Bev Taylor is frequently cited in the press about college admissions. Read the articles and listen to the broadcasts from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, US News and World Report, Bloomberg News, Forbes, The Washington Times, Fox TV News, National Public Radio (NPR), USA Today, TheStreet.com, The New York Post, The Bergen Record, Daily Pennsylvanian, Newsday, Fast Web and others.

Bev Taylor, director and founder of The Ivy Coach - a New York-based college admissions consultation service - said she also discourages students from submitting their applications unnecessarily early, for fear of a change of heart."I like to encourage students to apply as close to the deadline as possible," Taylor said. "If for any reason they change their mind, it can be undone." Taylor attributed the sense of urgency felt by students to several possible factors. "Parents are pushing it, 'well, just send in your application already,' thinking that maybe admissions will give them a better look," said Taylor. "The other thing is maybe [students] just want to go back to school and say 'I already submitted my applications' so they're ahead of their peers."
Thousands Submit GW Applications Early (September 2, 2010)

Contrary to conventional wisdom, it's more important to show that you spearheaded original and creative initiatives at home, than participated in a pricey public service trip abroad. "Show that you've got other people involved, that you did something great in your own backyard," says Bev Taylor, founder and president of New York-based college counseling firm The Ivy Coach." from Forbes.com
How To Get Into College  (June 30, 2010)

Applying to college seems like it should be easy: Fill out a dozen applications--which, for the most part, contain the same basic questions--and you're done. But in an environment where competition is intensifying and winning admission to top schools is more difficult than ever, students need every bit of advice they can get. So Forbes polled four college admissions consultants and compiled their wisdom. Read on for their tips. from Forbes.com
In Depth: 21 Tips From College Admissions Experts  (June 30, 2010)

"Bev Taylor, also known as The Ivy Coach, has helped hundreds of high-schoolers get accepted into top-tier universities as a private educational consultant, and she says 15-year-olds are just not prepared for college life." from ParentDish.com
Is Getting Into College at 15 the Next Big Thing?  (April 29, 2010)

"First of all, if you are applying to a competitive school, everyone is a member of the National Honor Society. Mentioning it isn't going to get you anywhere. The best essays seemingly have insight. The writer should show, not tell. This is the only thing that is not objective on your application. Everything else is courses and grades." from The Washington Times
Giving Admissions Essays the Old College Try (October 25, 2009)

"The tour guides will give you the script, but the students are going to tell it like it is," says Bev Taylor, director of the Ivy Coach, a New York–based college-consulting company. Visit the buildings, including the dorms. And don’t hesitate to knock on someone’s door and ask to see his or her room." from AmericanWayMag.com
School Daze (August 15, 2009)

"Anxiety about winning a place in college is prompting students to apply to more schools than before, said Bev Taylor, a college counselor in New York." from Bloomberg.com
Harvard Applications Soar With High School Anxiety (January 22, 2009)

"Not every question requires an answer, says Bev Taylor, founder of the Ivy Coach, a New York counseling service. For instance, she says, some colleges ask applicants to list all the other schools to which they've applied -- which Ms. Taylor believes can hurt an applicant if the college concludes the student is treating it as a safety school. She suggests skipping the question." from The Wall Street Journal  
Manage College-Application Anxiety (December 14, 2008)

"Highly selective colleges have a certain number of international students that they accept in a given year, so students from China compete against other students from China," says Bev Taylor, president of The Ivy Coach, a college admissions advisory service based in New York City. from Beijing-Kids.com
Thinking Outside the Harvard Box (December 10, 2008)

Bev Taylor, founder and director of an independent college consulting firm called The Ivy Coach, tells her clients to maintain contact with regional representatives of the schools they’re applying to. "Sometimes it’s too early for a student to even know that they’re interested in that particular college, but it’s really important for students to meet these people and then follow through," Taylor said. "Keep that dialogue going. That’s really important." from Unigo.com
Admissions Officers are People, Too (September 3, 2008)

"In fact, colleges are proud to say, 'We rejected a thousand students who had perfect scores'," says Bev Taylor of the admissions coaching firm the Ivy Coach. It boosts a school's rankings in the press and its allure as an elite institution. from Forbes
Acing Your Application (August 13, 2008)

Don't lie, but avoid the question if you can. Colleges don't want to admit students who aren't going to matriculate. It lowers their yield ratio--one of the statistics used in many annual college rankings. If the admissions office thinks you are likely to enroll elsewhere, it is less likely to accept you. College admissions coach Bev Taylor says none of her students have ever been penalized for not answering the question, so she advises them to steer clear of it. from Forbes
Step By Step: Acing Your Application (August 13, 2008)

Bev Taylor, the founder of the Ivy Coach (an independent college admissions counseling service), confirms that lowballing is common at prep schools, whose worst nightmare is having graduating seniors who haven't been admitted to any college at all. "The last thing any school wants is for a graduating senior to not to get in anywhere," says Bev, who charges clients a flat rate of $46,000 for tutoring on how to get into the top colleges, and starts working with some students as early as the seventh grade. "Schools worry that parents would sue them, so they play it safe and lowball students who can probably get into more highly selective colleges." from New York Post
Private School Rejects (June 29, 2008)

According to Bev Taylor, an independent college consultant with The Ivy Coach, since Zbylut was offered a place at each of the schools, he took that offer away from other students with dreams to attend one of the many schools on his list. She says, "That's why it is so unfair for kids to do something like this without doing their homework first." from TheStreet.com
Did This College Admissions' Junkie Play Fair? (June 16, 2008)

"Colleges look for students who will be a good match for their school. Your interviewer wants to see a genuine interest in the college. "There’s always going to be a question ‘Why do you want to come to our school?’ so you really have to know the school," says Bev Taylor, an independent college counselor and director of the Ivy Coach. Spend time before the interview thinking about why that college would be a good match for you. "It’s important to talk about yourself. Students need to do their homework before an interview. Find out what it is about themselves that can make them happy at that college," Taylor says." from Fast Web
Five Common Interview Questions (and How to Answer Them) (December 6, 2007)

"Students can actually knock off a semester – sometimes a year – of coursework at a college [if they score well on multiple AP tests], which translates into a year of tuition," Bev Taylor, an independent college admissions counselor, says." from Fast Web
Ace Your AP Tests (December 6, 2007)

"Essays can be effective even when they pinpoint something that might seem insignificant in the grand scheme. Bev Taylor, a New York-based independent counselor known as the Ivy Coach, worked with a young woman who discarded several failed ideas before writing about her lucky rubber-band ball and how it connected her to her family and friends. Her admissions letter from Williams College included a rubber band for her collection." from US News and World Report
Express Yourself: How to Tell Your Story (August 17, 2007)

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that when these colleges make SAT scores optional, only applicants with higher scores are going to submit them, thus inflating the college's mean [SAT] score," said Bev Taylor, an independent college consultant based in New York." from The Washington Times
Test-Optional Colleges Won't Require SATs (July 17, 2007)

"A lot of students only apply to highly selective schools and they have no backups. Students need to do their homework and find out that these schools are such longshots and they're not going to be accepted," Bev Taylor, an independent college counselor, says." from Fast Web
You've Been Rejected: Understanding the Rise in Rejection Rates (May 2, 2007)

"You have to let a college know you really care," advised Bev Taylor, director of The Ivy Coach, who coaches students trying to get into Ivy League and other schools. "While you are on the wait list, be proactive; put some work into telling them why you think you will be a good addition to the school." from The Bergen Record
Getting into college takes planning, flexibility (March 4, 2007)

"College admissions counselors say that the model, if completed, would indeed help students who live far from Penn to get a feel for campus. Bev Taylor, director of the New York-based The Ivy Coach, said the program has the potential to be helpful, but "to a degree." "It's certainly helpful with international students, and with students that live far away," she said." from The Daily Pennsylvanian
Nearly As Good As A Visit To Campus (February 26, 2007)

"Bev Taylor of The Ivy Coach, who has been an independent college admissions consultant for over fifteen years in Long Island, New York and has successfully helped many students get admitted to their top college choices, strongly believes that the Interest Quotient in some cases can be the tipping point to a student getting admitted to a college." from Fox College Funding E-News
What is the Interest Quotient? (December 30, 2006)

"Bev Taylor, an independent college counselor and educational consultant, says that a student who is not a great test taker but who knows how to study can still do well on the ACT. "It’s less of a standardized test and more of an achievement test. It’s more like a classroom exam," Taylor says." from Fast Web
The ACT: Why You Should Consider This SAT Alternative (December 11, 2006)

"Bev Taylor, founder of The Ivy Coach, hopes early applications will remain an option. She thinks rejection or deferral early serves as a crucial reality check for kids who presume they'll get into highly selective schools. "Rejection is a wake-up call for these students so they know they need some safeties," she said. "It's necessary to find this out in December when they still have opportunity to apply to more schools in January."" from The Bergen Record
Navigating An Altered Admissions Landscape (September 24, 2006)

"The first priority of an Indian family is always education," says Bev Taylor, president of The Ivy Coach, an independent college counseling service in Manhattan and Roslyn Heights, New York. "These parents are looking for their children to get into the most highly selective colleges that they can." from Mood Indico
Getting Into A Good School. Does Your Kid Have What It Takes? (September 1, 2006)

"Colleges make themselves hot with some savvy self-promotion. "It's the college sending out stuff that starts it happening," says Bev Taylor, a college counselor in Roslyn Heights, N.Y. A flood of glossy brochures will make some kids consider a school they hadn't thought of before." from US News and World Report
How Schools Get Hot (August 28, 2006)

"Bev Taylor -- who runs the Ivy Coach, a New York-based independent college-counseling firm -- said many colleges determine the overall academic quality of a student by calculating an "academic index," a mathematical formula using SAT I and SAT II scores and class rank." from The Daily Pennsylvanian
High Schools Learning When to Hide Info (April 5, 2006)

"Independent college counselor Bev Taylor said that in recent years her students have begun applying to more institutions, specifically to more Ivy League schools. She said most of her students apply to six or seven schools, but some apply to as many as 16." from The Daily Pennsylvanian
Applications up across the Ivies (February 6, 2006)

"Bev Taylor, an independent college counselor and creator of theivycoach.com, also emphasized this aspect of Penn's admissions. "If you're going to apply to Penn, apply early," Taylor said. Many prospective students "love [Penn], but they know that they don't have a shot regular-decision."" from The Daily Pennsylvanian
Early applications surge 21% (November 18, 2005)

"Bev Taylor, director of the Ivy Coach on Long Island, is more blunt. "Colleges have a hidden agenda. They are not going to say this,'' she said. "They look for diversity and unless you know the culture of the school, you are not going to know what's diverse."" from The Bergen Record
The Secret World of College Admissions (January 30, 2005)

"While a few teens are absolutely certain about their career goals, the average kid is not, says Bev Taylor, an independent college counselor in Roslyn Heights, N.Y. "How certain can they be at 17?" she asks. "Your major should be what you're passionate about, and the only way to find out what you're passionate about is to go to college."" from USA Today
Undergrads Face Major Decisions (November 16, 2003)

"Colleges may have separate applications for scholarships or honors programs," says independent college consultant Bev Taylor of Roslyn Heights, N.Y. "Seniors who haven't taken the SAT or ACT (or think they can improve their score) can still take the tests in December or January," Taylor says." from USA Today
It Takes Two to Tackle College Entry (November 12, 2003)

"To Bev Taylor, an independent college counselor from Roslyn Heights, the college visit is a must - "a no-brainer" in fact. Taylor said some highly selective colleges are even rating students' interest in their campuses. "It's called an IQ, for interest quotient," she said. But beyond showing one's interest, Taylor said a campus visit can help a student prepare for the essay many colleges require. "You cannot write that essay unless you go on a tour or overnight," Taylor said. If a student has visited a class, which admissions officers and counselors encourage, Taylor said, "you can put the professor's name in that essay. You can write about discussions that happened in that class ... It means so much to the college admissions person reading that application. Besides their interest, it shows they're not only doing what's necessary but going beyond."" from Newsday
The Tour Is the Cure (October 19, 2003)

"Bev Taylor was featured on a 2002 Fox TV Special Report about the influence of celebrity on admission to Ivy League schools." from Fox TV Special Report
Ivy League and Celebrity (December 2002)

"Some guidance counselors, like Bev Taylor, an independent counselor in Roslyn Heights, N.Y., say they encourage students to apply early if they have decided where they most want to go. One reason, Ms. Taylor said, is that universities sometimes take weaker students who commit themselves through early decisions and reject stronger students who apply later, or put them on waiting lists." from The New York Times
As Early Admissions Rise, Colleges Debate Practice (December 23, 2002)

"Bev Taylor, a guidance counselor on Long Island, said that some of her students were thinking about staying closer to home, and that New York City colleges like Columbia, N.Y.U. and Fordham ''are still top choices.''" from The New York Times
As Applications to Some New York Colleges Drop, Officials Cite Sept. 11 (March 22, 2002)

Thousands Submit GW Applications Early

Nearly 3,000 students have already submitted applications for the GW Class of 2015, echoing a nationwide trend of increasingly early submissions for students eager to get a leg up in the exceedingly competitive college admissions cycle, a senior administrator in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions confirmed last week.

