Admissions decisions, The College List Ashley McNaughton Admissions decisions, The College List Ashley McNaughton

The Importance of the College List

Building a college list the student ‘loves’ and a balanced list is more important than ever. While it may be difficult to convince some students to add a few colleges they don’t consider ‘top’ or colleges they may not have heard of before, it is important to open their eyes to the options available to them. When I work with my students, I strive to help them create a list which goes beyond the obvious.

As of the end of January, the Common Application reported an increase in application volume of nearly 20% and an increase of 13% in the number of single applicants from the 2019-2020 application cycle. With the increase in number of applications due to reasons such as the ease of applying to more schools via the Common Application and more than 75% of colleges in the US now going test optional or test blind, it makes sense that the acceptance rates at some popular universities are going down. But how do you explain to a student with an excellent resume and top academics that they didn’t get in to a school they have worked towards for years?

The college admissions world comes with no guarantees. Every day, I hear stories from fellow counselors of top students getting turned down from schools they thought they were more than qualified for. But there are many factors considered beyond the basic application criteria often discussed such as the geography of the applicants, number of fellow applicants from the same high school, financial need, major applied to, demonstrated interest, predicted likelihood of a student enrolling if accepted, etc.

I recently lost a potential client because I would not ‘guarantee’ them admission to the schools they suggested to me. How could I ethically do so? While I can not guarantee admission to a certain university or the award of a certain scholarship, I can give my word that I will do my best and that includes helping students find additional schools which are great fits and helping them understand the factors to consider both within our control and beyond.

Building a college list the student ‘loves’ and a balanced list is more important than ever. While it may be difficult to convince some students to add a few colleges  they don’t consider ‘top’ or colleges they may not have heard of before, it is important to open their eyes to the options available to them. When I work with my students, I strive to help them create a list which goes beyond the obvious. I have had many students apply to and/or end up attending schools they had not even heard of before working with me. It is an important part of my job to help them consider ALL options available to them and help them build a balanced list of schools – a list that is not ‘top heavy’, a list which includes schools who do not turn down more students than they accept. Most importantly, I help them build a list which includes schools where the student can be successful both socially and academically, a list of schools the student is truly happy with before they hit ‘submit’.

While reading the most recent article by Brennen Barnard, I was struck by the wisdom and optimism in some of the quotes such as this: “finding the college that will help one be successful isn’t a matter of gaining admission to X school, it’s a matter of going somewhere that can take you down the path to your goals and working hard when you get there.”…“admission is a door to a path and there is more than one door and more than one path. Getting an acceptance isn’t the ultimate goal and denial (or waitlist or deferral) isn’t the ending.” 

Yes, it can certainly be frustrating and stressful, but there are so many wonderful options out there if you are willing to look and open your mind to the possibility of them. And if you plan ahead and build a solid list, you will find your place. More than half of colleges in the US accept more students than they turn down. Keep your head up!

 Additional Articles to Consider:

https://www.collegeconfidential.com/articles/college-applications-in-2022/

https://www.collegedata.com/resources/the-facts-on-fit/understanding-college-selectivity

https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/all-time-record-high-number-applicants-apply-uc-chicanolatino-students-comprising-largest

https://www.ppic.org/blog/college-admissions-in-an-era-of-uncertainty/

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Testing, international Ashley McNaughton Testing, international Ashley McNaughton

The new Digital SAT

Big news recently was that the SAT will be moving to 100% digital testing in the future. They will debut it internationally in Spring 2023, for the Fall PSAT both in the US and abroad, and by Spring 2024 it should be digital everywhere.

Big news in the college admissions world recently was that the SAT will be moving to 100% digital testing in the future. They will begin with it internationally in Spring 2023 then continue with the Fall 2023 PSAT both in the US and abroad; by Spring 2024 it will be digital in all locations for both PSAT and SAT.

The test is still required to be taken at a school or official test center. However, the possibility of more test dates and flexibility in test centers scheduling them may make it easier for students to find a test date that fits their schedule and location. For international students, this could make a big difference as their previous test dates and locations were more limited.

Students can bring their own tablets or laptops or they can use those provided at the test site. Graphing calculators will also be built in to the test, so students who feel comfortable using those can leave their own at home. Students will still be provided scratch paper and can use a pen/pencil to work on solutions as needed.

A major difference to be discussed is the difference in the questions students will get. Gone are the days when test centers will be mailed packages of the same test for one test date. Now, students will face different sets of questions based on the accuracy of how they answered previous sections. This will help eliminate the possibility of the hard copy tests being compromised and students copying answers from their neighbors, but the security of the digital versions will also surely be an issue. It will be interesting for us outsiders to see how the tests are scored and scaled when students take different levels of difficulty.

Current 9th graders may not want to take the PSAT 10 in 2023 as it will still be on paper and they would then be taking the digital version of the PSAT/SAT the following Fall 2023. College Board has announced prep materials for the new digital SAT will be available via their Khan Academy Fall 2022. We will see how soon other test prep companies adapt to the changes and offer new prep materials.

With more than 75% of colleges and universities in the US currently test-optional or test-blind, it will be interesting to see how students and colleges adapt to these changes.

 

 Additional Resources

https://newsroom.collegeboard.org/digital-sat-brings-student-friendly-changes-test-experience

https://www.compassprep.com/digital_sat/

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