Early Decision: Playing the College Admissions Game Pt. 2

My post earlier today prompted a couple parents to email me to let me know that they had read what I had written, and appreciated that I took the time to share a personal experience.

One woman even wrote that she wanted to speak to me so that she could, "pick your brain and get any advice, so I could share it with my granddaughter". (I have to say that I was surprised by this email because she doesn't know me and wants to talk to me based upon what I've written. Pretty amazing in my book.)

Just as soon as I was watching the news this morning, paying particular attention to the weather in the Caribbean, while I looked out to window to see the front yard covered with the little bit of snow that we received last night, I received an email that stated that "Early Decision" applications at the University of Pennsylvania were up 17%.

Also, The New York Times has a piece on the number of college applications that some colleges have received thus far, and, again, the numbers are up and startling.

Conventional wisdom holds that colleges seek more applicants to improve their rankings, but this is a narrow view of the issue. In fact, a college’s admissions rate accounts for just 1.5 percent of its score in U.S. News & World Report’s ratings. Still, rising selectivity can please alumni, aid fund-raising and help attract top professors. 

The trend for colleges to receive more applications is going to continue, and this is going to be touted as grounds for selectivity and, blatant, braggadocio by some schools.

My word of advice: Do your research about the college.  Visit the campus and go on the college tour, and if the school offers the ability to sit-in on classes or spend an overnight with a current student.......take advantage of all of those things.