GW's Early Decision application is still two months off, but some students submitted applications within hours of the Common Application's 2010-2011 launch on Aug. 1, Executive Dean for Undergraduate Admissions Kathryn Napper said. She added, however, that many of the applicants have yet to send in the supplementary materials required by the admissions process. Applicants to GW have until Nov. 2 to apply Early Decision I and until Jan. 10 to apply for Early Decision II and regular decision.

"I know we have received at least 2,500, maybe around 3,000," said Napper. "Almost every single one of the applications that have been submitted are not completed. They still need to submit transcripts and supplements before their application is complete."

According to a recent report in The New York Times, more students are submitting their applications earlier than in years past, a trend that alarms university officials and college admissions counselors across the country.

Boston University spokesman Colin Riley could not provide the current number of applications received from prospective students for their Class of 2015, but said his university encourages students to spend time on their applications and apply according to application deadlines, not the online release date of the application.

"We want them to submit [applications] by the deadline because submitting them early is not critical," Riley said. "It doesn't make a difference in how they're reviewed."

Bev Taylor, director and founder of The Ivy Coach - a New York-based college admissions consultation service - said she also discourages students from submitting their applications unnecessarily early, for fear of a change of heart.

"I like to encourage students to apply as close to the deadline as possible," Taylor said. "If for any reason they change their mind, it can be undone."

Taylor attributed the sense of urgency felt by students to several possible factors.

"Parents are pushing it, 'well, just send in your application already,' thinking that maybe admissions will give them a better look," said Taylor. "The other thing is maybe [students] just want to go back to school and say 'I already submitted my applications' so they're ahead of their peers."

High school senior Robert Hirsch, who created the Facebook group "The George Washington University Class of 2015" in early August, said he plans to send his application to GW this September. Hirsch said he created the group to gain notoriety with his potential future classmates.

"I created the [group] to pursue my goal of being well known, famous, and popular," Hirsch said, in a message. "Being the [Facebook group] administrator will expose my name to every student that joins the group, subsequently familiarizing them with my name, therefore increasing the bounds of my reputation." Despite the large number of applications already submitted to the University, Napper noted that applications that arrive early will not be looked at any sooner than those who wait to send it in closer to the deadline. "We will not start looking at any of the applications for Early Decision until the majority of them have arrived, and are all completed, which will be around the beginning of November," Napper said.

How To Get Into College

The competition to get into college is getting tougher every year. This April Harvard University accepted less than 7% of the 30,000-plus students who applied for freshman admissions. The number of applications to the University of Chicago shot up 43% over last year. Even a well-respected public university like UNC-Chapel Hill admits just 30% of its applicants. It's no surprise students and parents are overwhelmed by the admissions process.

Applying to college seems like it should be easy: Fill out a dozen forms--which, for the most part, contain the same basic questions--and you're done. But as winning admission to the top schools grows ever more difficult, students need every bit of advice they can get. So Forbes polled four college admissions consultants and compiled their words of wisdom.

Many of their tips center on how students can differentiate themselves from counterparts at their high schools, in their towns and across the world.

In Depth: 21 Application Tips From College Admissions Experts

Admissions officers are "social engineers, and they are looking for that kid from Montana who has potential, and they know that Harvard will rock his world," says Denver-based college consultant Mark Montgomery. "They are going to have a certain number of kids who come from the Deerfields and the Dalton Schools. That's great--we want them, too, but they are looking for that kid who is genuinely different."

"The boy who lives on a ranch in North Dakota," he adds, "is not judged by the same standard as the private school kid in New Jersey."

So how can you best stand out? Contrary to conventional wisdom, it's more important to show that you spearheaded original and creative initiatives at home, than participated in a pricey public service trip abroad. "Show that you've got other people involved, that you did something great in your own backyard," says Bev Taylor, founder and president of New York-based college counseling firm The Ivy Coach. "You didn't have to go off to Guatemala to build houses."

The experts also agree that essays are the most crucial part of any application, because it's one of the few chances students have to bring their application to life--otherwise it's just a laundry list of academic and extracurricular credentials.

"Make sure that every time you have the opportunity to write an essay, that it's about some different aspect about you," says Katherine Cohen, founder of the New York-based college consulting firm IvyWise. If a student's résumé says she is captain of the soccer team, and her coach wrote an extra letter of recommendation, then turn to another topic. Says Cohen: "Maybe I don't know that you're a vegetarian. Tell me about that."

Montgomery recalls one student who wrote an essay about ironing shirts. "It's not 'I won the championship by throwing the Hail Mary pass'; it's an unusual aspect of the person's personality," Montgomery says. "How can I communicate the whole of me to someone who's never met me?"

When brainstorming what to write, it's important to steer clear of taboo essay topics. There are certain subjects--national disasters, homeland visits and sex--from which applicants should steer clear, unless they have a unique and personal perspective. "People are going to write about the oil spill now, or they used to write 9/11 a lot ... It's sort of hard to write about something in the public consciousness," Cohen says. "Stay away from writing the 'trip to the homeland' essay. It's a hard essay to do well, and it happens to be cliché and kind of common."

Almost every school asks applicants to write a few sentences about why they are interested in that college. The trick, counselors agree, is to make the essay more about you and why you are a good fit for the school, rather than about the school itself. One of Montgomery's students was struck by a particular sculpture outside a science building, and was able to seamlessly explain why it symbolized the way art and science interacted in her passions and at the school.

There are also some tactical strategies to keep in mind. Many schools have special admissions deadlines, with earlier ones around November and final dates in January or beyond.

"Don't wait for regular decision. Be decisive. Your odds are vastly increased and generally you'll get as much [financial] aid," says Michele Hernandez of Hernandez College Consulting. "Beat the crowds." The downside, however, is that many colleges will require you to enroll if you are accepted under an early program. So applicants who are dead-set on their top college are in good shape--but those who aren't might wind up committed to a school they're unsure about.

An added challenge for today's technologically savvy students is managing their online identities. Cohen advises removing most personal information and photos from social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. College admissions officers aren't really searching for you, but they do get anonymous tips from other people, and they have to follow up on any tip they receive," she says. "If its not something you want your grandmother to see, take it down."

There are ways to use social media to your advantage. "If you're a dancer, put up all your recital videos," says Taylor. "If you're an artist, let's see what you've done. Your portfolio can be up there."

Logistical details matter too. Cohen recommends her clients start working on their essays in early summer. Though the latest iteration of the so-called Common Application, which is used by more than 150 schools, isn't available until Aug. 1, there is a preliminary version available. Things that are always required: a résumé; a shorter essay on a meaningful extracurricular activity or work experience; and a longer personal statement based on five prompts or another topic of your choice.

Applicants, it's time to get to work.

In Depth: 21 Tips From College Admissions Experts

Acing Your Application
Applying to college seems like it should be easy: Fill out a dozen applications--which, for the most part, contain the same basic questions--and you're done. But in an environment where competition is intensifying and winning admission to top schools is more difficult than ever, students need every bit of advice they can get. So Forbes polled four college admissions consultants and compiled their wisdom. Read on for their tips.

Match Up Grades and SAT Scores
A mismatch between GPA and class rank and standardized test scores is just one warning sign of a weak application, according to Bev Taylor, founder and president of New York-based college counseling firm The Ivy Coach. Some other pitfalls: sending in a list of activities without any explanations to bring them to life, and penning essays on subjects like napping, which paint a picture of a passive student.

Improve Teacher Recommendations
Instead of giving the teacher writing the recommendation a laundry list of extracurriculars, Taylor suggests students impart a more nuanced sense of their interests and motivations. "Remind them about how you were in their class, what you did and accomplished, what you found exciting about the class," she says. "So few students will go to that extreme, because it takes a lot of work."

Leadership in the Community
It's more important to show you spearheaded original and creative initiatives at home than participated in a pricey public service trip abroad. "Show that you've got other people involved, that you did something great in your own backyard," Taylor says. "You didn't have to go off to Guatemala to build houses."

Take Advantage of Social Media
Though stories of college admissions officers scoping out applicants' credentials on Facebook is exaggerated, it does happen. Applicants should be careful about what information they make public. Says Taylor: "If you're a dancer, put up all your recital videos. If you're an artist, let's see what you've done. Your portfolio can be up there."

Don't Be Redundant
"Make sure that every time you have the opportunity to write an essay that it's about some different aspect about you," says Katherine Cohen of the New York-based college consulting firm IvyWise. If a student's résumé says she is captain of the soccer team, and her coach wrote an extra letter of recommendation, the student should turn to another topic. Says Cohen: "Maybe I don't know that you're a vegetarian. Tell me about that."

Don't Send In Too Much
Deciding how much information to send in is a tricky balancing act. "[Some students] will send in copies of every award they've won since sixth grade and repeat all their test scores on their résumés as well as all of their senior-year courses," details that are already listed on the application, Cohen says. In addition, letters from influential people or notable names may hurt more than they help, if the person writing doesn't really know the applicant well.

And Don't Send In Too Little
"Some kids will shortchange themselves on their résumés or activity lists. They won't think about the number of hours per week and weeks per year they spend," Cohen says. And there are times when supplemental letters are appropriate, she adds, such as "from a coach or an employer or someone you've worked closely with over a long period of time, who you think would share new and different information about you."

Start Early
Cohen recommends her clients start working on their essays in early summer. Though the latest iteration of the so-called Common Application, which is used by more than 150 schools, isn't available until Aug. 1, there is a preliminary version available. Things that are always required: a résumé; a short essay on a meaningful extracurricular activity or work experience; and a longer personal statement.

Become a Specialist
"The most selective colleges aren't really looking for well-rounded students. They are looking to create a well-rounded student body made up of specialists," Cohen says. " Pick a focus--academic or extracurricular--and try to dive deep. Instead of being a 'serial joiner,' focus on those couple of things that you enjoy and can do well."

Avoid Taboo Essay Topics
There are certain subjects--national disasters, homeland visits and sex--which applicants should avoid unless they have a unique and personal perspective. "People are going to write about the oil spill now, or they used to write 9/11 a lot ... It's sort of hard to write about something in the public consciousness," Cohen says. "Stay away from writing the 'trip to the homeland' essay. It's a hard essay to do well, and it happens to be cliché and kind of common."

Manage Your Online Identity
Cohen advises removing most personal information and photos from social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. "College admissions officers aren't really searching for you, but they do get anonymous tips from other people, and they have to follow up on any tip they receive," she says. "If its not something you want your grandmother to see, take it down."

Get To Know Your Teachers
Ensuring a recommendation letter that isn't generic entails more than just turning in perfect homework. It takes "showing up to class every day on time, being respectful, participating in class, raising the level of learning for your peers and making the classroom a more dynamic place," Cohen says. "It's not that you can get an A in English; it's how you get an A in English."

Nailing the "Why This College?" Essay
Almost every school asks applicants to write a few sentences why they are interested in their school. The trick, counselors agree, is to make the essay more about you, and why you are a good fit for the school, rather than about the school itself. "It can be anything from a specific program that you're excited about ... or it could be a particular kind of extracurricular activity, like the kayaking club, if you know it's really strong there," says college consultant Mark Montgomery. "Showing that match is important."

Connect With Faculty
Montgomery recalls a student who, after writing an in-depth research paper about the Cold War, effectively reached out to a professor who taught the subject at a school he wanted to attend. "Is that sucking up, or is it being genuine?" Montgomery asks. "The kids that can pull it off--admissions officers know it when they see it."

Show All Sides of Yourself
Montgomery points to a student who wrote an essay for his college application about ironing shirts. "It's not 'I won the championship by throwing the Hail Mary pass'; it's an unusual aspect of the person's personality," Montgomery says. "How can I communicate the whole of me to someone who's never met me? We are multifaceted human beings, and you want to take every opportunity to make sure you show this."

