer 2023 offerings, click here.

Watching the Howard University swim team is a marvel for many, and it’s not because they’ve got the school dance team cheering them on at the sidelines. In a sport where only 2% of college athletes are Black, Howard University swim coach, Nic Askew, has made historic strides. Since taking over the program eight years ago, he’s revamped a once hopeless team. Over sixty school swim records have been broken, and last year, Howard earned a second-place finish at the Northeast Conference championship. Although Howard’s team is admittedly not a national powerhouse, they are “on the front line of change” in a sport that has historically denied access to the Black community.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

As I mentioned earlier in the post, we’ve been spending a lot of time tracking early decision and early action data for this year’s admission cycle as well as doing our best to make meaning of what we see.

If you were surprised to find yourself on the VT waitlist, you’re in good company with a lot of others! Let’s take a step back in time to understand more about what’s been happening over in Blacksburg. During the 2016-2017 admissions cycle, VT accepted way too many students and over-enrolled their freshman class. As a result, they decided to be very conservative with acceptances in 2017-2018, but took it too far and ended up way below their enrollment goals. Ultimately they had to take about 2,000 students from the waitlist to fill the class. But then they went too far in the opposite direction again the following year! (Are you noticing a trend..?). Yes, in 2018-2019, they accepted far too many students again, and the situation attracted national attention because of the housing crisis in Blacksburg that resulted.

A few years ago at Virginia Tech!

Since that point, they have consistently under-enrolled - better than over-enrolling, I guess! During the following years, they took 3,961 (2019-2020), 3,286 (2020-2021) and 2,458 (2021-2022) students from the waitlist, respectively. These numbers represent HUGE percentages of the freshman class as a whole - taking 3,961 students off the waitlist for a freshman class of 7,000 is extremely significant.

This year, I’m wondering whether the possibility of a pending recession will impact the new pattern of under-enrollment leading to large waitlist acceptances. It could: historically, we see more students choosing public universities during periods of economic uncertainty. If more VT accepted students choose to enroll instead of pursuing private options, this could result in less spots for waitlisted students. There’s also the chance that VT accounted for this possibility when it came to building out this year’s model. Time will tell!

As for UVA, they released their EA decisions about a week before VT, and their numbers are up as well. As is typical for their office, UVA broke everything down to make the differences between EA and ED clear. It’s also really nice that they provide an in-state vs. out-of-state breakdown, but at the same time, keep in mind that data representing the entire state of Virginia may not represent the breakdown for Fairfax and Arlington counties. Anecdotally, I found UVA to be a little more predictable in their decision-making than they were over the last two years, which was a welcome surprise! VT was just completely unpredictable.

Last but not least, JMU's decisions came out about a month ago, and their increases were perhaps the most significant of all. Their 2022 EA numbers (for the HS Class of 2023 - it can get tricky because JMU releases in December while the other two release in the new year) were up 30% from the previous year and up 83% from two years ago. INSANE! Despite those enormous increases, I did find JMU to be pretty predictable for our applicants.

Bottom line? Even though we had pretty good luck with predictability this year, none of these schools are safeties anymore. Make sure to plan accordingly - if you want a Virginia public safety, you need to explore other options. We have so many great schools, so try to keep an open mind and check some of the others out.

5 Steps To Take After Being Admitted Early Decision

What now? That’s the question thousands of families will be asking this month, as colleges and universities begin to release their early decision notifications. 

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing tips to help parents and students navigate early decision news, whether it’s great, disappointing, or downright shocking. 

And if you’re an ED applicant wondering when you’re going to hear, don’t forget to check out College Kickstart’s compilation of Class of 2027 Early Decision and Early Action Notification Dates , which we shared in a recent weekly update. Most students have another week or so to wait, although one of our seniors found out last night that she got into Boston College - yay!

We’ll keep our focus on the good news for new - check out the five steps to take after you’ve been admitted early decision:

Coming Up…

Stay tuned for future blog posts where we’ll help you strategize next steps for early decision deferrals and rejections.

Weekly Update: April 8

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

MY DREAM CAME TRUE!!!!!!

UT Austin will be on the 2022-2023 Common App!!!! Yay!!!!!

If you have ever dealt with the nightmare that is ApplyTexas, you will understand why I am celebrating!!!🎊🤠👏🌮

UCLA JOB POSTING FOR $0 SALARY

Yes, you read that right - UCLA posted an adjunct position for a Ph.D.-holding biochemist and offered no compensation. While UCLA removed the posting after backlash, the unfortunate fact is that arrangements like these are not uncommon in academia, which often expects Ph.D. students and adjunct professors to work for little or no pay. And right now, 70% of college faculty are untenured, part-time, or adjunct faculty with little job security. This is a concern not only for those working in academia, but for undergraduate students taught by overworked and underpaid professors who usually cannot give them the mentorship and relationships that they need.

THE TEEN DC COUNCIL CANDIDATE

Henry Cohen, an 18-year-old student at Jackson-Reed high school, is running for representative on D.C’s council. Cohen argues that young people do not have enough representation in local government, and is actively campaigning in Ward 3. Kind of cool to see young people getting involved in local politics at this level!

VARSITY BLUES CONTINUES WITH MARK RIDDELL SENTENCING

Mark Riddell, the “proctor” in the Varsity Blues scandal who was accused of taking SAT and ACT exams in the place of students, will be sentenced in federal court today in Boston. He is expected to serve a lighter sentence, as he has been cooperating with authorities since pleading guilty in 2019. 

MASK MANDATES ARE BACK

Following the latest spike in coronavirus cases, Georgetown and Johns Hopkins both reinstated their indoor mask mandates this week. Students returning to Georgetown after Easter break later this month will also be required to test negative before returning to campus. Having struggled with this ourselves as we’ve contemplated returning to in-person work with students this summer, we hope that the mask mandates are no longer necessary very soon!

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

MIT made the argument last week, when it reinstated standardized testing, that the tests actually made the process more equitable, rather than less, for students that have not had as many academic resources. In an Atlantic article this week, the author explores this argument, concluding that MIT is correct to say that rather than causing inequity in the admissions process, the SAT merely reveals educational disparities that are already there. 

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again - a top tier university is not the right fit for every kid! While we love helping our academic high-flyers pursue their Ivy League dreams, we also know that the ultra-competitive process isn’t for everyone. This article explores how parents can help their students revise their expectations and focus on the college that is right for them - not just the one with the biggest reputation. This is so important for kids to hear, especially now after receiving their decisions!

Finally, we are starting to see how the students who spent much of their high school careers learning remotely have been performing in college. The answer is - not great. Especially in classes like math and science, where material is directly built off of what students have learned in high school, college students are struggling. In addition to the challenges of online learning, pass-fail grades at many schools meant that students were able to “pass” challenging courses without actually mastering the material. We expect that we will continue to see these types of issues as students make the transition from high school to college over the next few years. 

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Know a teen of “outstanding character” in McLean? Nominate them for the McLean Citizens Associations’ Teen Character Awards. This award is meant to recognize teenagers who have made an impact on their community, whether by leading a service project or caring for a younger sibling or elderly relative at home. A nomination application is available here - Application - Outstanding Character Award for Teenagers. Make sure to get those nominations in by the Friday, April 22 deadline!

Have a great weekend and enjoy the sun!

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Weekly Update: April 1

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

BRUTAL REGULAR DECISION NUMBERS

A number of highly selective (or as many of our colleagues are calling them, “highly rejective”) schools released the last of the regular decision admission decisions last night. It was absolutely insane. Check out the latest results from College Kickstart, but don’t forget to keep in mind that these statistics are somewhat misleading as they represent the combination of results from multiple admission plans. In other words, many of these schools are admitting 50%+ of their classes through binding early decision plans with a higher acceptance rate.

Let’s look at Vanderbilt - they had approximately 2,700 ED I applicants; 2,400 ED II applicants; and 41,600 RD applicants for a total of 46,717. As College Kickstart reports, 2,864 students were admitted to the freshman class for an overall acceptance rate of 6%. Totally insane, right? But it gets worse. Of the 2,700 ED I applicants, 24.1% of students were accepted. Of the 2,400 ED II applicants, 10.3% of students were accepted. And for the approximately 41,600 RD applicants? Approximately 1,964 acceptance letters went out. This means that despite the published acceptance rate of 6%, the RD acceptance rate was actually 4.7%. For Vanderbilt - an amazing school, of course, but it’s not Harvard or Yale.

Perhaps even more depressing, Northeastern had an overall acceptance rate of 7% (Northeastern!!!!), Tulane 10%, Boston University 14%, NYU 12%… what is wrong with the world?!

MIT REINSTATES TESTING REQUIREMENT

MIT is the latest school to announce that it will be reinstating its testing requirement for the next admissions cycle. Yet rather than the decision itself, it is the reasoning behind the decision that has been making a lot of waves in the educational consulting community this week. MIT argues that reinstating a testing requirement will allow the admissions process to be more equitable, by giving students who may not have access to advanced coursework or extracurricular programs to demonstrate their readiness for MIT. This is a controversial decision because conventional wisdom has long held that standardized tests perpetuate inequality in the admissions process, as students with access to paid test prep opportunities and advanced curricula typically score better on these exams.

I tend to agree with MIT on this one - after all, you can’t fake a test score (well, as long as you aren’t Rick Singer’s client!!). Even with pricey tutoring, the student has to actually earn the score. On the other hand, when a school is test-optional, the “softer” sides of the admissions process (essays, interview prep, extracurricular depth, recommendation letters, ED strategy) become much more important. Because those are a whole lot easier to manipulate with expert guidance than a test score, students with means can end up with a big advantage in test-optional situations. We will have to see if other schools follow MIT’s lead in bringing back testing requirements for the next admissions cycle. 

