Q. With a near perfect grade point average and SAT scores, would I be guaranteed admission to the colleges to which I apply?

A. There are never any guarantees in college admissions. Each year we hear that some of the highly selective colleges could have filled their classes with valedictorians or students with perfect SAT scores. About ten or fifteen years ago, that was exactly the way it was, but with the exception of state universities or less selective colleges, that’s not how it is today. Besides your grades and standardized test scores, the rest of the application needs to tell a story of your talents and passions and how, if accepted, you will be an asset at a particular college.  

Q. Is it better to earn a “B” in an AP course or an “A” in a regular course?

A. That’s an easy one!  It’s always better to earn an “A” in an AP course :) ! With that said, a student should take the most challenging courses available and excel in those courses.

Q. I'm a sophomore in high school, I’ve been swimming for ten years and I’m actually really good.  My friends all play lacrosse and they’ve been trying to convince me to play on their team.  If I did that, I would have to give up swimming.  Is this a bad idea?

A. If you have devoted ten years to swimming and during that time you have developed into a strong swimmer, then it may not be in your best interest to switch to lacrosse.  On the other hand, if you’re not passionate about swimming, and you truly want to play lacrosse, then take a season off from swimming and try it out.  Just understand that if you decide to return to swimming at the end of the lacrosse season, you’re going to have to train especially hard to get back to the best times that you previously accomplished. 

Q. I want to get a job for the summer, but my mom thinks that I should take a course at a college instead.  What do you think?

A. Why is it that you have to make a choice, and that you cannot do both?  While a course at a local college might look very good on a college application, there is also room on most applications for summer jobs.  

Q. My parents are telling me that the summer is the best time to visit colleges since we’re on vacation.  When would you suggest I visit?

A. Only a campus visit can help you decide if a particular college is the right place for you.   On those visits you need to see the facilities, the academic, extracurricular, cultural and social life, the surrounding neighborhood, and, of course, the students.  The best time to visit colleges is when classes are in session and you have the opportunity to sit in on a class or two. It is best to begin those visits during the fall, winter or spring of your junior year.   

Q. I was thinking of visiting colleges after I got accepted.  What are your thoughts on that?

A. Some colleges rate you on your interest and a college visit is a major factor in that IQ (Interest Quotient). Besides, by visiting a college before you apply, you will be able to write a more powerful essay on why you consider that particular college to be a good match for you.  

Q. I will be applying to 20 colleges. What is the average number of colleges to which most people apply?

A. Although there is no standard number of colleges when in which to apply, we recommend that students apply to about 3 “reaches,” 3 “possibles,” and 3 “likelies.”  The task of applying to nine colleges, even if done well, can be overwhelming and ever so stressful.  A student who is applying to 20 schools has obviously not done his research.  When writing essays for 20 different colleges, it’s less likely that those essays will be powerful statements. Since some high school guidance departments have very specific policies concerning the number of applications each student is allowed to submit, students who are considering applying to 20 colleges, need to check with their guidance counselor to see if this is permissible.  

Q. When do I take SAT’s and ACT’s?

A. The ACT’s can be taken multiple times during a student’s sophomore, junior or senior year, and the student is able to release only the highest score. With SAT’s, since all exams are reported, it is always advisable for the student to take those exams after he or she is prepared. While most students take the SAT twice, some take it three times. The optimum time, assuming the student is primed, is in January and March, or March and May or June of the junior year. Occasionally, a student needs time over the summer for additional study, and then an October testing might be necessary. 

Q. I have all my SAT and Subject Test scores and they’re not as high as I would have liked them to be.  How many tests are too many, and should I take them again?

A. In general, colleges will use your highest scores from two or three SAT’s and Subject Tests.  Most students take the SAT twice and each Subject Test once.  Occasionally a student will take the SAT three times and repeat a particular Subject Test an additional time.  In most cases, the November SAT’s and October ACT’s is the last test date for early decision or early action, and the January SAT’s and the December ACT’s are usually the last test dates for regular decision. Since each college has their own policy as far as testing dates, it is always wise to check with the individual colleges.  