Scrutinize Admissions Statistics
Colleges will often emphasize several barometers of their selectivity and prestige: the percentage of applicants admitted; the yield (or percentage of students accepted who chose to enroll); the SAT scores and class ranks of enrolled students. But it's important to take them with a grain of salt, because an applicant is judged in the context of his or her high school environment." The boy who lives on a ranch in North Dakota is not judged by the same standard as the private school kid in New Jersey," says Montgomery.

Emphasize What Makes You Different
Admissions officers are "social engineers, and they are looking for that kid from Montana who has potential, and they know that Harvard will rock his world," Montgomery says. "They are going to have a certain number of kids who come from the Deerfields and the Dalton Schools. That's great--we want them too, but they are looking for that kid who is genuinely different."

Consider Financial Aid
It's not just for the neediest families. "If you want financial aid, then you need to think carefully about where you apply and develop a good strategy--not only for admission but for that merit money," says Montgomery. "Some of the results can be astounding, even for wealthy families that don't need the money."

Apply Early
Many schools have different admissions deadlines, with earlier ones falling around November. "Don't wait for regular decision. Be decisive. Your odds are vastly increased, and generally you'll get as much [financial] aid as you would in regular," says college consultant Michele Hernandez of Hernandez College Consulting. The downside: In many cases colleges will require you to enroll if you are accepted under an early program. So applicants who are dead-set on their top college are in good shape, but those who aren't could wind up committed to a school they're unsure about.

Be Realistic
Some students don't properly research the schools on their list, and end up applying to places that are "way out of range given the average scores and grades" of enrolled students, Hernandez says. Resources like The College Board and the Department of Education's College Navigator are helpful in educating applicants on where they stand in terms of class rank as well as SAT and ACT results.

Pay a Visit
Hernandez recommends visiting as many schools as possible in order to glean a real and genuine reason for applying. "Find out as much as you can about the academic area you are interested in," she says. "Most students don't give good reasons for why they want to attend. Colleges want students who have a particular reason for wanting to attend their school, besides the fact it's a top school."

Is Getting Into College at 15 the Next Big Thing?

When 15-year-old Zachary Young was accepted to both Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology this week, his unusual success story made headlines -- and somewhere, a young student striving for academic excellence added another item to her to-do list: "Get into Harvard before my Sweet Sixteen party."

However, some say kids like Young should not be held up as examples of academic success. Bev Taylor, also known as The Ivy Coach, has helped hundreds of high-schoolers get accepted into top-tier universities as a private educational consultant, and she says 15-year-olds are just not prepared for college life.

In fact, submitting an application well before the typical age to do so could torpedo a child's college hopes altogether, Taylor says, and she discourages even the brightest student from doing so.

"I think most colleges will be wary of kids applying at such a young age because of a general lack of maturity," she tells ParentDish. "In some cases, they will accept a very bright kid, but most of the time it is much more beneficial for students to apply when (they are preparing to) graduate from high school."

Taylor is in the business of making college dreams come true, and she typically begins working with kids -- and their parents -- in their junior or senior year. She guides them through the application process, from selection to admission, and, over the past 10 years, she says she's seen a seen a marked increase in applications to Ivy League schools.

The statistics bear her out: Harvard University received 13,366 regular-decision applications for its class of 2007, while 30,489 kids vied for spots in the class of 2014, according to figures listed on her website.

A hyper-competitive society and a surge in new immigrants to the United States is driving the uptick, Taylor says. Many of her clients are first-generation Americans with parents who dream of sending their child to an elite university. However, she is quick to point out that the kids she counsels are willing participants.

Yes, they want to please their parents, she says, but they are also looking for recognition from other sources. Peer pressure to be the best and brightest drives teens to achieve at very high levels, she adds.

"They are so much into what their friends will think, and so much into competing with their friends," Taylor says. "It's not that different from playing a sport -- everyone wants to win. You can't drag a kid into this who doesn't want it."

Administrators at the elite Walter Payton High School in Chicago declined to go on the record about young teens applying to college, saying they didn't want to "start a trend." However, Jim Conroy, chair of post-high school counseling at New Trier Township High School in the affluent Chicago suburb of Winnetka, Ill., says students like Young open a "Pandora's box."

"While it may be great for that kid, all of a sudden [stories like that] take on a life of their own," says Conroy, adding that his student body is more stressed out about the college-admissions process than ever before. "The problem we've got is that there is such attention given to the gold-plated schools like Harvard, Yale and Princeton, and the kind of kids that were getting into those schools 10 years ago aren't getting in there now."

Parents play into the problem, Conroy says, by seeing their child's entrance into an elite university as a reflection on themselves.

"If you are a parent and your child gets into a school like Northwestern or the University of Chicago, that is your gold stripe as a parent and you have done what you are supposed to do," he tells ParentDish.

Dr. Jim Taylor, the San Francisco-based author of "Positive Pushing: How to Raise A Successful and Happy Child," frequently travels the country to work with educators, parents and high-achieving children. He says kids like Zachary Young are a true anomaly.

"It raises the bar to a level that an unbelievably small percentage of kids can aspire to," he tells ParentDish. "It can make other high-achieving kids feel inadequate, because we live in such a comparative society and parents communicate that comparison to their children."

Whether they mean to or not, moms and dads tend to point out when their child doesn't do as well as his or her peers.

"Parents say, 'You didn't do as well as Johnny,' or 'You didn't make the team and Suzy did,' " Jim Taylor says. "It's meant to motivate, but it's a bad idea because kids can't control other people. We live in a 'win at all costs' culture and that explains a lot of the things that go on today, like cheating in schools, performance-enhancing drugs in sports and unethical business practices."

What parents can do, he says, is stop trying to prevent their children from failing. Tasting a little disappointment gives kids the coping skills they need when suddenly the playing field is leveled, as it almost certainly will be -- whether at an Ivy League university, the U.S. Olympic training camp or Julliard.

What they shouldn't do, Jim Taylor advises, is underestimate the effect that media coverage of these "super students" could have on kids who already strive for perfection.

"It puts them in a constant state of stress," he says. "It causes them to feel anxious and threatened. Academically gifted kids have always succeeded and so many things come easy to them, but then they get a reference point of a 15-year-old going to Harvard and all of a sudden it's, 'Oh, my god, I am a failure.' "

Giving Admissions Essays the Old College Try

For college admissions staffers, fall means stacks of application essays — how I overcame adversity, how I won the big game, how I traveled the world, captained the debate team and am a friend to all. The essays (or personal statements at some schools) are chock full of SAT words, chosen to show the prospective applicants' smarts and charm while highlighting his achievements, even in a world of achievers.

That's a perfect example of what not to do, says Elizabeth Wissner-Gross, a New York admissions essay consultant and author of the book "Write Your College Essay in Less Than a Day."

"There is a lot of mythology out there about what makes a good essay," Ms. Wissner-Gross says. "You shouldn't try to abridge your life into 500 words. Just tell one great story."

But for today's highly competitive high schoolers, narrowing down considerable achievements and experiences to one tale is the tricky part, she says. The experience that might get the attention of the admissions department might not necessarily be an academic one, she says. "I tell kids, 'Illustrate who you are or what you want to achieve.'"

Ms. Wissner-Gross says applicants should not only think outside the box, they should think outside of school. For ideas, she tells them to look at what they have done at jobs, in the arts, for charity and as an act of compassion.

Bev Taylor, founder of the Ivy Coach, a New York-based college admissions consulting firm, says applicants should never repeat in their essay what is already on their application.

"In your essay, you don't need to prove that you are a member of every club," Ms. Taylor says. "First of all, if you are applying to a competitive school, everyone is a member of the National Honor Society. Mentioning it isn't going to get you anywhere. The best essays seemingly have insight. The writer should show, not tell. This is the only thing that is not objective on your application. Everything else is courses and grades."

One essay, written several years ago, sticks out in Ms. Taylor's mind as a good example of such insight. The student wrote about a rubber-band ball she and her father had made. They collected the rubber bands that came with their groceries and other mundane things. Eventually, the student relied on her "special brainiac rubber bands" to bring her good luck on tests. She shared the ball with her friends, and came to see it as a symbol of her relationship with them and with her father.

"Here's how we know it was a great essay," Ms. Taylor said. "The girl applied to Williams College. She was accepted early, and the dean of admissions wrote her a personal note and sent her a rubber band for her collection."

Ms. Wissner-Gross says her favorite essay was by a student who wrote about how she made the best ice cream sundaes.

Ms. Wissner-Gross says there are some other big "don'ts" to remember:

• Don't say anything bad about your parents or otherwise complain.
• Don't highlight biases, even if it is meant to show compassion, such as saying something like "I enjoy hanging out with old people."
• Don't tell stories about luxury vacations, summer camp or teen tours. That can just make the admissions reps dislike you. "One admissions rep hates to read those, because he can't afford trips like that," Ms. Wissner-Gross says.
• Don't tell stories about drinking or drugs.
• Stay away from personal religion or politics. Talking about big-picture politics and religion is OK, but don't highlight your personal views.
• It is OK to show how you overcame adversity, but don't emphasize being a loser. "Who wants to let in a loser?" Ms. Wissner-Gross says.
• Never begin with "Ever since I was 'x' years old …." That's just boring and probably insincere, Ms. Wissner-Gross says.
• Don't overly flatter the school, even if you have wanted to go there forever. "Never write, 'I want to go to Yale, because it is the best.' They don't need to hear that," Ms. Wissner-Gross says.
• If it is painful to write, it probably is painful to read. "A great essay should be as much fun as telling your best friend a story," Ms. Wissner-Gross says.

Thinking of using a gimmick to get your essay noticed? Don't. A pink application might have worked for Elle Woods in "Legally Blonde," but it won't work for you. Neither will sending cookies to the admissions office or writing an essay on a roll of paper towels. With the advent of the computerized common application, there are fewer chances for gimmicks these days, Ms. Wissner-Gross says.

No matter what the story, it should be well-written. And it should go without saying it should be self-written. Ms. Taylor says she has seen essays sent off with a parent's secretary's initials at the bottom. That's a sure way to kill the applicant's chances.

Andrew Flagel, dean of admissions at George Mason University in Fairfax, says "cutting and pasting" is one of the most common errors applicants make.

"There is no reason to believe there is a better essay out there," he says. "The idea that someone else got in with [that essay] increases the chances you will be found out. Every so often we get an essay that is lifted directly from a book. The best essays are the well-written essays. All those things your English teachers have been beating into your head, well, it turns out they were true."

Mr. Flagel says while the application essay is necessary, the importance of the essay may be overblown.

"Essays are a great opportunity for students to tell us about themselves," he said. "But if you look at most competitive colleges, it is clear the vast majority of the decision is made on the academic record. Next most important is test scores. After that is a group that includes the essay, extracurriculars and recommendations. Most people think the process is very complicated and easy to predict. Actually, it is very simple and nearly impossible to predict."

School Daze

Overwhelmed by the daunting task of finding the perfect college? A little homework will save your sanity.

KELSY TRUMBLE, an 18-year-old from Centreville, Virginia, will be the first in her family to attend college, so choosing a school was monumental for both her and her parents. "The whole process can be so daunting if you haven’t gone through it," says her mother, Lex Trumble. Lex thought the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, would be the perfect school for Kelsy. But it wasn’t until Kelsy stepped foot on the campus that she agreed with her mom. "It’s like I fit in as soon as I got there," Kelsy says. "It was just so perfect. Everything clicked." She was admitted last December and plans to start there this fall. "She’s been 10 feet off the ground ever since," says Lex.

This fall, a whole new class of high school seniors will embark on a journey filled with angst, excitement, and anticipation: trying to find a college that is not only a perfect fit but is likely to admit them as well. As they plow through college guides and surf the Internet to check out one website after another, there’s a central element that goes a long way toward helping a student discover which school is their best destination, and it’s called the college visit. "No student should enroll in a school that they have not visited," says Lisa Sohmer, a member of the board of directors for the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). "The way to touch it and feel it is not from a brochure," adds John Boshoven, a counselor for continuing education at Community High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and author of the book College Admissions: From Chaos to Control. A college visit can cue students in on everything from classes to the campus buildings to the surrounding town to the type of food served in the cafeteria.

College visits carry their own stresses, though, and can be overwhelming experiences for those who are embarking on them for the first time. Here’s how to make the most of your visits:

When should I start visiting colleges? Patrick O’Connor, director of college counseling for the Roeper School in Birmingham, Michigan, and author of College Is Yours in 600 Words or Less, suggests that students head to campuses that are an hour or two away as early as their sophomore year of high school in order to get a sense of what they are like and to witness the differences between small and large schools. Most visits take place throughout a student’s junior year.