ANOTHER NEW SET OF RANKINGS

We’ve written before on the blog about the rankings from Academic Influence, and the latest metric that the organization is using to rank colleges is something called Academic Stewardship. Basically, this number calculates how an institution uses its resources - a ratio of how much impact it has to available resources. The result is an interesting list of schools that often do not appear on any well-known rankings: the #1 school for Academic Stewardship is Fisk College, a private HBCU in Nashville. 

NBA PROSPECTS BYPASS COLLEGE DESPITE NIL DEALS

A growing number of high school basketball players are choosing to bypass college and the NCAA altogether in pursuit of an NBA career, despite the fact that NCAA athletes can now earn money through the NCAA’s newly approved “name, image, and likeness” deals. These allow players to profit from advertisements, video games, and more, even as they remain amateur players. For many students, these incentives are just too new and untested to justify entering college when they could make salaries as full-time players straight from high school. We will have to see how lucrative these NIL deals become to know whether they will attract top-level players to the NCAA - although we also believe that a college education should be worth something in the calculus, too!

TEENS FACED EMOTIONAL ABUSE DURING PANDEMIC

In a sobering study this week, the CDC announced that the majority of teenagers endured emotional abuse while at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional stressors from home and family life were just one of the potential traumatic triggers for teenagers in the last two years, and potentially a symptom of overstressed caregivers, including parents.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

As we talk with students about their summer plans, the idea of doing independent research comes up more and more. This can be a really great way for students to pursue their passions (especially those with a unique interest), gain hands-on experience, and create a final product that looks great on college applications. For more about why it is important to pursue research as a high school student, as well as some ways to get started, we recommend diving into this short article and then checking out our Summer Opportunities Database!

We maintain that the number one way to get a true sense of a school is to take an in-person tour. But the truth is, sometimes even that is not enough! During the pandemic, in-person tours were not an option for many students. Other tours were available, but students couldn’t see inside academic buildings or dorms. Or maybe the tour is great, but you visit campus during a break and don’t get to see any students walking around - it can feel like a ghost town! This article explores some ways to improve campus tours, both in-person and virtual, to make the selection process easier for all students, even those who are not able to visit. 

By all accounts, this has been a tough admissions year for many students and families. This article dives into some of the reasons for the change. It is worth a read, though we don’t agree with the tongue-in-cheek tone - this has been a legitimate challenge for many families! If your student did not receive the decision they were hoping for, this article from the L.A. Times provides some strategies parents and family members can use to help students weather their feelings of rejection.  

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

We want to share a couple of contest opportunities with you! The Congressional Art Competition, a nationwide art contest sponsored by the House of Representatives, is currently accepting applications. If you are a high schooler in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, you can read more and apply here. 

And for our Class of 2022 students, if your college essay had anything at all to do with money - work, social class, privilege, etc. - consider submitting to the New York Times annual essay contest. The essays will be published in late June, and writers will be paid for their work. We love any opportunity for students to share their amazing essays! 

Enjoy the weekend, and try not to stress too much if you received a decision you weren’t happy with. I know, easier said than done - at this time of year I always think about how absolutely crushed I was when I was rejected from my dream school (you can read the whole saga here). Yet as an adult, I am so incredibly grateful for the path my life took instead. This too shall pass!

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Class of 2022 UVA Early Decision/Early Action Results

I’m sure that most of you have read Dean J’s blog post by now with the EA admissions statistics for UVA’s Class of 2026. I love how she breaks the numbers down between in-state and out-of-state, by the way. That is so helpful and I wish other flagship state universities would follow suit.

The Early Decision numbers for in-state applicants didn’t change all that much from last year, except there was more of everything: total applicants, accepted applicants, deferred applicants and denied applicants. It all balanced out, though. 38% accepted as compared to 39% last year; 29% deferred as compared to 26% last year; and 33% denied as compared to 35% last year.

Early Action followed a similar pattern for in-state applicants - the raw numbers for each group were up, but percentages were actually exactly the same as they were the year before: 30% accepted, 27% deferred, and 43% denied.

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But here’s the interesting thing. The percentages staying constant do NOT mirror what we are seeing and hearing anecdotally from kids here in Fairfax, Arlington, and even Loudoun County. Not at all. To the point that I checked my math about five times (I really hope I didn’t make a mistake)!

I am not going to perpetuate the rumor that UVA has quotas, because they don’t. Yet I would really love to know the breakdown of these in-state numbers by county or region. Is it possible that even though the in-state numbers as a whole don’t show a significant difference, the county-by-county breakdown would? It’s just really hard for me to wrap my head around the idea that the percentages stayed the same this year when so many of us counselors (independent and high school) are observing a different scenario with our Northern Virginia students:

Here’s what we noticed in particular:

1. Over the past two years there has not been a huge difference in terms of the quality of the admitted student pool between the ED and EA rounds. Statistically, ED is slightly easier, but it’s also a different applicant pool - there are typically more legacy students and recruited athletes in any school’s ED applicant pool. This can often balance out a moderate differential. Anyway, in terms of our internal data (which is admittedly statistically insignificant and from a similar demographic), it did not seem like the ED advantage was anywhere near as substantial as it is for some other schools. Other independent and high school counselors noticed the same.

2. This year was different, starting with ED. We had some students admitted in that round that I was very surprised (but thrilled, don’t get me wrong!) were admitted. These were not kids with any particular connections, either. And of course we also had students admitted ED that were extremely qualified. As well as a couple that we thought should have been admitted. But overall, it was a significantly easier ED year.

3. We did not have that many EA applicants this year, because so many of our students had UVA as their first choice and applied ED. We also had a lot of ED kids admitted to other schools who later pulled out their UVA EA apps. But of the remaining applicants we had in the EA pool, there were some really shocking decisions. Kids who 100% should have been admitted were not. If I shared their stats, which I can’t for confidentiality reasons, you would be shocked. And you can’t blame it on essays or teacher recs or something else, because these ultra-qualified kids have been admitted to other schools that are in some cases significantly more competitive than UVA. And SO MANY OTHER COUNSELORS are noting the same. I can’t tell you how many conversations I have had this week about it.

4. A number of students (not our clients, actually) were not admitted even though they had already advanced in the rounds for the Jefferson Scholarship. This is WILD to me. Understandably, these students were more focused on the scholarship at this point and assumed that admission itself was more or less a done deal, since, hello! They are supposed to be the top students in the applicant pool! The reason this is so interesting to me is because the admissions committee does not make the decisions for Jefferson Scholars - it's a separate committee from the Jefferson Scholars Foundation. And my assumption is that the Jefferson Scholars committee is free to make decisions based on merit, while the admissions committee has to take other factors into consideration about shaping the class.

Again, I don’t want to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but the stats do not add up with what we observed from other years with our admittedly-not-representative-of-the-state-as-a-whole student group.

SO - My advice for Class of 2023 juniors interested in attending UVA? Apply early decision, and for the love of God, please PLEASE continue foreign language during your senior year!!! 😃 I HATED IT TOO SO I FEEL YOU BUT THIS WILL COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU!

Weekly Update: December 24

A very merry Christmas Eve to all those celebrating today and tomorrow! Our office is closed today for the holiday, but we will be open on Monday and Shannon and Staci will be available to help answer any questions :)

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

MORE CAMPUS SHUTDOWNS

We covered the campus closures at Cornell, GW, Stanford, and others last week, and this week brought more to add to the list. Yale has moved finals online, while in Boston Harvard and Emerson have announced that the spring semester will begin remotely in 2022. Seven of the colleges in the UC system have also decided to begin next semester online. Meanwhile, several schools including UVA, Oberlin, and Northwestern have made COVID-19 boosters mandatory for students returning to campus. 

However, one medical expert disagrees with the decision to send students home, saying that the travel required to send students all over the country is more likely to increase the spread of COVID than keeping them in a quarantine situation on campus. We’ll be waiting to see whether more closures are announced in the new year. (P.S. If you are a parent worried about your high school or college student’s exposure over the holidays, check out this article for tips on staying safe)

NEW YORK’S CITY COLLEGE HAS A MYSTERIOUS BENEFACTOR

A physics professor at City College in Harlem received a package in the mail. Inside? $180,000 in cash. A letter included in the package explained that the goal of the gift was to help needy physics and math students at the college. The anonymous letter stated that the donation was from a former physics department student. 

After investigating whether the cash was the result of criminal activity, the college’s Board of Trustees formally voted to accept the gift last week.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

Every year, there are always a few students who, despite being accepted into their early decision schools, want to know: Is early decision really binding? This article from the New York Times aims to answer that question - and the answer might surprise some families. The truth is that if you cannot afford to attend the school to which you applied early decision, you can back out of the agreement.

Now keep in mind - this doesn’t mean you can go back to the school and change your mind later if you don’t get a better deal from another school - you can’t. This is why families who want to compare aid offers may decide that early decision is not for them. But at nearly all institutions, no one would penalize a student who decides that they can’t afford to attend and wants to back out. That student would be able to withdraw the ED application with no issue. However, many schools leave this information in the fine print, or say that they will work with students on the financial aspect without directly saying that students can back out. 

You should also remember that this applies only to families who are not able to afford tuition - students and families who are simply not willing to pay the tuition cannot be exempted from their early decision agreements. 

And lastly, students can also ask for more funding to make attendance feasible (whether they are admitted early decision or not!). If you’re a current client, we encourage you to work with us on how to ask for more funding in a polite and respectful way. Negotiating is just one of the ways to hack your college tuition bill - check out this Forbes article for more. 

On a lighter note - after reading (and re-reading, and re-reading) their own college personal statements, we hope students enjoy these personal statements from Shakespeare characters as much as we did!