Q. What are Subject Tests?

A. Subject Tests are one-hour exams administered in 20 different academic subjects. These exams are required by most of the highly selective colleges and along with SAT’s or ACT’s, they are used to evaluate applicants for admission. Students can take up to three Subject Tests on a given day, but cannot take SAT’s and Subject Tests on the same day.

Q. How do I know if I need to take Subject Tests?

A. Before deciding which Subject Tests to take, you might want to make a preliminary list of colleges you're considering. Then review the college’s website to find out if they require any specific exams.  For example, UCLA and Berkeley require that all students take the Math 2 Subject Test.  If you’re a student applying for admission to an engineering program, a Math 2 and a science Subject Test might be required.  Some colleges require two Subject Tests, while others require three.   

Q. When is the best time to take Subject Tests?

A. If you’re a strong student, you’re taking advanced placement courses and you hope to be applying to highly selective colleges, even if you don’t yet have a list of colleges in mind, you should consider taking SAT Subject Tests. The perfect time to take these exams is in May or June while the material that you studied for the AP exam is still fresh in your mind.  

Q. I just received a postcard from one of the colleges to which I applied that they don’t have my official SAT scores.  I know my counselor had my scores typed on my transcript, and the college has my transcript, so what do they mean when they say they don’t have my official scores?

A. When a college requires official standardized test scores, this means that the scores need to be sent directly from the testing agency for SAT's or for ACT's. Prior to the exam, a student can designate the recipients of the scores on the registration form, and then the first four reports are free. However, if the postcard arrives past the application deadline, it is advisable for the student to call the college and find out if they accept rushed scores, and if they do, for an additional fee plus the fee for each report, the scores should be rushed.  

Q. Is applying early decision a benefit?

A. Colleges loved to be loved and by applying early decision a student signs a contract that if accepted, he/she will attend. With the highly selective colleges this can be a true benefit for a student who knows by the early decision deadline that there is no other college that he/she would rather attend. 

Q. I’m applying to 15 colleges and they all use the Common Application.  I read on your website that this might not be to my advantage.  Can you explain?

A. Colleges that subscribe to the Common Application make a pledge to honor the Common Application and “give equal consideration to the Common Application and the college's own form.” You can find this quote on the Common Application’s website. But, don’t believe everything you read.  If this is really the case, then participating colleges would not offer discounted fees or waive their fees to students who use the college’s own application when it is submitted electronically.

Q. I have too many activities to list on the application.  Can I just write “see attached?

A. In general, the answer is “no.”  Admissions counselors don’t want to be shuffling through your application to find an attached sheet. Most application will have instructions for you to complete the activities section and send a separate sheet if you need additional space.  On the application itself, include the highlights of your extracurricular involvements. Then on a separate sheet repeat the same information you wrote on the application, but this time give more details, and include your other activities.

Q. If I apply for financial aid, will this hurt my chances of gaining admission?

A. Although some colleges have different offices that review financial aid applications, students need to know that many colleges are not “need blind” but rather, “need aware” and these colleges may be limited in their allocation of scholarship funds. If your family has the ability to pay for four years of college, then they should not be filing a financial aid application.

Q. How does legacy factor into admissions?

A. Colleges are keenly aware that alumni are responsible for donations and for setting up endowments.  Colleges also want to see family traditions continue. At some universities, legacy means that a parent attended the undergraduate college while at others, an applicant is considered legacy if a father, mother, sibling, aunt, uncle, or grandparent attended.  At some colleges a candidate is also viewed as legacy if a parent or other relative attended the graduate school. Answers to questions in regard to what is considered legacy at a particular college can best be answered by admissions counselors at that college.  While legacy is certainly a factor in the admission decision, and it definitely does have its perks, it will never replace the importance of academic credentials. That’s not to say if mommy or daddy were to offer to pay for a new library if their daughter was accepted, that the college would reject Suzie if her SAT’s were 200 points below their mean.  At some colleges, legacy applicants are admitted two to four times the overall admissions rate, and can also sometimes have up to a one hundred point advantage on the SAT’s.  Legacy candidates generally compete with other legacy candidates. 