How many colleges should I visit? "You can make yourself crazy by trying to visit every campus on the planet," says Judith Hingle, a career connections specialist at Fairfax County Public Schools in Fairfax, Virginia. She says it’s fine to visit only a few schools, but make sure they represent a variety -- small and large, urban and rural -- so the student understands the general differences. Work with a high school admissions counselor to narrow your list down to the number of schools you feel you can manage to visit, which may be anywhere from five to 10. You can search for campuses to visit by developing a list of top-priority qualities you’re looking for in a school; then, determine which colleges best satisfy those criteria and go to those. It’s also worthwhile to consider colleges that you stand the best chance of gaining admission to. Setting your heart on an incredibly selective school that’s unlikely to accept you doesn’t make sense. It’s okay to visit schools that are located relatively close together at the same time, though you shouldn’t see more than two a day, Sohmer says. She also suggests taking photos when you’re on campus, including of the college’s name, which will later help you distinguish the schools when they begin to blur together. If it’s too expensive to visit a school you think might be the perfect one, speak with the college’s admissions office about the school.

How much time should I spend at each college? Experts say that ideally, it’s important to spend a day at each school in order to get a true sense of what the campus is like.

How should I prepare in advance? Students should take the lead and contact the admissions office of each university to set up meetings such as an informational session and a campus tour. Admissions offices can also arrange for you to sit in on a class in a subject that interests you. Sabena Moretz, associate director of admission of the University of Richmond in Virginia, says students should do their homework before heading out, including spending time on the school’s website and taking advantage of social networks so that they will be prepared to ask the right questions.

What happens once I get there? First, you’ll start with the official engagements. The college tour "sets the tone," O’Connor says. It’s the college showing you what they care about. Then, take some time to see the campus on your own. "The tour guides will give you the script, but the students are going to tell it like it is," says Bev Taylor, director of the Ivy Coach, a New York–based college-consulting company. Visit the buildings, including the dorms. And don’t hesitate to knock on someone’s door and ask to see his or her room. David Hawkins, director of public policy for NACAC, says it’s helpful to seek out someone from your hometown who’s attending the school so that you can get more than just an official perspective. Eat your meals in the cafeteria so you can check out the student scene. Shawn Abbott, director of admissions for Stanford University in California, says talking to students informally is a good idea. And Boshoven goes a step further and suggests you seek out those who look unhappy or are alone in order to get the unofficial take on the school. Stop in at local hangouts like coffee shops to get a sense of what the surrounding town is like. Hingle also suggests looking at more informal channels of information like bulletin boards on campus, student newspapers, and student gathering places such as the student union and the bookstore.

What role should parents have on these visits? The parents should be quiet advisers. "This is the child’s next home, so they should take the lead in trying to find out if this is the right home for them," O’Connor says. He asks that parents lag behind on the campus tour in order to give their child the opportunity to ask questions of the tour guide. Or parents could attend a separate tour so they can ask their own questions. Either way, students should do the talking and be in control of what they see, hear, and ask.

What’s the best way to wrap up a visit? Parents should give their child an empty notebook in which to write down impressions of each school. At the end of every college visit, when everyone gets in the car, parents should wait until after the child has finished recording those impressions to talk together about the experience. This will ensure that parents don’t unduly influence the process, Moretz says. Through it all, remember to try to have fun, and enjoy each other as a family. "Look what they’re ready for and celebrate that, because the child is about to move away. The march is on toward that, so just try to soak it up," Moretz says.

Harvard Applications Soar With High School Anxiety

Getting admitted to Harvard College or another selective university in the U.S. is likely to grow more difficult this year because of a record number of applicants, many attracted by financial aid.

More than 29,000 students applied to Harvard, a 5.6 percent increase, breaking last year’s record of 27,462, the Cambridge, Massachusetts, school said yesterday. Almost 78 percent of the applicants are seeking financial aid, compared with 73 percent a year ago, school officials said.

Duke University in Durham, North Carolina; Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge; Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island; and Stanford University near Palo Alto, California, reported growth of 10 percent or more in undergraduate applications. Anxiety about winning a place in college is prompting students to apply to more schools than before, said Bev Taylor, a college counselor in New York.

"They say, ‘I'm just going to apply to one more school," Taylor said yesterday in a telephone interview. ‘What it comes down to is, they’re so worried they won’t get in anywhere. It’s a realistic fear of many 17-year-olds, and they’re trying to improve their chances."

The ease of submitting online applications and the willingness of more colleges to accept a common form are helping to push the increase in applicants, said Taylor, who works with about 30 students a year.

At Mamaroneck High School in New York State’s Westchester County, the number of schools to which students are applying has increased during the last five years, said Bob Sweeney, one of eight guidance counselors. Students are now applying to seven to 10 schools each, up from about five to seven, he said.

‘Hedging Bets’

"Part of the reason is kids are hedging their bets," Sweeney said yesterday in a telephone interview. "They’re not sure."

MIT’s applications rose 17 percent, said Stuart Schmill, dean of admissions.

"I think that there is a higher consciousness about the financial-aid opportunities at places like MIT, and so more students recognize that we are a viable option for them," he said. "I also think that with the economy as it is, students may be applying to more places to be able to compare costs."

Even before the latest surge in student interest, Harvard rejected 93 percent of its undergraduate applicants for the class that entered last year, the highest rate in its 372-year history.

Eyes on Aid

Princeton University’s applications rose 2.3 percent, to 21,869, the New Jersey school said today in a statement. Seventy-five percent of students seeking entry applied for financial aid, up from 70 percent a year ago, Princeton said. The scholarship budget is projected to grow 13 percent, to $104 million.

Marlyn McGrath, director of admissions for Harvard College, the undergraduate arm of Harvard University, said one reason for this year’s rise in applicants is that students want a chance to get financial-aid packages.

Harvard’s aid program requires no contribution from families with annual incomes below $60,000, and about 10 percent of income from families earning as much as $180,000.

"For many families, applying to Harvard is attractive because it represents a very good value for their money," McGrath said in a telephone interview yesterday. "Today, that may be more important than ever."

Stanford received 30,348 regular applications, up 20 percent from last year, said Shawn Abbott, director of admissions.

Brown, Duke

Brown attracted 24,900 applicants, 21 percent more than last year, said James Miller, the dean of admission, in a telephone interview yesterday.

Duke received 23,780 applications for this year, including 1,535 early-decision applications, said Christoph Guttentag, Duke’s dean of undergraduate admissions. Overall, the school saw a 17 percent increase from last year, the largest rise in at least five decades, he said.

Given the state of the economy and the cost of private colleges, which can run $50,000 annually, the increase is applications is surprising, Guttentag said.

"If anybody had said in August that they were going to experience of the most significant downturns in 100 years and at the same time see double-digit increases in applications, nobody would have believed it," he said in a phone interview yesterday.

"I don’t think anybody expected a change or increase of this magnitude."

Manage College-Application Anxiety

For many high-school seniors, fall is a time fraught with college applications, interviews and campus tours.

For students, it's also a time of unknowns: how will they afford school, can they get into their top choice, will they be happy once they get there?

Advice is everywhere. Kids can plug their test scores into online college "calculators" to run the odds of getting into competitive schools.

They can seek suggestions on sites like College Confidential, where students trade angst and wisdom. Or they can pay a professional coach; the number of kids with private counselors has doubled in the past five years, according to the Independent Educational Consultants Association.

The tough part, other than actually getting into college, is figuring out which tips to listen to and which to ignore.

We've asked college counselors, admissions officials and current college freshmen to take a stab at some frequent questions.

1 How will we pay for it?
Advice: Some private colleges with higher sticker prices may end up offering more financial aid, so they would ultimately cost less than public universities, says Steven Roy Goodman, an educational consultant in Washington. He says you should apply first and make decisions about affordability later: "This is the time of year to go fishing."
Katherine Cohen, co-founder of ApplyWise.com, an online college counseling program, says students might consider finishing college in three years instead of four by using credits from Advanced Placement exams or by taking community-college classes during the summer.

She also suggests that students consider moving to less expensive off-campus housing, or eat breakfast in their dorm rooms so they'll only pay for a two-a-day meal plan.

2 Is this school the right fit?
Advice: Tina Bu never visited New York City or talked with students before enrolling at Columbia University. Now a freshman, she says the school can be intense and stressful. The student from Greenville, S.C., says she was so flattered by the university's offer, she barely paused to consider how she would feel once she got there.

If high schoolers don't have time or money to visit a college, then they should seek out current students through the admissions office or via Facebook to get an idea of campus life, Ms. Bu says.
She urges a healthy dose of realism: "Try not to believe all the propaganda that colleges send out," she says. "They're full of superlatives."

3 How do we know when the application is finally done?
Advice: Harry Kisker, a college counselor at the Branson School in Ross, Calif., says students and their parents can read an application so many times that their eyes glaze over by the final proofreading.

At that point, he recommends students read the essay backward, from the last paragraph to the first, because it's sometimes easier to spot errors when looking at the page in a new way.

Not every question requires an answer, says Bev Taylor, founder of the Ivy Coach, a New York counseling service.

For instance, she says, some colleges ask applicants to list all the other schools to which they've applied -- which Ms. Taylor believes can hurt an applicant if the college concludes the student is treating it as a safety school. She suggests skipping the question.

She also urges the children of business executives to leave out titles like "CEO" when applications ask for parents' occupations because she believes students may put themselves at a disadvantage if they appear highly privileged.

4 Can you go too far showing a college it's your top pick?
Advice: Hank Herman, who wrote the book "Accept My Kid, Please! A Dad's Descent into College Application Hell," about his son's college-application experience, says he urged his child to write weekly emails to Emory University in Atlanta expressing his enthusiasm for the school.

It was only when Mr. Herman attended a presentation to parents and high schoolers by an Emory official that he realized his error. "One of the first things the admissions representative said was, 'It's very good we're getting 80,000 emails, but we're basically not reading them.' "

Stu Schmill, dean of admissions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, agrees that email campaigns and other gimmicks won't work. "We try to really look at students' long-term potential," he says. "It's not about the flash of an application."

5 How do you get excited about a school that wasn't your first choice?
Advice: Mr. Goodman suggests students imagine themselves in the college dining hall and then ask if they see themselves feeling comfortable and happy.

Similar visualization exercises worked for Kristin Drouin. Initially, she was so blasé about Macalester College that she threw her acceptance letter on the floor after she read it. But then she researched the school and started picturing herself there.

The open-minded effort worked. Now a freshman at the college in St. Paul, Minn., she says, "I'm 100 percent happy."

Thinking Outside the Harvard Box

Once upon a time, every prospective college student dreamed of attending either Oxford or Harvard. Fortunately, high school students are realizing that the ideal college experience is more about finding the right fit with a university – a place where individual interests and a school’s strengths overlap perfectly.

Throw in the added factor of applying from overseas, however, and things become even trickier. The students at the international schools in Beijing – generally either local students applying as international students to colleges overseas or expat students who return to their home countries for university – must pinpoint their personal and academic interests and sell their strengths as applicants. Of course, they also have to spin their experience in Beijing to their advantage.

Pinpointing your strengths
Self-knowledge is one of the most desirable traits that applicants can have, as it suggests they will be focused and dedicated in their academic studies. Ray Jiang, a Chinese senior at BCIS, at first found the International Baccalaureate curriculum difficult, as English was not her first language. But she soon discovered that she had exceptional artistic talents. She’s currently applying to the Corcoran art school in the US, but hopes to gain admission to Georgetown to major in studio art. Likewise, Lisa Goller, who graduated from the German School last year, always had a clear view of what she wanted to study: psychology. "I want to go into research or into therapy," she says. "Everything surrounding the brain is just fascinating."
Taiwanese American Jeff Chang, a senior at ISB, has always wanted to study engineering and aims to gain admission to the engineering programs at MIT and Stanford.

Expect the Unexpected
Sometimes, even though all seems to go as planned, the thick envelope never arrives. Jo Ranson, director of studies at Harrow, recalls a star student who failed to gain admission into Oxford. "She was an all-star all the way, very confident and phenomenal in literature. She spoke many different languages, and I’m sure she did well in her interview, but she didn’t get in," Ranson says. "You never know."

Goller also had to contend with unexpected disappointments, as her first round of applications to programs in Germany were rejected.

"I didn’t work hard enough to push up my Abitur," (the German equivalent of grade point average and exam scores combined) says Goller. As an alternative, she is currently applying to a university outside of Amsterdam, and must learn Dutch to take courses there. Most students equip themselves with a safety school, sometimes applying to as many as 15 universities.