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

This week we’ve been busy helping some deferred and waitlisted students regroup and write letters of continued interest - if you need to do this as well, check out our blog post for some examples (or book an essay coaching session!). We’re also wrapping up with some graduate school and MBA applications, and keeping our fingers crossed for students still waiting to hear from their schools!

Since the world seems to have shut down over the last several days because of Omicron, I’m hoping to take advantage of my time at home over the weekend to check out “Try Harder!” a NYTimes Critic’s Pick documentary about the pressures facing high-achieving high school students today.

“Try Harder!” follows a group of students at Lowell High School (think the TJ of the Bay Area - new lottery system and all) as they go through their senior year, and by all accounts it’s supposed to be great. It begins streaming on Netflix today!

Have a great holiday!

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Best of the Blog: Not the Decision You Hoped For? Read This!

ADVICE SO GOOD, IT’S WORTH REPEATING!

While we love to celebrate with our clients who receive positive decision news, we also know that this can be a challenging time for many students when they don’t receive the news they hope for. In this installment of the Best of the Blog, we’re bringing back our post that provides tips for students and families after defer or deny decisions.

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It’s Decision Time!

ORIGINALLY POSTED DECEMBER 2020

The decisions began pouring in shortly after last Friday’s blog post was published, and we have absolutely loved hearing more and more good news from our students! Sending a number of kids to UVA and VT as they hoped, yay!

That said, I’m a total stress case while writing this because it’s Tuesday afternoon and we will learn a whole bunch of ED results over the next few hours: NYU, Columbia, Vanderbilt, Davidson, Swarthmore and Villanova. We have multiple ED applicants at some of those schools, so there’s a lot riding on this evening!

Even with a stellar track record, it’s hard not to feel anxious with this particularly unpredictable cycle in an always-uncertain process. As I mentioned in my last post, applications at top schools have continued to skyrocket and it’s statistically inevitable that some kids will learn disappointing news this week.

If you find yourself in that category, read on for more about deferrals, denials, and where to go from here!

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1. Take a moment to process

If you were denied or deferred from your dream school, you may be feeling a lot of emotions. Whether you are disappointed, sad, angry, or some combination of the three, take a day or two to process those feelings. If it takes some time before you are ready to talk about your decision, that’s okay! Giving yourself the space you need will prepare you to tackle next steps with new energy.

2. Tell the people who need to know

You may not want to shout your denial or deferral from the rooftops - if and how you share the news is your decision. But beyond your parents, there are two people who should absolutely know this decision sooner rather than later: your school counselor and (if you are a client) ME! I will be able to share this news with the rest of our team so that we can immediately help you consider your options and give you some more information on next steps.

3. Strategize

At this point, and this is particularly the case if you are not a client of ours already and put your list together without expert help, you may need to look at your list critically to make sure that the schools you have selected are realistic. Yes, we’re up against the clock, but it’s not too late to consider how you might change your list in light of new information. The longer you wait, though, the more difficult it will be to do this. If you are a current client and want to talk more or rethink your strategy, go ahead and book a session with us immediately. If you are not a current client but want some extra help in the next round, you can book one of our emergency strategy sessions to help get you on the right track.

4. If you were denied, let it go and move forward

It can be tempting to follow up with a school to ask questions or attempt to provide more information, but the hard truth of this process is that a “no” essentially never turns into a “yes” unless a true error was made. While there are certain situations in which asking for feedback can be useful - and we can discuss this individually with students if that is an appropriate course of action - it’s important to know that the chances of reversing a decision are extraordinarily unlikely. It would have to be a “my counselor sent the wrong student’s transcript” type of mistake for something like that to happen - not “you are missing out on the best student ever” kind of mistake! It is a more productive use of your time to let this one go and focus on your other applications. Whatever the decision, it will all work out in the long term, and this one rejection will not define your next four years.

5. If you were deferred, gather more information and make a plan

If you read our blog post from last year about turning a deferral into an acceptance, you know that the first step is to talk to your school counselor. That person will be able to reach out to the school and provide us with more information that we can use to help you come up with a plan. Your plan is going to be specific to your application and the school - some students will need to retest, others will need to work hard on making sure their grades are the best yet, and so on. The only way you will know the best path for success is by understanding the objection you’re trying to overcome.

6. Write your Letter of Continued Interest

Regardless of your strategy, it will likely include a Letter of Continued Interest to let the school know that they are still your top choice. Make sure to talk with us or with your school counselor about writing this letter, and if you don’t know where to begin, you can check out our blog post on LOCIs for a template.

7. Keep going!

Fatigue can definitely set in at this point - you have done the hard work of applying, you aren’t sure whether writing that LOCI will really help or whether applying to another school or two is really worth it. This is not the time to shrug it off or give up, though. You’ve come so far! Focus on your other applications and your deferral strategy, and keep pushing forward. Your hard work will pay off in the end!

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Questions about defer or deny decisions that weren’t answered in this post? Send us a message or let us know in the comments!

Weekly Update: December 17

We are really thrilled with the good news from so many of our seniors, and look forward to hearing the rest of the decisions as they come out! Our office will be closed for the next two weeks during the FCPS break, but please keep us updated - we can’t wait to celebrate with you!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

OMICRON SPIKES START TO SHUT DOWN CAMPUSES

Cornell made headlines at the beginning of the week after needing to shut down its campus due to coronavirus spikes - the libraries are closed to students, and they will need to take finals online. All activities, including fall graduation, are cancelled. One by one, many other schools began to follow suit with a similar approach, including GW, Princeton, NYU, Tufts, and Middlebury. On the high school side, Georgetown Prep suspended classes until after winter break after 30 students were diagnosed with COVID-19. We expect to see more school closures this winter if Omicron continues to spike. Stanford, DePaul, and others have moved their winter quarters/J term equivalents online, and Penn State issued a statement today cautioning that the “community should prepare to alter plans in case the spring semester must start remotely at University Park.”

COLLEGES BEGIN REQUIRING VACCINE BOOSTERS

Given the closures, it is perhaps no surprise that some colleges have started requiring students to have vaccine boosters. Syracuse, UMass Amherst, Boston College, Northeastern, Wesleyan, and Notre Dame are just a few of the colleges that have started implementing a booster requirement. 

HARVARD ADMISSIONS WILL BE TEST OPTIONAL THROUGH 2026

Harvard announced yesterday that it will continue with test-optional admissions through 2026. We suspect that such an announcement from a leader in higher education will reverberate, with more schools deciding to follow suit. But we don’t expect to see a change from Georgetown - traditionally a huge proponent of testing, they confirm their decision to require tests in order to evaluate students without the risk of grade inflation that accompanies GPAs and transcripts. 

THE RETURN OF THREE YEAR DEGREES

More than a dozen schools, including Harvard and Georgetown, have joined a pilot led by the University of Pennsylvania to create a three-year bachelor’s degree program. The idea is not for students to take the same number of credits in three years, but to include more credit options for summer programs, internships, experiential learning, and other non-traditional opportunities, creating a new and more flexible curriculum.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FROM FCPS

FCPS students have many different opportunities to take advantage of this year - including Nova’s Early Online College program, which allows FCPS juniors and seniors (and those in neighboring counties) to take up to two tuition-free college courses online this fall. Applications are due January 14. This is a really great way for students to explore their area of interest in-depth, and get some college credits under their belts. 

Freshmen and sophomores can look into other Summer Learning opportunities available to them through FCPS. 

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

Does your child have a mindset that will set them up for success? This article explores four factors - Education, Accountability, Self-motivation, and Company kept - that are apparent in childhood and linked to adult success. The good news is that these skills and characteristics are teachable, so young students can start building habits now that will set them up for success later. 

The strict vaccination requirements in New York City prevent high school athletic teams from competing in tournaments that allow unvaccinated athletes - meaning that they cannot compete against local teams from Long Island or Westchester County, as well as students from Catholic or private schools within the city.

This article explores the precautions - including masked practices - that schools are currently implementing for sports like wrestling, and considers whether these policies do more harm than good for young athletes.  

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

One question that comes up for us again and again from prospective clients is “But do you work with students like my child?” - and the answer is likely yes! We work with a wide range of people, from Ivy-League-bound high fliers to recruited athletes and more. If you are wondering if our services are a good fit for your student, check out our new “Who We Work With” page for some examples of typical client profiles that we see here at DC College Counseling!

We have been trying hard to keep up with the ED statistics from as many schools as we can, and sharing our information to help clients make good decisions about ED II and RD applications! UVA, for instance, published a blog with early stats, including a 38% ED admit rate for in-state students and a 25% ED admit rate for out of state. Just over 1,000 students received defer decisions. For more results, check out this list of early admit rates from College Kickstart.

And of course, we have seen so many decisions from our clients come out this week. But keep in mind that whether you were accepted, deferred, or denied, your responsibilities do not end with your decision letter. Deferred or denied students should read our blog from last year for next steps. And for those who got good news, check out this blog post on what to do after your ED acceptance. 

We hope you all have a great holiday, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed for those still waiting on decisions!

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Weekly Update: December 10

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

PSAT AND NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP CUTOFFS

After many Class of 2022 students were unable to take the PSAT during COVID-19, we expected to see numbers go up for the Class of 2023 - after all, nearly 50% more students took the test! The prediction for the cutoff for commended students is 208. Here in Virginia, we expect to see National Merit Semifinalists in the 220-223 range, in keeping with the past three years of cutoffs. For a more detailed state-by-state breakdown, this article has some helpful charts and graphs. 

NATIONAL RECOGNITION PROGRAMS APPLICATION REOPENS AFTER ELIGIBILITY ERRORS

Speaking of Class of 2022 students who took the PSAT, it turns out that a number of students were not notified about their eligibility for National Recognition programs. In recognition of this error, College Board has reopened the application until December 15. If you believe that there is any chance that you are eligible, PLEASE go ahead and apply!