Q. Location, Location, Location: I am curious as to how much emphasis colleges place upon where you are from. Is it easier to get in to a northern college if you’re from Nevada or Texas? Does location make a significant or insignificant difference?

A. Geography certainly plays a part in the admissions process at many private colleges. However, at state universities this factor may be less important or not considered at all. When a college is attempting to fill its class with students of diverse interests, backgrounds and ethnicities, the applicant’s place of residence may positively or negatively impact on a decision. Whether or not this is a significant difference depends from where the student resides and the college to which he or she applies. At a conference I attended some years ago, a dean of admissions at Dartmouth College said, “If only we had one student from the state of Nebraska who could read, we would have accepted him.” Obviously, this is an exaggeration as it was said in jest, but it makes an important point that geography can be an influential factor in an admissions decision.

Q. I received my first semester grades and I was disappointed. What should I do?

A. When making final decisions, a college will look closely at a student’s mid-year grades. If the colleges on the original list are not in line with the students grades, the list of schools needs to be reevaluated, deleting some “reach” schools and adding more “likelies.”  There are also colleges that have later deadlines than January 1^st, and those colleges may need to be considered and added to the list.  

Q. I already sent in my application but just found out that I received an award for a poem that I wrote. How do I update my application?

A. Call the admissions office and find out the name and email address of the counselor who is responsible for your geographic area.  Then email that person with a brief note explaining the award. 

Q. I just received a letter that says I was deferred from my early decision college. What should I do?

A. Too often students who are deferred at their early decision or early action college do absolutely nothing! Instead, they just sit back and wait for a decision to be made in April. In the form of an essay, but without repeating any information that you already sent, you need to let the admissions counselor who represents your geographic area know that even though you’ve been deferred, the college still remains your number one choice. You might also want to include any new information that was not on your original application. Your senior year grades are going to have to be stellar, so make sure they are, and have your guidance counselor send a copy of your report card. If your SAT’s could be better, take the exam again in January.

Q. My friend used an essay writing service and one of their consultants wrote all of her essays for her.  How would a college know if I wrote the essays myself or had someone else do it for me?

A. Students are not expected to write like professional writers. Besides, there are several ways that college admissions counselors can detect professionally written essays.  Now that the essay portion of your SAT can be easily accessed, it will be obvious when the style of writing from the SAT or ACT does not match the application essay. Also, at times the recommendations from a teacher or counselor can discuss how a student thinks and writes.  It’s just not worth taking the risk!

Q. What do you think about taking a year off before entering college?

A. For different reasons, some students take a year off before beginning college.  In most cases, however, it is advisable for students to apply to college in their senior year of high school. Once a student is accepted and has decided to attend a particular school, before depositing with that institution, it is recommended that the student call the admissions office to find out if he/she can defer admission. Most colleges allow students to defer, provided that the student does not attend another college for course credit.

Q. I received a letter that I’ve been waitlisted from the college that’s my first choice.  What does that mean, and what are my chances of getting accepted off the waitlist?

A. Colleges have devised a waitlist system as a cushion so that they end up with what they estimate as a targeted freshman class. It’s important to understand that sometimes schools never go to their waitlist because they have received deposits from that targeted number. If you call the college, you might be able to find out if, in the past, they have gone to the waitlist, and if so, the number of students who were admitted from the list. You can also ask when you might expect to hear. Most applicants don’t find out about their status until June, and in some cases, later. Along with the waitlisted letter, there will be a postcard which you need to return, acknowledging that if admitted you would enroll. Make sure you return this card immediately, and that you read the letter carefully. In some cases colleges are very clear about not wanting any additional letters of recommendation or phone calls on the student’s behalf. If that’s the case, then there’s nothing you can do except to make sure that your senior year grades are the very best that they can be, and hope that you earn additional awards or honors in academic or extracurricular areas. Waitlisted students cannot afford to suffer from senioritis! If, however, the college is encouraging you to be proactive, then write a letter explaining just why you want to be admitted, and email the admissions counselor from your geographic area with a copy. This is where creativity counts! Whatever you do, you must send in your deposit to your second choice school. The deposit is due on May 1st.