Timothy Xun, a senior at Yew Chung International School, hopes to defer all of his acceptances for two years, as he must enter the national service in Singapore. "I know the Singaporeans will allow me to defer, no questions asked, but I’m pretty sure the London School of Economics won’t," Xun says.

Finding the Right Place
In addition to deciding whether they want their college experience to be an urban or rural one, international students also have to pick their countries. After two years in Beijing, Emily Cedargren is ready to return to the US. "I really miss home," she says. "I have a huge sense of pride for the States; it’s just a feeling you get."

Sometimes the choice is not so easy. For years Jiang has planned to attend university in the US, and although she likes the American college system and finds most Americans friendly, she’s still torn. "I don’t want to leave Beijing," says Jiang. "I think it’s the most wonderful city in this world, and after four years, I will come back."

Standing Out
It’s no secret that a number of colleges, especially in the US, receive thousands of strong applications from Chinese students. So how does a student impress an admissions committee?
"Highly selective colleges have a certain number of international students that they accept in a given year, so students from China compete against other students from China," says Bev Taylor, president of The Ivy Coach, a college admissions advisory service based in New York City.

Admission is particularly tough for Chinese students who apply from a pool of talented individuals; excelling in rigorous courses and earning high scores in standardized exams might not be enough.

"A student who is involved in math or science research, and has been playing the violin and/or piano since the age of 5 is just one example of the typical Chinese profile," Taylor says. "On the other hand, if the student is an accomplished violinist, circling the globe to perform concerts and benefits, that student might be seen in a different light."

One alternate route is to look beyond the Ivy League. Parents and students usually only consider the top ten or 20 colleges in the US News & World Report rankings. "Then they make gaining admission even more difficult by choosing colleges in urban settings and where there exists a preponderance of Asian students," says Taylor. In other words, don’t apply where every other Chinese student wants to go.

As for students who are applying for admission back in their home countries, they can use their international experience to their advantage by writing about their unique perspectives in their personal statements.

The Aftermath
Even after the acceptance letters have arrived, students still have to deliver good grades in their final term. "Acceptance is often conditional on a student’s final scores," says Alex Murchie, 6th form head at Harrow.

Although the admissions process can be tough, most students end up happy with their decisions, even if plans don’t go as expected. The star student from Harrow who didn’t get into Oxford? A gap year as an intern at a law firm rejuvenated her desire for knowledge, and she now attends University College London, which she loves. As for the German School’s Goller, she’s actually relieved she won’t be attending university in Germany. "I’m grateful I’ve had the chance to go to another country," she says. "It’s not that I don’t like it, but I don’t feel like I can relate to Germans the same way anymore."

So keep those heads up and keep at it. Don’t worry: Everything will work out in the end. "People tell you, ‘Do this now, take this test now, write this down now,’" says Cedargren. "Just take it step by step."

Lisa Goller
Age: 19
Nationality: Germany
School: German Embassy School
Abitur: 2.5 out of 4 (1 is the highest)
Top choice: Enschede in the Netherlands
Expected major: Psychology

Top quality: Steadfast determination. Despite earlier setbacks, Goller is hopeful and excited about finally concentrating on her passion, psychology. "I would be such a great psychologist – this is really the one thing that I want to do. If I don’t get in, I’ll keep trying so hard to study this."

Goller first applied to psychology programs in Germany, and although her Abitur score, 2.5, falls in the middle of the spectrum, she has had to abandon hopes of studying in Germany. "My Chinese classmates work the hardest, and they really earn their grades. The irony of life – my Chinese classmates get accepted into German universities immediately, but I am German and I have to go abroad to study." She is studying Dutch so she can take classes in the Netherlands.

Samantha Hu
Age: 17
Nationality: China
School: Harrow
A-Level grades: Chinese(A), Music(C), Math(B), Geography(A), Economics(B), Performing Arts(C)
Top choice: Cambridge or Harvard
Safety schools: Boston University and Nottingham
Expected major: International Relations
Extracurriculars: Hu had the lead role in two school productions and is lead soprano for the school choir
Top quality: Hu wrote a novel. She channeled the emotional turmoil of her transition to international schools and the death of her cousin into a Chinese book, Bury the Flowers (?? Hua Ji), due out this month from China She Hui Publications. "My primary motivation was to write something that would record me and my cousin’s life," says Hu. "Our life is really different from that of other Chinese students. I wrote as myself and as my cousin, because I really remember how he was."

Although Hu is applying to dozens of schools, including New York University, Stanford, UCLA, Warwick, and Durham, she prefers Cambridge or the Ivy League schools. "If everybody at university is really good, then I’m the kind of person that will be motivated to catch up. I want to get into a good university to be pushed," says Hu.

Simon Frank
Age: 17
Nationality: Canada
School: International School of Beijing
GPA: 3.9 out of 4.8 (estimate in the ISB system)
Top choice: McGill University, University of Toronto
Safety school: Carlton College
Expected major: Geography or Urban Studies
Extracurriculars: Managing editor of school newspaper; cross country running; competes in forensics, a type of public speaking competition
Top quality: Frank’s music. He sings and plays keyboard in two bands: Hot and Cold with his brother in Canada, and Speak Chinese or Die, a Beijing band that includes Zhang Shouwang, the Carsick Cars guitarist. "Taking things out of context and applying them to music – I think that’s when exciting stuff happens in music and art," says Frank.

After living in Manila, Beijing, Hong Kong and New Delhi, Frank wants to head back to his native Canada for university since he lived there when he was 9 to 11 years old. "My goal in life isn’t to make tons of money," says Frank. "I can’t identify when my friends tell me they’re going into management or business."

Timothy Ng Rui Xun
Age: 17
Nationality: Singapore
School: Yew Chung International School
GPA: 6 out of 7 (IB program)
Top choice: London School of Economics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, or Hong Kong University
Safety school: National University of Singapore
Expected major: Economics and Finance
Extracurriculars: Badminton, volleyball, basketball, soccer; student leadership team; plays cello for the school orchestra.
Top Quality: Leadership experience. "I was a prefect in my previous school and we were basically playing the role of the student council, helping to maintain discipline and doing administration in the school that had 2,500 students," he says. "That gives me a unique experience that other international students wouldn’t have." 

Timothy Xun hopes to defer college because he has two years of mandatory national service in Singapore. But because he’s always wanted to study in the UK, Xun may apply to the London School of Economics, which does not allow deferrals, after his national service.

Emily Cedargren
Age: 17
Nationality: US
School: Western Academy of Beijing
GPA: 6 out of 7 (IB program)
SAT: 1850 out of 2400
Top choice: University of Kentucky
Safety school: Ball State University
Expected major: Journalism
Extracurriculars: Varsity rugby, basketball and soccer; plays French horn in the school band.
Top quality: "I have a real passion for history," says Cedargren. "I’m not into wars and dates but I’m into how life was lived and what was used and why, and I have experience working in a museum."

With an interest in sports journalism and history, Cedargren chose the University of Kentucky because it’s close to her home. It’s also close to many living history museums; she spent one summer volunteering at one where she reenacted life from the 1800s.

Jeffrey Chang
Age: 17
Nationality: US
School: International School of Beijing
GPA: 4.43 out of 4.8 (ISB’s system)
SATs: 2250 out of 2400
SATIIs: Math IIC, 800; Physics, 800; Chemistry, 760
Top choice: MIT, Stanford and the University of California at Berkeley
Safety schools: University of Michigan and University of California at San Diego
Expected major: Engineering
Extracurriculars: School newspaper, Model United Nations, treasurer for Habitat for Humanity
Top Quality: His scores. He received near-perfect scores on his SAT IIs, and he skipped a grade in math.

Even with stellar grades, Jeffrey Chang describes himself as a nonconformist who tries to enjoy non-mainstream films and books. "I tell universities who I am, not trying to over-embellish my records with countless extracurricular activities and such," says Chang.

Ray Jiang
Age: 17
Nationality: China
School: Beijing City International School
GPA: 5.5 out of 7 (IB program)
Top choice: Georgetown University
Safety school: Corcoran College of Art and Design
Expected major: Studio Art, Photography
Top quality: Her talent for art. "It’s interesting to see how people change and cope with this world," says Jiang. "I love how photography is deliberate; you might not know why someone took a photo, but you know it’s beautiful."

Jiang knew she had to find a way to stand out as an applicant from China, so she decided to change her life. She quit school at Grade 9 to pursue golfing professionally, although she was a novice. Upon realizing the sport was not for her, she returned to school a year later, this time attending an international school. She looks forward to attending school in the US. "American colleges are quite different," says Jiang, "because even if you don’t have good scores, they still give you a chance to show your talent."

Admissions Officers are People, Too

Overall, well-played, Lukasz, even if getting into 17 selective colleges is totally trophy-hunting.

Once you’ve taken the SATs, written your essays, requested recommendations and mailed your applications, you’ll probably do a happy dance—and say, "It’s out of my hands, now."  False. 

You should play an active role in your application process until you hear the college’s final decision. Admissions officers are not faceless computers, they’re people. They have personalities, information, and e-mail addresses. Many, in fact, are so eager to talk to high school students that they visit schools and neighborhoods to run information sessions and college fairs.

Admissions officers want to admit good students as much as you want them to admit you.  So what does that mean? Cue bold, italics, and underline: Contact admissions officers at the schools you want to attend. 

Why Contact Admissions Officers?
There are two reasons to speak with admissions officers over e-mail and in person. First, they’re great resources. Second, they may consider their personal interactions with applicants when making admissions decisions.
Choosing a college is a big deal, so you should hoard information about the schools you’re considering. Don’t forget that just as admissions committees are making decisions about you, you are deciding whether you want to attend their schools.

Brad Flora, who worked as an admissions officer at Princeton University from 2004 to 2006, emphasized that admissions officers are excellent resources for high school students choosing between colleges.  "Students spend so much time fixated on, ‘will they take me or will they not?’ that they forget that they have some bargaining power," Flora said. "You need to have as much information as possible at your disposal in order to make that decision."

The second reason—speaking with admissions officers can make you a more favorable candidate—is a little more controversial. Some college counselors believe that reaching out to admissions officers is crucial. Bev Taylor, founder and director of an independent college consulting firm called The Ivy Coach, tells her clients to maintain contact with regional representatives of the schools they’re applying to. "Sometimes it’s too early for a student to even know that they’re interested in that particular college, but it’s really important for students to meet these people and then follow through," Taylor said. "Keep that dialogue going. That’s really important."

She explained that admissions officers are much more likely to recommend an applicant if they can match a face and a personal interaction with the paper submission. "Admissions counselors are human," she said. They’re likely to favor candidates they are familiar with over candidates they have never spoken to. "They’re told by their committee they can select one. One person they know; the other they don’t. I just think it’s always in the student’s best interest to get to know the geographic representative from admissions."

Other college counselors think that while personal interactions with admissions counselors can help you, they are not of utmost importance. Evan Bailyn, the CEO and founder of The Penn Group, a college consulting company, estimates that five to 10 percent of an applicant’s chances are rooted in these communications. "It’s definitely a good idea. It’s not nearly as important as other things, like your test scores or your essay," Bailyn said.

According to Flora, Princeton’s admissions committee tried not to be influenced strongly by personal interactions with applicants so as to concentrate on these more vital factors.  "At Princeton, it wouldn’t have a whole lot of impact," Flora said. "There were students that sent me a handwritten, hand-stamped card and I certainly remembered those students, and I thought it was funny."  These students, Flora said, often got an extra second or two in committee discussions, but officers’ interactions with students never radically shifted their decisions. "There were other factors that were much more central," Flora said. "Still, an extra second is an extra second."

Even though Princeton admissions officers don’t choose candidates based on personal communications, said Flora, speaking to admissions officers never damages an applicant’s chances. "I met thousands and thousands of youngsters, and I would either remember them or not remember them," Flora said. "But I rarely remembered someone poorly."

Bari Meltzer Norman, a former Admissions Officer at Barnard College/Columbia University and currently the Director of Expert Admissions, a college consulting company, explained that an interaction alone will not convince an admissions officer to accept one student over another. But the information applicants glean from interactions with admissions officers likely will strengthen their applications and indirectly boost their admissions chances.

"It’s not going to help you just because you spoke to them," Norman said. "You write a better application the more information you have about a school and the better sense you have of a place."