• Class of 2023 students with GPAs of 3.5+ and either attending school in a rural area/small town OR identifying as African American or Black, Hispanic American or Latinx, or Indigenous are eligible to apply today if either one of the two bulleted statements apply:

  • Scored in the top 10% of their state in the winter or spring of sophomore year (students scoring in this range on this past fall’s PSAT will be able to apply later)

  • Earned a score of 3+ on two or more AP exams during 9th and/or 10th grade

• Class of 2024 students with GPAs of 3.5+ and either attending school in a rural area/small town OR identifying as African American or Black, Hispanic American or Latinx, or Indigenous are eligible to apply today if they earned a score of 3+ on two or more AP exams during 9th grade (students scoring in the top 10% of their state on this past fall’s PSAT will be able to apply later).

Again, if there is any chance you believe you might be eligible, go ahead and apply. Other counselors have estimated that the “top 10%” number on the PSAT would be around 1200+ depending on the state.

COLLEGE APPLICATIONS CONTINUE TO SOAR ABOVE PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS

We expected college application rates to stay high this year, compared to before the pandemic, and so far that is playing out. Already, applications are up 22% from pre-pandemic levels. As we saw last year, most of the increase is from affluent students applying to a longer list of schools (perhaps as a result of the increased unpredictability in admissions decisions), rather than more students applying. And we expect to see an additional spike as we get closer to those early January deadlines!

VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT’S TRAGIC DEATH

A Fairfax County student at Virginia State University has died after a shooting at a university apartment building last weekend. Daniel Wharton, of Alexandria, was nineteen. As of this writing, a suspect has not yet been identified. 

TRANSFORMATIVE, RECORD-SETTING GIFT TO HOLLINS UNIVERSITY

An anonymous donor just set a record by donating $75 million to the Hollins University endowment. This is very significant - not only is it the largest-ever donation in history to a women’s college, it equates to more than a third of their existing endowment. I visited Hollins back in April 2019 on the way back from Virginia Tech, and I will admit that it did not strike me as a place that many of our students would be interested in - simply because of the size (800 students), rural location, and the fact that it’s a women’s college.

But for a girl seeking a very small, tight-knit community, it could be a great option! They have always offered generous merit aid, and I bet that it will get even better now. Anyone interested should check out the accelerated three-year undergraduate program, as well as the impressive partnerships with institutions ranging from Carnegie Mellon to UVA’s Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Future students interested in the UVA Batten partnership should also make sure to read up on Hollins’ own Batten Leadership Institute, which offers an undergraduate certificate in leadership studies.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

While many students in our area are continuing to pursue their college goals during the pandemic, a large number of students across the country are putting off college - overall, college enrollment has dropped 8%, with community college bearing the brunt of the decrease. Many in the education space are afraid that with students putting college off for a few years, they are much less likely to return to pursue higher education.

But this New York Times article provides some hope - it’s never too late to go to college! Devon Simmons, who served 15 years in prison for crimes he committed as a teenager, later graduated from Columbia and is now working on a program to help “jailhouse lawyers” become paralegals and create a path to law school after incarceration. 

Shon Hopwood’s book, Law Man, is a great read for those interested in these types of stories. Shannon worked with Shon on events at Georgetown and highly recommends this as a great book for students interested in criminal justice to read over the break (and include in college applications)! 

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Now is the time when decisions are rolling in! If you are a current client, make sure to keep us updated over the weekend and next week as more and more of those early decisions roll out. And if you are anxiously checking your email, we recommend checking out College Kickstart’s list of application notification dates, which is updated regularly with new information. 

I mentioned in the mid-week post that I had the chance to go see Wash U last weekend. I will admit that I was actually in St. Louis to see the James Taylor concert but it was so much fun stopping by campus while I was there. I met up with a current freshman and really enjoyed hearing about the similarities and differences between our experiences.

It’s crazy how much has changed since my last visit just four years ago - which is a good lesson about the importance of revisiting schools that your student may have seen a few years back with an older sibling. At the rate that new buildings are popping up and new initiatives are rolling out, so many of these schools are completely different places in the span of a few years. And right after I left, they announced the construction of yet another new building, which will create a whole new quad.

Things that have not changed: Ted Drewes!!!

Have a great weekend!

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Weekly Update: December 3

December already! We are excited to have heard some good news from our early applicants and are busy wrapping things up with the last of our late-late-start seniors.

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

NC STATE ENGINEERING INCREASES ENROLLMENT

Good news for engineering applicants! NC State is planning to add 2,000 more undergraduate students to its engineering program over the next five years. The College of Engineering at NC State offers sixteen majors, including computer science. Thanks to a state initiative called “Engineering North Carolina’s future,” the school will receive $20 million to hire new faculty and $30 million to upgrade facilities. 

UGA RELEASES EARLY APPLICATION DATA

Congrats to our students who received early acceptances from UGA last week! It was a competitive cycle, with applications up 3% over last year despite the fact that the Georgia system was one of only a handful in the country that required test scores this cycle. 8,900 students were accepted, 9,300 were deferred, and 2,000 were denied. If you received a defer decision from UGA, let us know ASAP so we can help you strategize for next steps. The admissions office notes that “We want to be able to have a more in-depth review of you, including short essays, activities, recommendations, etc.” - so send those requested materials!

CORNELL PRECOLLEGE WINTER COURSES

If you are looking to add to your activities list and take an enrichment course but don’t have the time to spend on it during the summer, Cornell’s Precollege Program has you covered! This is a really great program that we recommend to our clients, and applications are open now for winter courses that run January 3-21. Students can apply here by December 6 (or book an appointment to work on this or any other enrichment opportunity applications!). If you’re not already a current client, use this link instead.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

We all know that students have been through a lot this year. And while most students are now back in school, they may still struggle to adjust to in-person learning after so much time away. This article provides some helpful guidance for parents who want to help their students make the adjustment back to in-person school. In addition to learning loss, students are struggling to develop age-appropriate social skills after being out of school for so long (just think - the last time seventh grade students had a completely normal school year was fourth grade!). 

But the article encourages parents to focus on support, rather than solutions. I know this is tough - after all, as parents, we want to be able to solve problems for our kids! But it is even more important for them to know that we are in their corner and supporting them during a difficult time. 

If you are one of the students who has already received an ED acceptance and knows where you are headed next year, you might be excited to share your plans with family over the holidays! But for most students, hearing “What are your plans for next year?” at every holiday gathering can cause a lot of stress. If that’s you, check out this article for tips on how to deal with this stress-inducing question. 

We’ve written before on the blog about some of the graduate degrees that don’t offer a return on investment - remember those masters students in film at Columbia? Even so, it is still generally accepted that professional degrees, like JDs and MDs, will offer students the opportunity to earn significantly higher salaries.

Surprisingly, the Wall Street Journal found that this is not always the case anymore - even professional degrees in essential fields like dentistry and veterinary medicine are leaving students with high debt that is not relieved by high salaries. The debt is bad news, particularly for medical fields like chiropractic medicine and optometry where practitioners are carrying a lot of debt. 

Everyone in higher ed right now is wondering about the impact of the omicron variant on campuses this spring. While things will certainly change, this Slate piece on the ways that various top schools handled Covid this fall is worth a read. Keep in mind, though - this is written by a student at Yale, and that perspective shines through. I got a laugh at the idea that by limiting the size of on-campus parties, Wash U “forced drunk college students” to go to bars with unvaccinated people from Missouri and therefore “exposed [the students] to higher chances of getting COVID.” I guess that’s one way to think about it… 🤷‍♀️

Finally, an interesting article in New York Magazine this week explored the possibility of “socializing” college sports. We’re not sure we agree with the idea, but it is interesting to explore, particularly the author’s assertion that colleges put caps on coaching salaries, arguing:

“A system like that would mean college football and basketball would no longer be able to compete for coaching talent with the pros. It would instead have to draw from coaches who just want to mentor college students. Would that be worse?”

This is worth considering particularly in light of the news about Lincoln Riley and Brian Kelly, who reportedly received compensation packages in the range of $100 million to coach football at USC and LSU, respectively. 

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

November 30 was the deadline for the UC and CSU system applications - and yes, the application sites crashed. Luckily for applicants, the systems extended the deadline until midnight yesterday - but they had been glitching for quite a while in advance, so even with the deadline, students lost valuable time to work on their applications.

This goes to show that YES, crashes happen! In fact, this kind of issue happens on application websites all the time - just one reason why we encourage all of our students to submit their applications as early as possible (at least two weeks before the deadline!). In case you are wondering, none of our students were impacted - because they all submitted their apps early!

Not surprisingly, Common App is experiencing a similar issue this week - the image below was posted online just before the 12/1 midnight deadline.

Hard to believe it is already December, but we’ve been working this week on holiday cards for all of our amazing clients - we are so grateful for you!!

Plus, some surprises in the works for our very hard-working colleagues in local school counseling offices ;) We love partnering with you to help students achieve their dreams!

Enjoy the weekend!

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Tips for Building Your College List

As we transition over to the active stage of the application process with all of our Class of 2023 juniors this fall, we’re working hard to help them build their college lists! We’d love to share some tips to consider as you work toward building a balanced list (and if you are visiting colleges now as a senior, don’t forget to check out our tips for choosing your college for more help with those visits!). 

One major source of anxiety that we hear about from students and families all the time is not having options. Students are nervous that come decision time, they will feel “stuck” with a choice that they don’t love. The problem is usually that the student has a list of only super-selective schools. And while every student should absolutely apply to one or more of what we call “dream reaches,” there are often dozens of schools where the student could be equally (or more!) happy and successful. 

