HowdoAdmissionsOfficersevaluatestudents?ApresentationbyMattandWilsonBondayCounselorPlatformIntroducespeakersTopicsfortoday:1.Howdowefigureoutwhatadmissionswants?(30min)2.Whatareadmissionsofficerslookingfor?(20min)3.QuestionsandAnswers(10min)Howdowefigureoutwhatcollegeswant?1.Pastsuccessfulapplicantsandyearsofexperience.2.Trendsandchangesovertime.3.FromAdmissionsOfficersthemselves.4.Changesintheapplicationsystem.Wementorstudents:Ifyouwouldliketoworkwithus:Classof2021AdmissionsStatisticsClassof2011AdmissionsStatisticsDifferencesinjust10years…ColumbiaUniversityClassof2011Classof2021AcceptanceRate10.4%5.8%TotalApplications21,34337,389TotalAccepted22102185UPennClassof2011Classof2021AcceptanceRate15.9%9.2%TotalApplications22,63440,413TotalAccepted36103699EarlyApplicationsCollege/University20112021BrownUniversity35.241.7ColumbiaUniversity4446.8Cornell36.242.1Dartmouth35.247UPenn48.355.4College/University20112021BrownUniversity22.721.9ColumbiaUniversity24.515.9Cornell36.625.6Dartmouth29.627.8UPenn2922PercentageofClassfilledbyEarlyApplicantsAcceptanceRateofEarlyApplicantsIn10years,forIvyLeagueschools…•Overallratesofacceptancedecreasedbyabout35%.•Acceptancerateforregulardecision(RD)decreasedabout40%.•Acceptancerateforearlyapplications(EA/ED)decreasedabout30%.•Totalapplicationsreceivedincreasedby65%.•Butenrollmentonlyincreasedby8%.•Percentageofclassfilledwithearlyapplicationsincreased5%.Conclusions:IvyAdmissionsStatistics•Competitivenessofcollegeincreasingduetoincreasedvolume.•Speculation:Largerapplicantpoolmeanslesstimespentoneachapplication.•Morestringent“gate-keeping”requirements.•Morepressuretosucceedontestscorestogetyourapplicationachance.•Earlyapplications•Goodwaytoshowschoolsyouarecommitted.•Increasedrateofacceptance…•butthereisalurkingvariable…•Thebeststudentsstartearlier!!!Howdowefigureoutwhatcollegeswant?1.Pastsuccessfulapplicantsandyearsofexperience.2.Trendsandchangesovertime.3.FromAdmissionsOfficersthemselves.4.Changesintheapplicationsystemmovingforward.Classof2021AdmissionsStatisticsFromAdmissionsOfficers…•ThisisspecificallyforCornellUniversity,andthisinformationisfromNelsonUreña,formerAdmissionsOfficer.1.Applicationissubmittedbystudent.2.“Firstreader”GeneralAdmissionsOfficer•Readsapplicationfromstarttofinishin15minutes.•Compressesinto2pagesummary.•Makesdecisionto“accept,””deny,”or“waitlist.”3.”Secondreader”Subject-SpecificOfficer•Experiencedinsubjectorfromdepartmentthatstudentisapplying.•Seescompressedsheet,butreferencesentireapplicationasnecessary.•Alsotakes15minutes,anddecides“accept,””deny,”or“waitlist.”4.Ifconsensusisreached,decisionismade.5.Otherwise,committeereviewsapplication.15-30minutes.Takeaway:•Applicationsaredigestedandthensummarized.•Applicantsneedtobeuniqueandpersonal.•Importanceofthesisstatements,conclusions.•Applicationsaregiven1hourmaximum,oftenless.•Applicationsshouldbeconciseandprecise.•Applicationsarereviewednotjustbyadmissionsofficers,butbyexpertsintheintendedmajor.•Studentsshouldnotapply“undecided”•Consensusmustbemadebetweenofficers.•Needstobespecificenoughforsubjectmatterexpert,butalsogeneralenoughforregulareducatedperson.•Tworeadersfirst,otherwisecommittee.WanttorelieveburdenonAdmissionsteam.Howdowefigureoutwhatcollegeswant?1.Pastsuccessfulapplicantsandyearsofexperience.2.Trendsandchangesovertime.3.FromAdmissionsOfficersthemselves.4.Changesintheapplicationsystemmovingforward.NewSATFormat•FromMay2016,CollegeBoardmadecontent,format,andscoringchangestotheSAT.•Prioritizescontentthatreflectsthekindofreadingandmathstudentswillencounterincollege•Sub-scorereporting.Rewardstakingitmultipletimes,forgivesmistakes.•Rights-onlyscoring(nopenaltyforguessing)•Elementofstrategy:eliminatewronganswersandthenguess,statisticalunderstanding•Greateremphasisonmeaningofwordsincontextandonhowwordchoiceshapesmeaning.•Usinglanguageinsteadofrawmemorization.Fluidintelligenceovercrystalizedintelligence.•EssayOptional•postsecondaryinstitutionsdeterminewhethertheywillrequiretheEssayforadmission•Thisisatrap!Doyouwanttotakeessay?GreattestabilityPoortestabilitySurewhynot?Noway,Ineedtofocusontest.Allstudentsshoulddotheessaysection!NewApplicationSystemCoalitionforAffordabilityandSuccess•80+schoolsacceptCAASsystem,includingIvyLeague,private,public,etc.•OnlythreeschoolsrequireCAASsystem.Largepublicstateuniversities:•UniversityofDelaware•UniversityofMaryland•UniversityofFlorida•PrimaryfocusisondisadvantagedUShighschoolstudents.•Stepawayfromnumbersand“currentmethodofhighschooleducation.”•Whatiswrongwithit?Whychange?Reasonsforchange:1.Self-awarenessandreflection.2.Coachingandmentorship.3.Bodyofwork4.Appropriatecolleges5.MinimizeDisadvantage.6.Changeinhighschooleducationsystem.Reasonsforchange:1.Self-awarenessandreflection.2.Coachingandmentorship.3.Bodyofwork4.Appropriatecolleges5.MinimizeDisadvantage.6.Changeinhighschooleducationsystem.Conclusions…•Studentsarenotfocusedonthecorrectthings.•Mayneedguidancetofigureoutwhattheyshouldfocustowards.•Needtoshowtheirinterestsbydoingthem,notjustbylearningthem.•Theymustalsoresearchapp