How to Contact Admissions Officers: What to Do, and What Not to Do
Often, admissions officers hold information sessions or attend college fairs to attract applicants. The most effective way to build relationships with admissions officers is to attend these programs, either at your high school or in your community, and speak to the admissions officers. Their purpose is to advertise their college, so they will stay around as long as high school students are there.

In addition to speaking to admissions officers at college events, e-mail them updates on your achievements, even if the information is being sent to the school. E-mails will draw attention to your accomplishments and remind officers about your application, according to Taylor. Also e-mail questions about the school to continually build your store of information.

There are several mistakes to avoid when contacting admissions officers.  First, e-mail admissions officers enough to maintain their attention, but not so much that your interactions become petty. E-mailing about what you "had for breakfast," said Taylor, is not effective. "At Princeton, the idea of being a self-starter was really important to us," Flora said. "We want to hear about something you’ve done that may be a little different." 
Second, do not ask questions that you could easily find on a school’s website. Do a little research beforehand—your questions should reflect well on you in addition to garnering information about the school. "You don’t need to have encyclopedic knowledge of the school you’re visiting—no one expects that—but you should have a few questions prepared," Flora advised.
Third, remember that you, not your parents, are the applicant. College admissions officers are not impressed when students are mute and their parents take charge.  "That is probably one of the worst things a student can do, is have Mommy or Daddy call on the student’s behalf," Taylor said. She recommended that parents who feel they must contact the admissions office do so anonymously.

"It’s not so much the parents doing too much as the parents filling a void that the students create," Flora said.

Finally, be confident and pleasant, but don’t brag.  "The same thing that makes you get along well with anybody will go into your interactions with your admissions officer," Bailyn said. "They’re looking for people that are upstanding, and nobody likes kissing up. Nobody likes a bragger."

The Bottom Line
Communications with admissions officers are not nearly as important as your grades, your recommendation letters, your essays or your test scores. But talking to officers will rarely damage your application and might make you a more memorable candidate. Remember, you have to decide on a school, too, and admissions officers can help you make a thorough decision—and give you the tools to write a strong application.

Acing Your Application

There are 37,000 high schools in the United States. That means 37,000 valedictorians a year, or two-and-a-half times the number of open spots at Ivy League universities. So it's no surprise that those colleges turn down perfect-on-paper students all the time.

"In fact, colleges are proud to say, 'We rejected a thousand students who had perfect scores'," says Bev Taylor of the admissions coaching firm the Ivy Coach. It boosts a school's rankings in the press and its allure as an elite institution.

If not perfection, just what is it that elite colleges want to see on a college application? Firms like the Ivy Coach ($46,000 for the unlimited service, or $950 an hour) and IvyWise (from $1,000 and up) have made a business out of answering that question.

In Pictures: How To Ace Your College Application

These firms walk students through all the tricks of the trade, from who should write their letters of recommendation (junior-year teachers of core courses like English and math) to how many extracurricular activities students should have on their résumés (fewer than you might think).

"Not everybody needs an independent counselor," admits IvyWise Chief Executive Katherine Cohen, "but it is essential to get some kind of advice. Hundreds of thousands of students are getting little to no counseling." The ratio of high school seniors to on-staff high school guidance counselors in the United States is about 500 to one, and most counselors don't focus exclusively on getting kids into college.

The most important thing applicants can do on their own is research the schools they are interested in. What academic programs are particularly strong? In sports, where does the school excel, where does it want to get stronger and what have its recruiting patterns been recently? A nationally ranked tennis player would normally have a distinct advantage at a school that is actively recruiting for its tennis team. But an admissions office that gave its tennis coach four-star players the year before will not be very interested in an applicant's tennis ability in the current year.

The interview process varies from school to school as well, and it can be either informational or intended to evaluate the student. Some small schools like Bard College require interviews, but New York University doesn't even offer them, says Cohen. "The smaller the school, the more important the interview." Students should practice for evaluative interviews and consider skipping optional interviews if they don't come across well in person.

Another consideration is the oft-neglected field on the application labeled "Possible Area of Academic Concentration"--a student's intended major. The most common answer to this question is "undecided," and while joining the ranks of the undecided may not hurt an applicant, it won't help either. If a school has an unusual or new major, it's probably looking for students to fill it, so expressing interest might tilt the scales in a student's favor. Conversely, applicants should avoid listing a school's most common majors (English and psychology usually rank near the top), as this could lower their chances.

There will always be some elements beyond the applicant's control: underrepresented minorities get an edge at most private colleges in the name of diversity, many universities give legacies a boost, and at a number of top schools, females outnumber males, putting them at a disadvantage in the application process.

But there's plenty that applicants can control. Perfect test scores may be out of reach, but a student can still create the perfect application.

Step By Step: Acing Your Application

Extracurricular Activities
Myth: The more extracurriculars, the better.

Truth: Admissions officers are looking to build a well-rounded class, not a class of well-rounded students. Colleges want students who are passionate and excel at what they do, even if they aren't involved in everything. Activities that show leadership and dedication to community look particularly good on an application.

GPA
Myth: Grades speak for themselves.

Truth: Out of context, grade point average (GPA) means very little. For one, admissions officers pay attention to the difficulty of classes--getting Bs in hard classes will look better than getting As in easy ones. Secondly, admissions officers consistently work with the same geographic areas over time so they can get to know local high schools and watch for grade inflation. Admissions officers also like to compare class rank with GPA, though many high schools have eliminated this measurement.

Intended Major
Myth: You need to know your major when you apply.

Truth: The most popular major among applicants is "undecided." Most colleges, especially liberal arts schools, don't expect incoming students to know what they want to study. If a school just started offering a major, however, it will probably be looking for students to fill it. Conversely, declaring a major that is too popular might even hurt an applicant.

High School
Myth: You need to attend an elite private high school to get into a good college.

Truth: Colleges want high enrollment from underrepresented minorities and first- generation college students, who tend to come from public schools. So even though some private schools are thought of as feeders to top universities, applicants from public schools who have worked hard and have good grades are even more desirable. Colleges also consider the relationships they have built with high schools. If students from a particular high school have excelled at a college in the past, the college will be more likely to accept more students from that high school.

Legacies
Myth: Legacy doesn't matter.

Truth: The official policy of many colleges is that familial ties only marginally affect admission, but the fact is having a parent who attended the school--especially one who donates money--makes a big difference. A 2004 study by two Princeton professors found that having legacy status is equivalent to a 160-point boost on the SAT. Former Harvard president Lawrence Summers has said, "Legacy admissions are integral to the kind of community that any private educational institution is."

List of Schools
Myth: You must list the other schools where you are applying.

Truth: Don't lie, but avoid the question if you can. Colleges don't want to admit students who aren't going to matriculate. It lowers their yield ratio--one of the statistics used in many annual college rankings. If the admissions office thinks you are likely to enroll elsewhere, it is less likely to accept you. College admissions coach Bev Taylor says none of her students have ever been penalized for not answering the question, so she advises them to steer clear of it.

Interview
Myth: You don't need to interview.

Truth: When possible, students should take advantage of interviews as a chance to share parts of themselves that didn't fit in the application. Depending on the school, interviews are optional, recommended or required. They can also be either informational or evaluative. Students should practice for evaluative interviews, and consider skipping them only if they don't come across well in person.

Standardized Tests
Myth: The SATs and the ACTs are the same.

Truth: It is true that colleges will accept scores from either test and consider them equally. But different types of students tend to do better on different tests. The student who does better on ACT, says college admissions coach Bev Taylor, is the overachiever--a hard worker with good grades who doesn't do as well on standardized tests. On the other hand, a naturally intuitive student who may not have high grades may fare better on the SAT. Taylor recommends students take both SAT and ACT practice-tests and see which score is higher.

Sports Recruiting
Myth: Athletes are always advantaged.

Truth: An athlete's edge depends what the school is looking for that year. While the admissions office may offer to help the track team one season, it could be focused on the lacrosse team the next. Even the best swimmer may have trouble currying favor at a school that admitted a lot of swim recruits the year before. Just because you're the first choice for a coach doesn't mean you're at the top of the dean of admissions' list.

Financial Aid
Myth: Admissions offices are need blind.

Truth: Most prestigious colleges now claim to use "need-blind admissions"--meaning they will accept students based on their merits without consideration of their financial situation. But college admissions coach Bev Taylor remains skeptical. "Don't believe it," says Taylor. "Some big-name schools say they're need blind, but what they say in public is not always the same as what goes on behind closed doors."

Letter of Recommendation
Myth: It doesn't matter who writes the letter of recommendation as long as it says good things.

Truth: Recommendations should be written by teachers of core courses from junior year of high school--English and math, not art and gym. Students should pick teachers from classes where they worked the hardest, not necessarily got the best grades.

Personal Essays
Myth: Essays will make or break you

Truth: The most subjective piece of the application, the essay has two functions: providing a sample of your writing and letting an admissions officer get to know you. But an essay won't compensate for bad grades. Harvard director of admissions Dr. Marlyn McGrath Lewis says, "We never base our decisions on essays. We read them carefully, but we understand how easily they can be purchased or written by anyone. They can certainly illuminate a case, but we'd be foolish to base our decisions on them."

Private School Rejects

At the prestigious Dalton School, on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, administrators can’t remember the last time a graduating senior class experienced a "Harvard drought." In the past, it wasn’t unusual for as many as seven students to be accepted through early admission to the top Ivy League institution, says a guidance counselor there. But for the first time in memory, inside sources say, no Dalton students will be shipping off to Harvard come fall. And some parents—who shell out $31,200 a year for their kids’ private school education—are pissed.

At Dalton’s graduation earlier this month, one mom was heard muttering, "I won’t send my grandchildren here, that’s for sure." Another frustrated parent says she "had to use personal connections" to get her Dalton-educated daughter, who had an A-minus average and near-perfect SAT scores, into Johns Hopkins this fall. She says: "The consensus is that the school took its eye off what it’s supposed to be about"—that is, getting kids into Ivy League schools or, more specifically, the holy trifecta of Harvard, Yale and Princeton. "One of the things I looked at in picking a high school is what kind of colleges the students got into," the parent continues. "But [Dalton] wasn’t focused on preparing these kids to get into college. The parents who trusted the school to do the job got screwed." Of course, Johns Hopkins—rated the 14th-best university in the country in ’08 by U.S. News & World Report—is hardly sloppy seconds. But the need to strive for the best is just another extreme example of the NYC helicopter-parent stereotype (that is, parents who hover over their children’s every move).

Among nine parents interviewed for this story, many say the Dalton guidance counselors "lowballed" students. "They encouraged one girl who later got into Brown to shoot for Syracuse University," says a disgruntled Dalton parent. Bev Taylor, the founder of the Ivy Coach (an independent college admissions counseling service), confirms that lowballing is common at prep schools, whose worst nightmare is having graduating seniors who haven’t been admitted to any college at all. "The last thing any school wants is for a graduating senior to not to get in anywhere," says Bev, who charges clients a flat rate of $46,000 for tutoring on how to get into the top colleges, and starts working with some students as early as the seventh grade. "Schools worry that parents would sue them, so they play it safe and lowball students who can probably get into more highly selective colleges."

While Dalton does not make its college admissions list public, administrators say they are pleased with how their students fared. "We focus on achieving the right match for each student," says head of school Ellen Stein. "We are proud of the fact that, once again, a very high percentage of our students were accepted at one of their top choices."

Dalton isn’t the only Manhattan prep school that won’t be represented in Harvard’s freshman class come fall. This year marks the first time in five years that no students from Marymount, a private school for girls on Fifth Avenue at East 84th Street, were admitted to Harvard—though, according to teachers at the school (who declined to give their names for this story), 10 girls from a graduating class of 49 applied. Last year, Marymount sent four students to Harvard from a graduating class of 44.

While high SAT scores and grade point averages, extracurricular activities and privileges such as a $46,000 private guidance counselor were once expected to guarantee admission to Ivy League schools, that’s not the case anymore. And for private schoolers who have grown up with their eyes on the Ivies, the idea of getting a good education at a less prestigious school is little comfort.

"My best friend had his heart set on Duke, but got rejected," says 18-year-old Tom Iadecola, who graduated from Dalton and will be attending Brown in the fall. "He’s going to Johns Hopkins, but people going to their backup schools, like Wesleyan or Hopkins, are acting like it’s a fate worse than death."

In recent years, the college admissions process has become more competitive than ever for both public and private school students across the country. The rates of admission at elite colleges dipped to record lows in ’08, with just 7.1 percent of Harvard applicants getting in, compared to 9 percent the year before. At Yale, the acceptance rate in ’08 was 8.5 percent, down from 9.9 percent in ’07.