The other common mistake that students make is having just one “safety” school - that they would never want to attend! Yes, it is important to have less selective options, usually more than one, but that doesn’t mean that you should throw a school on there just to have one. With just a bit of extra research (or help from a counselor), you can find safety schools that actually meet your criteria, where you’d be excited to attend! The goal is that every school on your list is there for a reason beyond, “Well, I could probably get in.”

So if you are looking to build a list of colleges that makes you feel like you’ve got a TON of great opportunities, follow these tips:

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1. Start early

Now really is the time to start building a list - we’ll start brainstorming with our class of 2023 students in a few weeks! When you start early, the process becomes a lot more fun and a lot less stressful. You can also capitalize on fall and winter breaks at school to visit campuses, and make sure that you don’t miss any important info sessions or college visits to your high school. 

2. Get to know yourself

During our first brainstorming meeting with students, we ask a TON of questions! We want to get to know exactly what our clients are looking for in their schools - from academics, to extracurriculars, to community experience. There are so many different areas of consideration when choosing a college, and it is helpful to have a sense of what you are looking for, and what is an absolute deal-breaker. 

Secondly, make sure you know how important those characteristics are. We put different aspects in four categories: Must Have, No Way, Would Be Nice, and Don’t Love. That way, we know exactly how important each characteristic is to a particular student. One student might prefer a suburban environment, but be willing to attend a rural school if it has a specific program or major. For another student, a city school is a Must Have - if it’s rural, they’re not going! Make sure you know what your priorities are so that you can build your list accordingly.

3. Do your research

Once you have some idea of the type of school that interests you, you can begin research. There are websites and free resources online that can be very helpful (we particularly like the Princeton Review), as well as paid resources like the Fiske Guide that you may also be able to borrow from your school counselor or local library. 

But of course, nothing beats a visit to the school! Some campuses are open now for in-person visits, while others are remaining virtual. Whether you do a tour in person or online, taking the time to really learn about the campus and community is the best way to figure out whether it matches your criteria. Also, in-person visits are the number one place that we see students’ criteria change - you may think you want a mid-size school, but realize after a few visits that a smaller campus is the best fit for you.

4. Check your balance

We recommend at least two likely/safety schools and at least three target schools to make up the base of your list. Once you have this foundation, you can build on some reach or “dream reach” schools. But without that core of likelies and targets, you are putting unnecessary pressure on yourself - if your mindset is “If I don’t get in, I’ll be miserable!” it is a lot harder to enjoy the process.

5. Check your own time!

Careful not to go too far with the list - be mindful of your time and other commitments. Again, the earlier you start, the easier this will be, but keep in mind that some schools can have six or more supplemental essays, and they add up quickly! We try for a list of 8-10 schools with our students, though of course there is always some range depending on the individual student’s needs. Just keep in mind that if you are planning on applying to 20 different schools, you will need to be prepared to complete the work. 

Building your college list should be a fun part of the process, not a stressful one. Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to a list that makes you feel happy and excited about the rest of the process! If you’d like to learn more about how we can help, book a Meet & Greet to discuss our brainstorming process in more depth. 

Social Media, College, & Careers

This week, we have our promised guest blog post! Recruiting and hiring guru Jayana Garvey is here with us today to share some great tips for cleaning up your social media.

While Jayana’s primary focus in this post is on the hiring process for a student’s first job or internship, everything she says is applicable to the college application process as well!

Think we’re exaggerating? Check out this timely article from this week’s Washington Post about the impact that the use of social media can have on your college applications.

And for other potential red flags for admitted students (yes, even after you have been admitted!), don’t miss last week’s post on staying out of trouble.

Now, here’s Jayana!

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Do my social channels matter while I’m in high school and college? Can they impact my career search? 💯yes.

Studies show that 70% of employers are using social media to screen candidates during the hiring process. Some companies and organizations certainly will and others follow strict protocols and only look at a candidate’s application in their system. You’ll never know for sure because every organization has different policies and processes related to their recruiting.

I would encourage today’s high school and college students to look at ALL their social media accounts as fair game for ANY recruiter or hiring manager (or admissions counselor!) to potentially come across.

In my campus recruiting days, I could tell you about several college students who were in the running for prestigious leadership programs and were denied due to questionable content on their social media. It came up in many discussions with career services at universities.

It came down to this: recruiters were simply not confident that the individual could have a professional presence at work with an unprofessional, public, social profile. That immediately made the candidate lose credibility. Right or wrong about your character, it clouded a hiring manager’s view of you immediately and made them question their decision.

Remember, they are generally only going by one page about you and an hour spent with you. Employers are looking for a variety of competencies when interviewing you and assessing your candidacy. These could range from leadership skills, teamwork, your ability to collaborate, handling change, technical expertise, and so on.

You want an employer to stay focused on your application and interview - not to get distracted with a poor decision online that may jeopardize the stellar resume you’ve worked so hard to develop!

So how do you know what is OK and what’s not?

A good rule of thumb is to not post updates or share content on social media that you would not feel comfortable having a future boss see.

Use that as your litmus test. It’s an easy way to think before you share, comment, upload a photo, or like content. 

There will likely also come a time where colleagues at work may become friends with you on social channels and have a deeper view into your personal life.

Of course, you don’t have to accept everyone, but I’ve been on teams where it’s common and others where you would never be connected on personal social accounts with a boss.

Every single company culture and team culture is different. It’s best to begin preparing now. And if you’re reading right now and thinking about certain posts, TikTok videos, or Insta photos in your head that you might not be so proud of, it’s never too late to clean up your online presence and prepare for your future job search (Note from DCCC: This is also true about preparing for your college applications!).

Sure, you may be thinking some of this sounds overkill, and I get that! Our work and personal lives are becoming very blurred nowadays and are continuing in this direction. If you think about years ago when people went to work and didn’t have a laptop to bring home - work stayed at work. We now have remote work, colleagues as friends, and social media mixed in. This creates an entirely different environment - something your parents didn’t experience when they were applying to their first jobs out of school. 

Of course you can never control the social media trolls on your pages or crazy Aunt Sally’s comments on your photos, but how you interact with them and respond is key.

You may want to lock down certain profiles to keep them more controlled while being more discerning about who you accept as a friend. You may even want to take it a step further and approve tagged photos/timeline posts for example (if you’re on Facebook). Again, some organizations will look at things and some will not. You’d rather err on the side of caution. 

I’d also recommend being mindful of what you post on your personal social pages vs. what you post on LinkedIn. As you begin creating your professional presence on LinkedIn, you’ll want to keep it just that - professional. It’s not the page for a long vacation reel, tons of political posts, or controversial topics. People go to LinkedIn for work related topics, idea sharing, job searches, and business connections.

The few people who are sharing content not aligned with the general purpose and intention of LinkedIn always stand out on the newsfeed - and not in a good way. 😀 Yes, it’s OK to share some personal stories and information on LinkedIn too, but there should be a thoughtful connection to your professional life (generally). 

So we talked a lot about mitigating your social media working against you. It is absolutely a powerful tool to work for you in maintaining personal and professional connections and showcasing your “brand” as a prospective employee. If a recruiter or hiring manager goes to channels you choose to keep public and sees insightful content, industry articles, and friendly conversations with followers, they may feel even better about your candidacy by seeing you interact with others with varying viewpoints in a professional manner.

Now let’s contrast that with someone having a Twitter war with poor tone and dropping f-bombs with their followers. That may be an indication of how you would interact with your team members who might challenge your ideas or not share the same perspectives. Your creativity, professionalism, and intelligent conversations can boost your candidacy. 

In the end, you want social media to accelerate your applications, your job search, your candidacy, and your eventual career - not put opportunities to a halt! Think about what you have today and whether you need to tune things up now to help make that happen. You got this! 

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Staying Out of Trouble

Yes - it was still below freezing when I woke up this morning, but the first week of March means spring is just around the corner! The warmer temperatures and exciting news in the mail can always induce some senioritis, and this year we expect that the loosening coronavirus restrictions and increased vaccine availability will make it even more tempting for students to relax. 

And for the most part, that is great! In fact, we hope our seniors are able to relax a bit in the classroom and enjoy the end of the year safely.

But students should still be making good decisions throughout the spring and summer to ensure that years of hard work toward those college acceptances do not go to waste. 

This includes monitoring your social media posts carefully - keep an eye out for our guest blog next week from recruiting and hiring guru Jayana Garvey for more about making good decisions on social media.

Before you post or message, ask yourself, “Would I be okay with explaining this to my college of choice?” If the answer is no, don’t put it online!

Last year, more than a dozen colleges, including Clemson, the University of Richmond, and the University of Florida rescinded offers of admission to students based on their social media posts. And in 2017, Harvard rescinded offers to ten students who wrote offensive posts in a private Facebook group (yes, even in a closed group, this can happen!). In the last three years, 14% of private schools and 4% of public schools have rescinded admissions offers based on social media activity from incoming students. Whether schools should have the right to do so is up for debate, but as things stand now, it is much better to never find yourself having to make the argument. 

Remember, perception is reality, so try to avoid situations where others are behaving inappropriately or breaking the law. Yes, even if you are not doing it with them. Ask yourself, “If a video of this was posted on social media, would I be okay with that?” If not, do your best to get out of the situation before it becomes a larger issue. 

Of course, the most common reasons that offers of admissions are revoked are academic in nature.

As a general rule of thumb, if your grades slip in one or two classes, it shouldn’t pose a problem - especially if the classes aren’t related to your major. If you are typically an A student, a grade of C or below may raise red flags, and you will likely be asked to explain your downwards trend in academic performance to the colleges.

You don’t want to change your senior year schedule, either. Dropping some AP classes may seem like an easy way to relax a bit during senior year, but colleges will notice. If you have a true conflict and need to make an adjustment, contact the schools on your list in advance of making the change. This is not the type of situation where you should act now and beg forgiveness later - far from it.

More serious academic issues include plagiarism or cheating - don’t do this! Violations of academic integrity are likely to result in revoked admission. 

