10 Truths about College Admission

1. Don’t apply to colleges where you would not actually go: Does that seem like a crazy thing to read? Imagine writing it. Actually…imagine doing it. It's kind of like walking into a restaurant, ordering something, paying for it, and not eating it. Oh… and knowing ahead of time you were not even interested anyway. What?! That’s right. Every year really smart kids do dumb stuff in college admission–and this one is at the top of that list. Yes–you should apply to one or two schools where being admitted is highly predictable. But there is a difference between having confidence of being offered admission and being 100% sure you would never attend. With 4,000 colleges in the US and many higher education options around the world, you should only apply to places you'd be excited to attend if admitted. C'mon, people. Do better! Johns Hopkins’ Rachelle Hernandez with more.
2. Mindset matters: How you approach admission (and college) will determine the experience you have. Listen to our conversation with Dan Porterfield, President and CEO of the Aspen Institute and author of Mindset Matters. Ultimately, education is about growth and expanding one’s mind. Keep a healthy perspective as you search and apply for college. There is a lot that doesn’t matter but mindset is not among them, so get in the right one!
3. Fit does not equal comfort: Our longtime friend and colleague, Dan Lugo, hits on this during his podcast episode. In college admission you often hear the term "fit," as if it is unique, perfect, and comfortable. Find your fit and all will be well. Find your fit and you'll know it immediately because you'll have a transcendent peace. The truth is that the places you fit are the places that will stretch and challenge you–the environments and communities in which you'll grow and thrive–because you are also being supported. Dan talks about failing forward and learning through missteps or lessons learned in this distinct, incredible chapter called College. Fit is not a feeling of cozy comfort. Re-think fit as places where you will graduate a very different person than you entered. Speaking of failure…check out this unique traveling museum that highlights how we learn from our mistakes!
4. College admission is not zero sum: Looking at admission to college in a win/loss framework is not healthy. Acceptance is not is not a prize. Just because any one applicant got in doesn’t mean they took another’s spot. It didn’t belong to anyone in the first place. Don’t go pointing figures or blaming others for an imperfect system that was not designed to be fair.
5. Admit rate/ number of applications does not equal the quality of a college: At this time of year, you'll see lots of press releases and fancy graphics touting application totals. Pay no attention. The truth is admission math is not the same as regular math. Or, as they say, “the math ain't mathin'.” First, colleges do not count applications the same, so we are not talking apples: apples, or even apples to other fruit. Second, admit numbers and percentages are easily manipulated via Early Decision, waitlist, athletes, and other cohorts where yield is often 1:1. So, instead of focusing on a singular number or trying to quantify everything on a spreadsheet by drawing lines, we are encouraging you to draw circles instead. Pay more attention to the actual students who enroll. WHO is on campus? WHO will you be surrounded by in class and in the residence hall? Admission is a funnel. Rankings, consultants, marketing, and publications are obsessed with the top: number of applicants or percent admitted. We want you to index on the bottom. On the actual class, campus, ethos, and outcomes of students. More here.
6. Mission drives admission: We have said it before and we will say it again, but institutional priorities and a college’s mission guides the decisions they make, even if they don’t seem to make sense to applicants and their supporters. If you need a refresher, read this piece and/or listen to our podcast episodes with either Juan Espinoiza from Virginia Tech or TJ Snowden from Morehouse. Pay attention to each college’s mission and while you are at it, develop your own mission statement for the experience you want to have in college. When your mission matches with the institution…game on!
7. The application is a story not a form: Sure, the application looks a lot like a form. It comes with lots of lines and boxes and information you need to complete and submit. It’s definitely form-y with required character limits and detailed instructions. But the truth is that at schools using holistic review where essays and supplemental responses are required, once you hit submit, the person on the other side is not “reviewing” your form. They are reading YOUR STORY. Thinking about it this way will change the entire way you approach applying to college. And it will greatly reduce some of the stress you feel along the way. More here. 
8. Colleges need students: Newsflash…the average admit rate to four-year colleges is 67%. And over the last five years that has gone up by 5 points. With a demographic cliff on the near horizon and colleges shutting their gates for good all over the country, students are in high demand. In other words, the myth that it is “impossible” to get into college is fake news!
9. Flexibility is the future: In our book, we talk about thinking like Deans of Admission who don't just recruit the number of students that they need in the class–they start broad (think top of funnel)-–and work down so they can hit their class goal. They talk to lots of students, send TONS of mail and email, and host huge open houses and programming, so they can ultimately have choices about who they admit. You should do the same. Don't limit yourself by only focusing on three or five “dream schools” or “top choices.” Think like a dean! Stay broad and open to possibilities. 
10. Parents love their kids: We know this because we have them (parents) and are them (parents). This love can make us act a bit crazy sometimes. It is good to step back from time to time and evaluate how we are showing this love and if it is allowing us to lose perspective.  We mean well, but need to be well. More here.

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