This year wasn’t a wash for everyone. The Trinity School on the Upper West Side, with a graduating class of 107 students, is sending six students to Harvard, seven to Yale and two to Princeton. The Horace Mann School, with a graduating class of 173, is sending nine students to Yale, nine to Princeton and eight to Harvard (including Eliot Spitzer’s daughter, Elyssa). But "most people I know are not going to their first-choice schools," says one Horace Mann grad who was admitted to Cornell University only as a guaranteed transfer sophomore year, and will attend Syracuse in the fall. "A lot of my friends who expected Ivies are ending up at
Tulane and Vanderbilt instead."

Three factors are making college admissions more competitive than ever: First, there are a record 3.3 million high school students graduating in ’08, according to the federal Department of Education. Second, students are applying to a greater number of colleges. And third, universities are overhauling financial aid policies to make an Ivy League education more affordable to lower- and middle-income families.

As a result, it seems private schools are feeling the heat more than their public counterparts. "The Ivies are reaching out for a diverse economic background—even home-schooled students are becoming more of a thing," says one guidance counselor at a private school in Manhattan. "They are interested in first-generation college kids, and few privates have that. The Ivies are still good to legacies [children of alumni] if their alums have been good to them. But it’s getting harder for private school students because it’s getting fairer for the rest of the world."

"Our low-income initiative has repositioned us," agrees Marlyn McGrath, Harvard’s director of undergraduate admissions. Harvard, Princeton, Yale and other top-tier schools have replaced loans with grants in financial aid packages, which has encouraged students who wouldn’t have been able to afford the schools in the past to apply. "A lot of people are starting to think about Harvard when otherwise their state university might have been on the top of their list."

One local example of this brave new world is public school student Lukasz Zbylut, who just graduated from Brooklyn’s New Utrecht High School. After rejecting offers from 18 top colleges, including Yale, Princeton, Stanford and Dartmouth, he plans to attend Harvard University come fall. Lukasz’s parents are Polish immigrants, and his father works in construction in Brooklyn to support his wife and three children.

As if it wasn’t competitive enough already, Harvard is also admitting fewer students because of a housing shortage. According to Marlyn, the college received 27,472 applications for fall ’08, which represented a 20 percent increase in applicants at a time when it has reduced the size of its incoming freshman class for logistical reasons (there are fewer beds available this year because of rearrangements at the dormitories). In 2008, Harvard accepted 1,948 students, as compared to 2,058 the previous year.

Many guidance counselors at NYC private schools are trying to ease the tension surrounding the college admissions process by encouraging students to apply to schools that are a good fit for them, rather than just to the "brand-name" schools.

"But even so, a lot of New York parents have the ‘HYP or bust’ mentality," says college counselor Bev, referring to Harvard, Yale and Princeton.

Some parents fault the schools for putting a cap on the number of colleges students can apply to. "The schools limit you to eight colleges," says Louis Ekaireb, whose son, Austin, just graduated from Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School on the Upper West Side, and will be attending Washington University in St. Louis in the fall after getting accepted off the waiting list. "I was surprised—I thought, who are you to tell me [how many places] my son can apply to?"

While many parents want their kids to apply to as many Ivy League schools as possible to increase their chances of acceptance somewhere prestigious, guidance counselors often discourage students from applying to more than one of the premiere universities. "There’s a lot of jockeying that goes on with college advisors," says Victoria Goldman, author of The Manhattan Family Guide to Private Schools. "They’re brokering. You don’t need the same kid getting into Yale and Harvard and Princeton. At the Collegiate School [on the Upper West Side], they won’t send your transcript out to a second college if you get in somewhere early, even if the admission isn’t binding."

The number of graduating high school students is projected to decrease in 2015, and some colleges, including Yale, have announced plans to construct more dorms so they can admit more students in the future. But that’s little solace for current high school pupils. "It’s stressful for the kids in these prestigious private schools," says philanthropist Suzanne Cochran, whose youngest son, Robby, just graduated from the Trinity School and will be attending Duke University come fall. "At our pre-prom cocktail party, everyone was still hoping to do better by getting in off the wait list. There are just tons of kids still on wait lists." Harvard University, in fact, is still accepting students off its waiting list, dragging on the uncertainty and tension of the college admissions process well into the summer. "It’s becoming more of a global process, too, which is making it harder for everyone, and harder for private school students," says Victoria. "It might be the most competitive thing next to the Olympics."

Did This College Admissions' Junkie Play Fair?

To most people, applying to 18 colleges probably sounds like overkill. But, not to Lukasz Zbylut, of Brooklyn, N.Y., who was accepted to all seven Ivy League schools, as well as top-notch institutions like Stanford and New York University to rack up a total of 17 college choices. (The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) sent his single rejection letter.) And, while he chose Harvard as his destination for the fall, he said no to 16 schools that most high school seniors only dream of applying to , let alone attending.

While Zbylut, who is the valedictorian of his class at New Utrecht High School, and a Polish immigrant who came to this country five years ago and taught himself English, accomplished a dream and bragging rights, he may have inadvertently crushed the hopes of others like him around the country.

According to Bev Taylor, an independent college consultant with The Ivy Coach, since Zbylut was offered a place at each of the schools, he took that offer away from other students with dreams to attend one of the many schools on his list. She says, "That's why it is so unfair for kids to do something like this without doing their homework first."

It is no secret that college admissions are becoming more competitive every year, prompting students to apply to a wide number of schools in hopes of gaining acceptance to at least one. But, a little research and help from counselors would have narrowed Zyblut's search and opened up space for other students.

Taylor says that Zyblut is a college admissions officer's dream. "He's a first generation to attend college and his parents are blue collar workers. Admissions counselors were probably looking for ways to accept him even before they read through his entire application." Therefore, he and his counselors should've known he would get into these schools and narrowed his applications to schools that he had a real intention of attending.

Otherwise, he is simply collecting trophies, which according to Taylor is inappropriate. "In some cases students feel entitled to getting the acceptance letters because they have worked hard up until that point. But, it's inappropriate to want to collect trophies."

Most counselors suggest that students apply to between six and eight schools; with some being safe bets, some as reaches and some as possibilities. Visiting the schools and doing research online can often help students narrow their choices down to the few that they actually want to apply to.

Zbylut should have been more considerate to his fellow high school seniors who weren't as lucky to receive 16 acceptance letters.

For: Apply away: All you have to lose is time and money By Jessica Wakeman

"It's called trophy-hunting," says Rachel Toor, a private college counselor and author of Admissions Confidential: An Insider's Account of the Elite College Selection Process . Applying to 18 schools is a bit high for a student, she says, "but not that high." The problem she sees is kids just don't know their odds of getting in, so they cover themselves by applying to more schools.

Toor says she usually counsels students to apply to nine schools: three safety schools, three that are stretches, and three that are reaches. Even nine colleges seems like a lot to me, unless your parents' income qualifies you for a fee waiver, it costs money to send in an application. (My father balked at a school with a $75 application fee and told me, "You're not going to get in there, anyway!") Let's say, hypothetically applying to these 18 schools cost Lukasz Zbylut , or more likely his parents, $500. That's a lot of dough

But, college admissions are getting so competitive, Harvard, Yale and Columbia made records by only accepting 7.1%, 8.3% and 8.7% of applicants, respectively. . With the odds against you while applying to an individual school, you're just giving yourself more options when you apply to more "reach" and "stretch" schools.

That $500 is an investment in his future. You would not refrain from buying stocks because someone else might also want to buy them and the stocks might make you a millionaire. It should be looked at like any other investment and the application blitz paid off for Zbylut with a choice between 17 colleges.

Five Common Interview Questions (and How to Answer Them)

A college admissions interview doesn’t have to be a nerve-wracking experience. You’ll make the best impression if you’re relaxed. Get comfortable with some typical interview questions before you sit down for a face-to-face with the admissions interviewer and ease your anxiety. Practice what to say to these common interview questions.

1. Why Do You Want to Attend this School?

Colleges look for students who will be a good match for their school. Your interviewer wants to see a genuine interest in the college. "There’s always going to be a question ‘Why do you want to come to our school?’ so you really have to know the school," says Bev Taylor, an independent college counselor and director of the Ivy Coach. Spend time before the interview thinking about why that college would be a good match for you. "It’s important to talk about yourself. Students need to do their homework before an interview. Find out what it is about themselves that can make them happy at that college," Taylor says.

2. What book have you read in the last year that has special meaning to you and why?

This interview question frequently comes up and is an easy one to prepare an answer to. Try not to pick a book that you were assigned to read for class, but if you do, try not to mention that it was an assignment. "Know about a book and don’t just stop at the name of the book and the author. Know something about the book and something that you enjoyed about that book … You have to know the answer to this one," Taylor says. Use this opportunity to share something about yourself. Talk about why the book had special meaning for you and try to reveal your interests and personality in the process.

3. How will you contribute to this campus?

This question comes in different forms including, "In what ways have you contributed to your high school?," "How will you be a valuable addition to the college?" Before the interview, pick a few positive adjectives that describe you and explain why. Then turn that into the answer to any of these questions. For example, "I’m very self-motivated. If I see that something needs to get done, I take it upon myself to do it. In my high school glee club, for instance …" An answer like this will work for more than one type of question. "Don’t just give the three adjectives though. Pretend you were thrown a ball and now you have to run with the ball. Relax and answer the question, but give more than just the answers," Taylor says.

4. What are your academic interests?

You don’t have to know what you’ll major in, but be able to explain your academic interests, why they interest you, and how you can pursue those interests at their college. Colleges are looking for students who are excited about learning, not students who feel they need to get a college degree but aren’t sure why.

5. Do you have any questions?

"That’s going to come up at the end, guaranteed. Too often students will say, ‘I think you’ve answered them all. That’s probably the worst answer you can give. You need to have some questions," Taylor says. Asking your interviewer questions shows them that you’ve spent time thinking about their school. It’s okay to bring a list of questions you wrote beforehand.

Ask the right sorts of questions. Don’t ask something that can easily be found on the school’s Web site. Show you’ve done some research. Ask questions that relate to your interests, not just general questions. You also don’t want to ask a question that will put their school in a negative light. Instead of asking a yes or no question like, "Are research opportunities available to freshmen?" ask a more open-ended question like, "How can a freshman get involved in research?"

No matter what questions you’re asked in your interview, think of the interview as a conversation. Relax and act like yourself. It’s important to anticipate what questions you’ll be asked and prepare answers. Don’t just recite the answers you prepare, but take time to think them over and sound natural.

Ace Your AP Tests

Advanced Placement (AP) courses can save you thousands of dollars in tuition and help you graduate from college early, but only if you score well on your AP tests.

AP tests cover 22 subject areas reviewed in 37 courses. While you can't use the same study tactics to ace a French language AP test and a chemistry AP test, there are steps you can take to succeed no matter what subject it covers.

Why You Want to Do Well

More than 90 percent of colleges in the U.S. accept AP scores for college credit, but most schools only award credit for scores of four or five (AP tests are scored on a scale from one to five, with five being the highest score). Even schools that don't offer credit for high AP scores often ask for your scores as part of the admissions process.

Taking an AP test isn't cheap. Each test sets you back $83, so taking the test unprepared could cost you money without the benefit of tuition savings later. "Students can actually knock off a semester – sometimes a year – of coursework at a college [if they score well on multiple AP tests], which translates into a year of tuition," Bev Taylor, an independent college admissions counselor, says.

Don't Count on Last-Minute Cramming

AP courses are designed to match the intensity of college-level classes. If you slacked off in your AP class all year, don't expect to cram a year's worth of coursework into the few days before the exam. Even if you have done well in your AP course, you’re not off the hook for studying for the exam. "If you’re doing well in class, it doesn’t mean that your teacher is covering all the particular material you’re expected to know for the AP exams," Donald Viscardi, Master Tutor at Inspirica Tutoring and Test Preparation, says. The best approach to succeed on your AP test is to be diligent about understanding what you cover in class throughout the year. You wouldn't expect to complete the work for a college course in a few days, and you shouldn't count on learning a year's worth of AP coursework in the days just before the exam.

Make Flash Cards (And Use Them)

No matter which AP test you're preparing for, flash cards can help you remember key details for the test. Put everything from vocabulary words to important equations on flash cards. Make them throughout the school year and test yourself. The beauty of flashcards is that you can bring them with you just about anywhere and it only takes a few seconds to flip through a couple of cards. Five minutes reviewing your flash cards on the bus or over your breakfast cereal adds up quickly and can boost your score.