That said, this might be the most important thing we say in this post: don’t lie! If you do have a major disciplinary or legal issue, report it to your colleges.

For current clients, we can help you do this, and you may also want to consult a lawyer - especially for cases involving criminal misconduct. On the other hand, if colleges find out that you lied or withheld information, they will not be willing to work with you. It is much better to get any issues out in the open and control how they are presented instead of having your college find out through the grapevine from someone else.

(And don’t think that doesn’t happen - your classmate Johnny down the street was waitlisted at your school of choice, and his mom could not have been more excited to learn about your suspension. She’s going to place an anonymous call to the admissions office first thing tomorrow morning to make sure they know!)

We don’t say any of this to scare you - we want our students to enjoy their senior year! But make sure to stay safe, stay productive, and stay out of trouble. If you have questions about anything we’ve covered here, please let us know and we are happy to help! 

Weekly Update: February 5

Happy February - we hope everyone enjoyed the snow this week, and it sounds like there’s more ahead!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

UVA EARLY ACTION DECISIONS RELEASED TONIGHT

So many of our Class of 2021 students are on the edge of their seats waiting for UVA early action decisions to come out tonight. Dean J already published the statistics, so you can check those out now - and don’t forget to let us know the results after you check your applicant portals this evening. Here are our initial observations when compared to last year’s statistics:

• The number of EA applications increased, but the year-over-year jump was nowhere near as high as some other peer schools have experienced - it was only about 13% (although I believe it’s closer to 20% when looking at their overall numbers, i.e. not just EA). The percentage of applicants that increased increases were about the same from Virginians and those applying out-of-state.

• On top of the increased number of in-state applicants, less in-state students were accepted this year than last year. This resulted in an acceptance rate drop from 35% to 30% for that applicant group (remember, this reflects the entire state of Virginia and is not meant to be representative of Northern Virginia).

• Interestingly, more out-of-state students were accepted than last year - about 40% more, if my math is correct! Wow. Even after accounting for the increase in applications, the out-of-state EA acceptance rate increased from 15% to 18%.

• Overall, the spread between in-state and out-of-state acceptance rates narrowed substantially, from 20 percentage points to 12. I know the cynics will say that this was an intentional decision meant to increase revenue, but I wonder if it’s more about the fact that UVA is predicting a bigger spread between in-state and out-of-state yields this year than last year? If I had to guess, I would say that’s probably it.

FCPS RETURN TO SCHOOL AND REDISTRICTING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Yes, you’ve read this before, but FCPS began to implement the return to school plan this week, with priority groups returning to school buildings. If the plan continues as scheduled, high school students will be returning to classrooms in early March.  Not five days per week, but something is better than nothing, right?

In other FCPS news, the school board voted last night to redistrict sections of the McLean HS boundary to Langley HS. My neighborhood was one of the ones impacted and I’m really happy about this! While I actually like McLean HS a lot and would have been very happy to send my children there for a variety of reasons, I think split feeders are so hard on the kids and I’m very glad that Colvin Run won’t be one anymore. Split feeder elementary schools, for those who don’t know, are ones that split the class among different middle and/or high schools.

MID-YEAR REPORTS

Our own seniors have already heard from us twice this week on the topic, but it’s important for all seniors to understand that they are responsible for ensuring that their mid-year grades (also known as “senior grades” or “mid-year reports”) reach all colleges on their list with applications still in play. In other words: unless you have been denied from a school, turned the school down, or were specifically informed that the school does not require mid-year grades, you need to make sure that the grades are submitted. Some schools want students to submit these, and most want counselors to submit them. Please check your individual school portals for more information about the individual school requirements and modes of submission, and then contact your school counselor as appropriate.

And if you are one of the unlucky students whose counselor quit this week (no, we aren’t going to name your school, but there’s a bunch of you…) we suggest reaching out to the Director of Student Services at your school until you are re-assigned a new counselor.

COLLEGE BOARD ANNOUNCES NEW AP EXAM FORMAT

After the struggles that many students had last year with the hastily-assembled digital AP exams, it is no surprise that the College Board has reworked the digital exam for this year. Some changes include security features that block students from returning to a question they have already answered or from toggling back and forth between questions. This is very different from the paper AP exam, and important for students to keep in mind as they prepare! 

GOVERNOR NORTHAM RELEASES EXPECTATIONS FOR VIRGINIA SCHOOLS

Governor Northam announced during a press briefing this morning that Virginia schools will be expected to have in-person learning options for students in place by March 15. He also announced a mandate for in-person summer learning options. Summer programs will not be required, but schools are expected to have them in place this summer for students who want to take advantage of them.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

The Virginia House passed a bill yesterday that requires public universities, including UVA and William & Mary, to identify and memorialize enslaved people who worked on institutional property. The bill also requires that the schools establish scholarships or economic development programs for individuals or communities with historic connections to slavery. Schools cannot use state funding for these projects, but must use private funds. This process has already begun at many Virginia schools, with William & Mary’s Lemon Project and UVA’s recently completed Memorial to Enslaved Laborers. 

An Indiana University professor wrote in The Atlantic this week about IU’s largely successful response to the coronavirus pandemic. While we’ve heard a lot of news (and featured it here) about the negative impacts of students returning to campus during COVID-19, this article shows how some schools were able to bring students back to campus successfully. IU’s example may offer insights for other schools as well as cities and towns across the country about how to manage the pandemic safely. Other schools, like UC Davis, have also provided important services to keep their communities safe.

This NBC News report provides a lot of useful information about how the merit aid system works at many colleges and universities. Keep in mind that super-selective schools, like Harvard and Stanford, will not offer merit aid at all. But for mid-tier schools, merit aid is an important enrollment management tool, and families should know how the process works.  

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Shannon presented this week at William & Mary’s Center for Gifted Education annual conference. In addition to a session on finding the right college fit, she also spoke with middle school students about academic planning for high school and beyond. We’ve said before that the best money you’ll ever spend on the college admissions process is our one-hour strategy session for 8th grade students - and we stand by it! Starting off on the right foot will ensure that you ultimately begin the active stage of the admissions process in a position of strength, because you won’t be frantically trying to make up for mistakes you didn’t even know you were making.

I discovered Clubhouse this week and got to sit in on part of a session yesterday afternoon between meetings (thanks for hosting, Bob!). I am obsessed! It’s sort of like a cross between twitter, slack, and a podcast, and I love it so far, although I’m still figuring out how the clubs work vs. the chats. Either way, it’s fun to listen in while working at my desk and I highly recommend it!

Enjoy the Super Bowl this weekend!

Weekly Update: January 29

2021 is already flying by - can’t believe this is our last blog post of January!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

SCHOOLS CONTINUE TO ANNOUNCE TEST-OPTIONAL ADMISSIONS FOR 2021-2022

Every week brings more test-optional updates, and BC, Penn, and the College of Charleston are the most recent schools to announce that their test-optional policy will continue for the Class of 2022 - phew! But this also serves as a good reminder to read the fine print - Penn, like the other Ivy League schools, has not yet decided what test requirements will be for athletes, for example. Wondering whether to submit test scores with your application? Check out our blog post from earlier this week for considerations. 

VA SCHOOLS REPORT RECORD APPLICATION NUMBERS

If you’ve been keeping up with the blog, you already know that highly selective schools have seen a huge rise in application numbers this cycle, and our local universities are no exception! William & Mary received 17,400 applications, a 23% increase over last year and the first time the school had 15,000 applicants. Virginia Tech also received a record-breaking 42,084 applications this cycle, a 36% increase over last year! We will be waiting to see whether this rise in applications drives admissions rates down at our in-state schools. 

WHAT MATTERS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS IN THIS ECONOMY

Job postings for new graduates with bachelor’s degrees fell by 40% last spring due to the COVID recession. Now that a new crop of college graduates is about to enter the job market, competition for these jobs will be even more intense. A student who is overqualified for their first job out of college is likely to still be in a job they are overqualified for after five years in the workforce, so it is more important than ever to job search carefully and network well. Our advice for all college students - yes, freshmen too! - is to get connected with your career services office early and take advantage of everything your school has to offer to help you find a career. For more career advice, I encourage you to read Jeff Selingo’s latest article, Good Jobs in Bad Times. Current college students should also check out Denison University’s Launch Lab, a cutting-edge career center that is open to all liberal arts students! 

ARE YOU A DARTMOUTH APPLICANT WITH ATHLETIC TALENT? YOU MIGHT HAVE JUST WON THE PROVERBIAL COLLEGE ADMISSIONS LOTTERY!

Are you a men’s or women’s golfer, swimmer, or diver, or a men’s lightweight rower? Did you happen to apply RD to Dartmouth? If so, you should reach out to the varsity coach for your sport immediately.

Dartmouth initially canceled their men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, and men’s lightweight rowing programs... but in a surprise turn of events, the university made an announcement today that these programs will be reinstated in the fall as a result of Title IX compliance issues.

However, as anyone familiar with athletic recruiting knows, these coaches are going to be scrambling to fill their rosters. They likely did not follow the typical recruiting schedule as they believed that the teams would no longer exist in the fall, and the application deadline has now passed. In our opinion, any RD applicants who may be able to play for one of these teams are going to go straight to the top of the institutional priority list over the next few weeks.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

We shared this New York Times article about merit aid on Facebook this week, but it is so important it is worth sharing again! Take the time now to have an honest conversation with your 8th or 9th grader about how their high school grades will be used in the scholarship process. Talk to your student about how much you have saved for their college, what you are willing to pay, and how that will impact their school choices. It is so much better to have these conversations early, before students get their hopes up about specific schools that may just not be an option! Yes, conversations about money with your teenager may be uncomfortable, but it is important for them to know how their performance now could impact their opportunities later. If you’re looking for more guidance in strategizing with your 8th or 9th grader, book a Class of 2023-2025 Strategy Session and we can help!

A high school English teacher in Cliffside Park, NJ, had the great idea to collect student essays about their experiences with COVID-19 and publish a series of memoirs. Students were able to use the book to process the physical, mental, and emotional effects of the pandemic, and it is a great reminder to all high school students who are struggling right now that they are not alone. All the proceeds from the sale of the book will go toward a scholarship fund for the students. 

And after the memoirs, lighten the mood by sharing this “applicant’s guide” from McSweeney’s - some of these made us laugh out loud! Poor Florida State ;)

Lastly, if you are applying to college from outside the United States, check out this piece from U.S. News & World Report with a to-do list for prospective international applicants during the upcoming cycle. Perfect timing as one of our own international applicants just received his first acceptance letter yesterday!

We received this email this morning from our applicant’s father - it’s been a LONG JOURNEY and we are THRILLED for their family!

Let me tell you - if you think we’ve had it hard here in the U.S., it’s been nothing compared to what these kids abroad have been navigating. We could not be happier for this very deserving student who will now be studying at a top school in the U.S. next year!

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

It is hard to believe how fast this year has gone, but it is already time for high school students to start thinking about their summer plans! The process is more uncertain this year than ever, so we recommend that students have a summer option they’d like to pursue if the pandemic allows, and then a backup option that would make them equally happy if COVID-19 necessitates that they choose a virtual experience this summer.

Still not sure of your summer plans? Check out our Summer 2021 Virtual Opportunities Database for some ideas! We will continue to add new in-person and virtual opportunities in the DC area and around the country on a weekly basis, so bookmark this page to stay up-to-date on all of your summer options.

Have a great weekend, and stay warm!

Weekly Update: January 22

Another Friday, another weekly update!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

TEST OPTIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS CONTINUE FOR THE CLASS OF 2022

We know that a lot of current juniors have been anxiously waiting to see if their dream school will require test scores next cycle. The test-optional announcements keep rolling in, with Penn State and Amherst recently announcing that they will continue test-optional admissions through at least 2023. These schools join others, including Baylor, in committing early to remaining test-optional. BU and Cornell are among the schools that are still undecided, while other super-selective schools like Stanford have announced that they hope to resume considering test scores if possible. We’ll keep you updated!

Looking for a school that won’t accept test scores at all? Check out “test blind” schools like Caltech, Dickinson, Reed, the University of San Diego and the University of California system (Berkeley, UCLA, etc). But remember: a lack of test scores does not mean “easy admissions process.” It simply means that the other factors count more.

FREE FCPS WEBINARS

The FCPS Parent Resource Center is offering four webinars for parents in February about supporting students emotionally during this difficult time. Webinar topics include Teen Depression and Social-Emotional Learning. It’s free to register for these events, which will also be available for replay later on Youtube. In light of the mental health challenges that the pandemic has exacerbated among students, this is a timely and helpful series for any parent!

HOWARD UNIVERSITY BAND ACCOMPANIES HARRIS AT INAUGURATION

Students in the Howard University band had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity this week to escort Vice President Kamala Harris, a Howard alumna, in Wednesday’s inaugural parade. Despite social distancing challenges and the fact that only some members of the band were able to perform, the band’s director commented on the personal importance of Harris’s election for Howard students. 

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

I’m so glad someone finally wrote this article for NPR - yes, you CAN ask for more money from your college! This is true of undergraduates and especially graduate students. In this tumultuous year, if the FAFSA doesn’t accurately capture your financial situation, reach out to your school to see if you can receive additional help. Your first financial aid offer is not final!

Before we started this application cycle, many in the higher education industry thought that enrollment at community colleges would rise, as students chose to spend less on Zoom classes and wait out the pandemic before returning to four-year colleges. But the truth has been very different. Community colleges are seeing a steep decline in enrollment, and students at two-year colleges who have taken a break from education during the pandemic are less likely to return to full-time schooling. Meanwhile, the price tags at highly selective colleges are not dropping - on the contrary, Stanford, Yale, Dartmouth, Brown, and Harvard have all raised tuition despite continued online learning. While community college isn’t for everyone, it’s always worth checking out Northern Virginia Community College’s guaranteed transfer agreements. When you think about what it takes to be admitted to UVA as a freshman and just how competitive that process has become, the possibility of a guaranteed spot for spending two years at NOVA can look pretty appealing.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

It is always exciting and nerve-wracking for us as we wait for our students to receive decisions, but we had a longer wait this cycle as many EA/ED decisions were released late - and we are still waiting on many of them, from UVA to Michigan to Wisconsin. The trend is likely to continue for RD decisions - all of the Ivy League schools have announced that their decisions will be delayed, and they will give students until May 3 to deposit. This gives less time to students who may have to make other decisions by May 1, which will only add more pressure during a year when it is difficult to visit campuses to make decisions. Trying to get to know a college virtually? Check out our post for tips!

As we covered already this week, the SAT has canceled the essay section as well as the subject tests. We expect that the ACT Writing section will soon follow suit, and honestly do not foresee a big change for our students with this change, as most schools do not consider the essay. 

The bigger change, as we mentioned several days ago, is for the subject tests. We pinpointed certain groups of students who will be more likely to be impacted, and there’s no question that STEM-oriented students in each of those groups will feel the greatest impact. Did you know that one particular subject test comprised over 70% of the subject tests administered this cycle? The Math II test was particularly common for students hoping to demonstrate higher-level math abilities for an edge at highly selective schools (though historically they have not been a strong predictor of student success, as those students were all scoring so high that there really was not much variation in test scores!).

The College Board is likely to push AP exams now as an admissions tool, and it is possible that highly selective schools will place more emphasis on AP scores in the absence of Subject Tests. We anticipate seeing schools respond to pressure from the College Board by making AP exams more accessible for all students, including freshmen and sophomores. Already, the deadline to sign up for AP exams has been extended to March 12, but don’t run out and sign up just yet! As we mentioned in the last post, AP exams are meant to be taken after an official College Board-approved AP course. If you are a client, talk with us before changing your exam strategy.   

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And lastly - this really has been a very busy week! - I was able to attend the Independent Educational Consultants Association’s Professional Member Retreat. This is geared specifically for more experienced educational consultants like me, as opposed to their normal conferences (which are great too) that are open to anyone. I got so much out of it, and Shannon and I have already met about ways we can incorporate new ideas into our practice!

I was invited to co-present a session on Client Experience that took place yesterday, and enjoyed facilitating ideas with my colleagues around the world. It was great to share best practices about the ways to “make happy clients” and I was honored to be asked! I do think our clients are pretty happy! ;)

Keep an eye out for upcoming posts on what you need to know about testing (yes, even more!) and a bit on the differences between the function of an independent school college counselor and an independent college counselor.

Have a great weekend!

Weekly Update: January 15

Happy Friday! A note that our office will be closed on Monday for MLK, Jr. Day. Have a great long weekend and be safe!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

PROTECTING COLLEGE CAMPUSES FROM COVID-19

A new study this week found that combining social distancing, mandatory mask-wearing, and routine testing would prevent 92-96% of COVID-19 infection on college campuses. Interestingly, the report asserts that this method would be more effective than online-only classes, which would only prevent about 63% of cases. It is worth noting, however, that this study used a computer model to make its predictions - and actual college students are likely to follow these rules imperfectly. 

COVID-19 FUNDS RELEASED TO COLLEGES

The Department of Education released over $20 billion in new funds for colleges and universities yesterday. Even more funding could be on its way, as Biden’s new COVID-19 relief plan includes $35 billion in aid for these institutions. This round of relief will enable schools to implement safety measures, as well as providing more flexibility for emergency grants to individual students. Unlike the last round of funding, it will also be available even to students who are not academically eligible for federal financial aid. Curious about how much funding your school will get? The CDC released a list of aid received by each individual institution.

NEW COVID-19 DISCIPLINARY MEASURES AT MICHIGAN

The University of Michigan released a plan to hold most classes remotely during the winter semester - and as you know, we will continue to share these new plans with you as colleges decide on their new schedules. But in addition to the changes for classes, Michigan’s plan also outlines stricter disciplinary measures for students who do not follow social distancing and masking rules on campus. College students should make sure that they are familiar with the disciplinary measures at their own institution - we have seen COVID-19 disciplinary measures cause issues for many students, and you don’t want to be one of them!

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

Those who were paying attention to college news in 2016 may remember Emma Sulkowicz, the Columbia University student who protested Columbia’s handling of her alleged rape by carrying a mattress around campus. Around the same time, Ben Feibleman, a Columbia student, was accused of sexually assaulting a female classmate. He was found guilty and expelled without a diploma. But as this New York Times article recounts, Columbia recently settled a lawsuit with Feibleman by restoring his diploma, even as the university stood by its initial verdict in the case. This complicated case reveals the implications of changing rules surrounding sexual assault on campus - Feibleman’s case was made possible by Trump administration’s regulations for due process for those accused of sexual assault, and this is an interesting case to consider for the incoming Biden administration as they debate whether to roll back those regulations. 

This article from Jon Boeckenstedt for the National Association of College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) is a must-read for all those involved in the college admissions process. Boeckenstedt dispels a lot of the myths that surround college admissions and gives an honest look at how the process works. He acknowledges both the humanity in the admissions process as well as the hard financial and institutional realities that admissions officers need to contend with as they try to select the most successful incoming class. 

Jeff Selingo, who wrote my new favorite book on college admissions, made some interesting predictions in his most recent newsletter for the college landscape in 2021. Here are some of them:

1. Student experience will take center stage. After a year when we all realized that college is so much more than just attending classes, colleges will bring more focus to the student experience, improving the relationship between student-facing offices like advising, career services, and financial aid. 

2. Improving the academic experience will be a top priority. Parents and students alike are realizing during this time that online classes are not providing the best value for their tuition dollars. Selingo expects that academic departments will work to integrate in-person and online learning and personalize the learning environment for each student. 

3. Humanities may see a comeback. As we know only too well, after the Great Recession, students and parents were interested in STEM subjects and focused on majors and programs that would lead to successful careers. Selingo hopes that the pandemic will show the importance of thinking, writing, synthesizing information, and developing a growth mindset, and allow a resurgence in studies in the humanities.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

While we’re busy advising on course registration for younger students (#yesyouhavetocontinueSpanishsenioryear #sorry), helping Class of 2022 students put together their college lists, and helping Class of 2021 students wrap up, we are also busy with other types of applications! We’ve got applications for Ph.D. programs, MBAs, law school, transfers, even primary and secondary schools!

Speaking of, it’s actually going to be really interesting to see how the independent school admissions process will play out this year - I have never seen such a competitive landscape. So many families are looking for spots and the spots just aren’t there in the non-entry years.

In any case, one of the things we love about this work is getting to know students across all grade levels and stages of education! If you want to learn more about what we can do for you and your student, book a Meet & Greet or Strategy Session to fit your needs.

Oh, and we also just celebrated our one-year anniversary in the not-so-new-anymore office this week!

Probably should have taken down that little Christmas tree before I took the photo :)

While it’s not unusual for us to never meet clients in person when they live outside of the DC metro, it’s wild to think that some of our current seniors who live right here in Vienna have already finished up the process without stepping foot in our office.

That said, I see the light at the end of the tunnel with the vaccine and I’m really hopeful that we will be back up and running normally in a couple of months.. although it will be interesting to see how many kids prefer working over Zoom for convenience! I do miss the human interaction, but I am pleased at how well it all worked out this past year and I could see some students wanting to continue that way.

Enjoy the long weekend!

Weekly Update: January 8

We hope you all had a fun and restful break, and we’re excited to be back with our first weekly update of 2021!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

FCPS BOARD DELAYS SCHOOL REOPENING

The FCPS School Board voted to indefinitely pause the Return to School plan and reevaluate in early February. In more hopeful news, Governor Northam announced that K-12 educators are now in group 1B and may receive vaccines later this month, which is very promising for the return to the classroom. YAY! Edit: A press release went out late this afternoon indicating that educators in Fairfax County will be able to get vaccinated as early as Monday, January 11!

BETSY DEVOS RESIGNS

The Secretary of Education submitted her resignation on Thursday, following the riots at the Capitol this week. DeVos is the second cabinet-level official to step down in the wake of recent events. She’s not the most popular name in town, but she did do quite a bit of work to push school choice and keep schools open during the pandemic. We will keep an eye on how those policies might be affected in the coming months. 

COLLEGES CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH SPRING SCHEDULES

With the five deadliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic taking place over the last two weeks, colleges are struggling with how to plan for spring semester. Syracuse, which laid out its spring semester plans in September, announced on Monday that it will start and end the term two weeks later than planned. UNC will start the semester on time but remotely, delaying in-person undergraduate classes for three weeks. Georgetown is facing backlash for keeping students remote during the spring semester, while nearby schools like American and Catholic will be returning to in-person instruction. We are watching closely, as more schools are likely to change their plans for the spring in the coming days.

CHALLENGING ADMISSIONS YEAR FOR STUDENTS AT TOP COLLEGES

As we have said many times on this blog, the overall decrease in college enrollment in the US is not reflective of the landscape at highly selective schools. Early applications at Harvard are up 57% over last year, and the early admit rate was cut nearly in half, from 13.9% to 7.4%. Yale apps are up 38%, and acceptances down to 11%, and the trend continues at Penn and Dartmouth. The Ivy League schools aren’t the only ones impacted, either - UVA and UGA also saw increases in early applications. 

NORTHEASTERN BEGINS COVID-19 VACCINATIONS

Northeastern University, an authorized Massachusetts vaccine provider, became one of the first colleges in the country to issue COVID-19 vaccines this week. About 1,500 people at Northeastern, including 1,000 students who work in direct patient care, are eligible for Phase 1 vaccinations, and 88 people have been vaccinated so far. The university plans to begin Phase 2 vaccinations in February.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

The CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services released a report this week that reveals an average of a 56% rise in COVID-19 cases in counties where colleges and universities had in-person learning. The report does not indicate whether the spread was as a result of in-person learning, or other sources of spread in the community. 

Students and faculty at DC area colleges spoke out this week about their relationships with the U.S. government and their reactions to the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. Their statements underline D.C.’s status as a “college town,” and the links between Washington and the D.C. educational institutions. 

The New York Times is inviting students to share their college essays about experiences and issues that defined 2020. Submitters will have a chance to be interviewed or have their writing featured. Of course, we encouraged our own students to steer clear of Covid-related topics in their college essays, but there were so many major issues this past year that I am sure some would qualify. We always say that the hardest part about working on essays is that we can’t share our students’ amazing progress, so this would be a great opportunity for students to have a wider audience for their stories!

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

So many people send us emails this time of year saying “You’re probably so relieved to be done with the admissions season…” but did you know that the month of January is probably our third-busiest of the year, after August and September?

Not only are we working with Class of 2021 students on follow-up work such as additional interview prep or LOCIs, we’re also assisting with initial research and application materials with the Class of 2022, who are putting together college lists at a very difficult time. The rate at which colleges are changing their requirements and deadlines is keeping us on our toes! Class of 2022 families who want to learn more about our ongoing services can book a Meet & Greet.

That said, what really makes us crazy busy this time of year is not actually our work with juniors or seniors (or our grad student or transfer applicants, for that matter). Why are we so swamped? Two words: course registration. As soon as the new year hits, FCPS course registration for the following academic year begins in full force, and this January is no exception.

Are you struggling over whether it’s better to earn a B in an honors course or an A in a regular course; wondering which electives to choose; or wondering about the credibility of your 15-year-old son who swears up and down his school counselor said it was no problem at all to go ahead and drop Spanish since he already met his foreign language graduation requirement in 10th grade? You are not alone!

Pro tip: the best money you’ll ever spend on the college admissions process (truly!) is our one-hour strategy session for your 8th, 9th, or 10th grade student. You’ll walk away knowing exactly which courses to choose, which tests to take and when, and what your student needs to be doing (and NOT doing) at this very moment if they want to be one of our success stories down the line.

Whether your family ever sees us again after the meeting is totally up to you, but starting off on the right foot will ensure that you ultimately begin the active stage of the admissions process in a position of strength, because you won’t be frantically trying to make up for mistakes you didn’t even know you were making.

Like dropping Spanish :)

Writing an Effective Letter of Continued Interest: Instructions and Samples

If you read our blog post from a few weeks ago about the best actions to take after a deferral, you know that Letters of Continued Interest (LOCIs) are typically a central part of most deferral strategies. Of course, it’s important to remember that some schools do not actually want LOCIs.

UVA, in particular, has specifically indicated that they do not want to receive these letters this year - so don’t send them! That said, for schools that do consider demonstrated interest, this is the best way to let them know you are still interested and provide any updates since you submitted your early application.

We’ll start off with sharing some steps to get started before moving on to sample letters. Remember, don’t copy these directly (or even indirectly!). These are just examples that we hope will be helpful as sit down to write your own letter.

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1. Introduction

Start the letter by introducing yourself and letting the admissions officer know that you appreciate their continued consideration in the regular decision round, if applicable. The introduction is also a great place to reiterate your interest in the school and confirm that you will attend if admitted (only if that is truly the case!)

2. Personal Connection

It is helpful to include a personal story to demonstrate your interest in your top-choice school. This should not be something you’ve mentioned in the application, but if you were able to visit campus since you applied, or speak to a current student or alum, this is the place to mention that interaction. Your goal here is to demonstrate how your values align with the school’s values, and why you think you would be a good fit. You might also mention a specific program or organization that interests you, especially if your application did not include a “why this school” essay.

3. Updates

Try to include 1-3 updates along with your LOCI. You likely submitted your application between August and October, so now is the time to let them know how the last couple of months went for you. If you earned an award or became president of a club, great! But even if you don’t have a big accomplishment to share, you can still let the college know how you have been spending your time. Are you working hard to participate in online classes? Did you do any volunteer work over the holiday? Admissions officers understand that updates will look different during the pandemic, so don’t be afraid to include activities that you have worked on at home, virtually, or on your own.

4. Conclusion

Finish the letter by reiterating your interest in the school, particularly if it is your first choice. You can also offer to include additional materials, meet with the admissions office, or answer additional questions if appropriate - if you do, make sure to include your contact information as well. Finish the letter off with your name, high school, and applicant ID number (usually available through your applicant portal) to make it easier for the admissions officer to quickly add the letter to your file. 

Here are a couple examples of LOCIs from different types of students to help guide you through your draft:

This student mentions clearly that the school is her first choice, and has some impressive accomplishments to share!

This student doesn’t mention that the school is his first choice, but still expresses his interest and updates the admissions officer on his last few months!

As we have also mentioned in past blog posts, if you are a student who is not working with us directly as a client, you should make sure to reach out to your school counselor about your deferral. They will be able to let you know whether or not a specific school accepts LOCIs, and they can also make a call to the school to see if there are any particular areas that you should focus on improving or emphasizing in your application. This information will help you to tailor the LOCI to a specific school. 

For our own clients, we will instruct you to contact your school counselor if appropriate, depending on the college involved (some schools will provide useful information to school counselors and others will not). Don’t forget to book a meeting with us so that we can discuss the situation and help you write your LOCIs.

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Questions about LOCIs that weren’t answered in this post? Send us a message or let us know in the comments!