Take Practice Tests

Unlike tests you might take in other classes, the AP test always follows a similar format. The more familiar you become with the layout of the subject test, the more relaxed you'll be on test day. "There’s no better guide to seeing how well you’re going to do than to actually take the test," Viscardi says. Timing yourself during practice tests also lets you know what pace you'll need to work at to complete the exam. Talk to your AP teacher about getting copies of practice tests. You can get free practice essay and free-response questions for AP tests on the College Board Web site.

Come Prepared

You can study non-stop for months to get ready for your AP tests, but if you don't come prepared, it won't do much good. Make sure you register for the exam. Talk to your AP teacher in January before the exam to let them know you plan on taking the test. On test day, bring two No. 2 pencils, two ballpoint pens, your school code, a watch and your social security number. For some exams, like physics, bring an AP-authorized calculator and a ruler. If you don't attend the school where you are taking the exam, you'll also need a photo ID.

When in Doubt, Know When to Guess

No matter how hard you study, chances are there will be at least one question on the exam you're not sure about. It's not always in your best interest to guess on the multiple-choice section of AP exams. You are not awarded or deducted points for leaving a question unanswered. One-fourth of a point is deducted for every question you answer incorrectly. "You don’t want to do wild guessing, but if you can eliminate a couple of choices, especially if you can get it down to two choices, I think probability is on your side and you should take a guess," Viscardi says.

Express Yourself: How to Tell Your Story

AP storytelling probably never appeared on your class schedule, so consider this your crash course. The key to mastering college applications is to think of them as your opportunity to tell your tale—and to make sure it stands out. Sure, it can help to have medaled in the Olympics or published a novel (although not a plagiarized one), but you don't need a miracle. You just need to prove you have made valuable contributions inside the classroom and out—and will continue to do so if accepted. "Students have more control over this than they think," says Bruce Poch, dean of admissions at Pomona College. "We're trying to figure people out. They set up the buoys and we swim through them." Let's dive in.

Why your transcript rules. A big part of your story is grades. So while your transcript may seem like a list of A's, B's, and C's (and you hope not too many D's), to people like Jess Lord, dean of admission and financial aid at Haverford College, it's the way to find out who you are. "It's not just grades but increased rigor of classes and growth in a certain area," he notes. Just how important is it? "On a scale from 1 to 10, the transcript is a 10," says Jim Miller, Brown University's dean of admission.

Colleges look to see that you've pushed yourself by making the most of what high school has to offer. "If they're not planning to be science majors but stuck with it at a high level, even if they're not getting the best grade, that's impressive," adds Liz Woyczynski, Case Western Reserve's director of undergraduate admission.

Cherry-pick your teachers. The plot doesn't end with your report card. Teacher recommendations provide context for those choices and grades. So selecting your recommenders carefully is critical. Find teachers who understand your learning style and know what you can handle academically. In larger schools, where teachers are loaded down with writing stacks of recs, make a "brag sheet," suggests Eliot Applestein, who runs the college counseling service Best Four Years, based in the Washington, D.C., area. This is not a chance to remind your teachers of your score on that tough test—they have that in their grade books—but an opportunity to jog their memories about the way you tutored that struggling classmate in chemistry or that kick-butt presentation on Sri Lanka you gave in social studies. But check with your teachers first—they may prefer to write the letter without your input.

Filling in the blanks. At this point, admissions committees are deep into your story, and they think they have a sense of who you are—but maybe they're off a bit. Take a look at your own transcript to see what kind of info admissions officers might infer from it. Is there a semester where your grades plummeted? Is there an AP class you should have taken but didn't? Do you have an unusually high number of absences? These things may raise red flags, even if they happened for understandable reasons: a problem in the family, a spat with a teacher, a scheduling conflict. Guidance counselors should be aware of these issues and explain them in their recommendation letters to schools, but you can't always count on that. "If there's more to say, throw in an extra piece of paper. Students should never feel like we don't want that information," says Lord. A short paragraph will do. There's no reason to write a dissertation on how your school offered AP French and AP Biology the same period.

Extracurrics. Don't be locked in to thinking that only formal, school-related activities count. Rob Seltzer, director of admissions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, can't believe how often students leave off work experience. "It's rare that someone tells us they started in the stockroom and became a manager," he says. That's just as impressive as making your way up through the ranks of your high school's 4-H club—maybe more so.

Pam Proctor, author of The College Hook: Packaging Yourself to Win the College Admissions Game, encourages students to figure out whatever it is that stands out about them and put that first instead of the stuff their competition also has. "They'll put a sports team first, but that doesn't make sense if you're not good enough to be recruited. It's impressive—it shows teamwork, commitment, leadership—but it's not a hook," she says. So if you're on a mission to visit every Civil War battlefield, or you've set up an active fan website devoted to Jane Austen novels, put those down in the activity slots, too.

Letters from adults associated with your activities can give colleges a better sense of what kind of effort was involved in your pursuits. The politician whose campaign you slaved for, the adviser for your environmental club, your boss at the runaway hotline, these are people who can take that one line of information you've provided and make it come to life.

Ace the essay. Up until now, you've let lists and adults tell your story. With the essay comes your chance to speak for yourself. Sarah McGinty, author of The College Application Essay, says, "Put a lot of time into thinking and chewing before you start writing. Make a list of what your application already says about you. If you did well on the SATs, your scores show that. If you know big words, your English grades show that. If you've played soccer for years, your coach's letter will say that. Augment what's in the folder."

Narrowing in on the right topic can drive a kid bonkers, but McGinty says there's no reason to think you can't do this well: "If you ask the average high school student to pick a scene from The Great Gatsby and show how that illustrates Gatsby's character, it's easy for them. Writing your essay is no different, except you don't have to read a novel. You look through your life and illuminate a moment." The tricky part is being reflective. McGinty suggests finding a time your opinion changed. That kind of situation lends itself to explaining how you think.

While you want to catch the eye of admissions boards, don't be gimmicky. "Someone once wrote their essay in blood. No one wanted to pick it up," Miller recalls. "We asked for 500 words, not 2 pints."

Essays can be effective even when they pinpoint something that might seem insignificant in the grand scheme. Bev Taylor, a New York-based independent counselor known as the Ivy Coach, worked with a young woman who discarded several failed ideas before writing about her lucky rubber-band ball and how it connected her to her family and friends. Her admissions letter from Williams College included a rubber band for her collection. One of Applestein's students with average grades and scores wrote his essay about a day a classmate wrote a derogatory statement about their Chinese teacher on the blackboard while the teacher was out of the room. He got up and told the other students how stupid that was and erased it. "He alienated himself from some of his classmates, but it showed he stood for something," Applestein says. "I was amazed at some of the schools he got into, but this is the kind of person schools want." Still, Miller cautions, an essay isn't going to erase every shortcoming: "Essays can heal the sick, but they can't raise the dead."

The business of professional essay editing—and disturbingly, also essay buying—has grown tremendously in the past few years. That's why Daniel Walls, Emory University's associate vice provost of enrollment management, says, "The voice should be of a 17- or 18-year-old student, not a 40-year-old parent." Asking for some editing and proofing help is expected, but don't let Mom and Dad, counselors, or anyone else do the work for you.

Michael Mills, associate provost for university enrollment at Northwestern University, says that for all of the complaints people may have about the new writing portion of the SAT, it allows schools to see an unedited sample of students' work. "Everyone has to stand and deliver on equal terms," he says. The past two years, in a few cases, Mills' staff peeked to check the writing section when there was a disconnect between the essay and grades and scores. Poch has done the same thing at Pomona. "In some of those cases, it seemed to be the same voice," he says. "But when it's not, it raises questions—although not answers about authorship. And that could negatively affect the application." This practice will probably become more common.

Interview. Interviews are weighted differently from school to school. Some are mainly informative rather than evaluative. But you can't underestimate the power of face time with an admissions officer or another representative. "What I look for is what they have to say about what they do," says Lord. "It's great to see someone get excited."

"Passion" is again the key. Demonstrating energy and enthusiasm for your academics and extracurriculars indicates to interviewers that you'll take that pep with you to campus.

The interview can be a good chance to explain any blips in your record, and it can prove that you're the kind of person schools would want other students to strike up a conversation with in the dining hall. It's also a chance to share bits about yourself that didn't fit anywhere else in the application, like your hobby of reading Russian literature in your spare time. Taylor, who tells her teens to train for the interviews by answering her list of questions into a tape recorder, instructs them to bring an activity sheet ("I don't like to call them resumes when you're 17") to help break the ice.

No college is expecting everyone to be an extrovert, but if you clam up in front of adults or can't articulate your interests, the interview might not be such a good idea, Taylor advises. "Some kids I tell, 'Don't ask for it—don't answer the phone,' " she says. "One kid, I referred to him as the blob. He just sat there. He ended up doing very well, but he could not interview."

That avoidance approach could backfire, though, even if interviews are optional. "A student from the suburbs of Philly, we'd be upset if they don't do it," explains Lord, whose Haverford campus is outside Philadelphia. "If a student from California can't come, our interpretation of that is different." The same can be true of alumni interviews or local receptions—if you're not making that effort, you can appear unenthusiastic about the school.

Say it as though you mean it. It may seem small, but that slip-up could keep you from getting in. In this era of huge applicant pools and students who apply to more than 20 schools, demonstrating your desire to go to a particular one is key. If the college wants an interview, do the interview, and head there knowing something about what makes it unique—the killer classics department, senior projects that require off-campus internships, the dorm where everyone speaks Esperanto. (And besides, you should do enough research before applying to a school that you're excited about something beyond the color of the bumper sticker.)

Every year, Emory has a handful of applicants who write that they're excited about the school of engineering, Walls says. What's the problem? It doesn't have one. "This is a student who hasn't done the research we expect. The feeling is this student has other schools in mind," he explains. Laura Miller, college counselor at the North Shore Hebrew Academy in Long Island, asked the University of Pennsylvania admissions office why a student of hers who got into Yale didn't make the cut at Penn's school of engineering. "In the short essay on why do you want to go to Penn, he didn't mention engineering in his answer," she was told.

Editing your story. In the past, those materials would have completed your application and ended your tale, but in the Internet age, you have to think about the possibility of a surprise epilogue. Inside jokes with your pals on MySpace or Facebook could be no laughing matter if an admissions officer finds them and sees references to underage drinking or other illegal activities. "We're in the information business," says Harvard's director of admissions, Marlyn McGrath Lewis. "We don't routinely check [the Web]. But we will do it." Poch says Pomona won't go looking for incriminating dirt online, but if it's called to the admissions staff's attention, it could be hard to ignore. "The lesson is, don't put up anything you wouldn't want your mother to know," says Applestein.

The truly Internet savvy may follow another Proctor suggestion: Bolster your hook by highlighting it on your sites, too.

And this may seem obvious, but don't forget to submit everything. Seltzer says that as students are upping their number of applications, they're getting careless with deadlines and forgetting about extra bits. A missing check, transcript, or supplemental essay can stall or even derail your chances of admission. So get everything in early, and check back to make sure nothing got lost in transit. That's the best way to ensure a happy ending to that story of yours.

tip. Be genuine. Every student knows a classmate who picked up an activity (or instrument or sport) to look good on paper. Colleges can spot that sort of thing a mile off.

Test-optional colleges won't require SATs

With the traditional focus on taking the SATs and ACTs, it may be surprising to learn that some colleges allow prospective students to omit these scores from their applications.

About 739 accredited bachelor-degree-granting colleges have adopted "test-optional" policies — several of them recently, including George Mason University last year. While many are specialty institutions, like art and music schools, the list includes a growing number of liberal arts colleges as well, according to a tally compiled by the National Center for Fair and Open Testing (FairTest), a Massachusetts-based nonprofit that is critical of testing.

FairTest Director Bob Schaeffer called it a "rapidly growing trend" with 30 schools adopting such policies in the past few years and almost the same number mulling the idea. He said many college officials feel there's "a real deficit in attracting talented kids whose talents don't show up" on standardized tests.

"Test scores are not a good measure of capacity to do college-level work," he said. "The best way is how you've done in college-prep courses."

The topic is contentious within higher-education circles, with critics of such policies insisting that standardized tests remain one of several factors that should indeed be considered when examining a potential student.

Julie McCullough, dean of admission at Gonzaga University in Washington, said her school receives applications from different types of high schools all across the country and "the SAT and ACT can give us a guideline to use to compare."

Edna Johnson, a spokeswoman for the College Board — which administers the SAT — said it's "misleading" to call test-optional policies a trend since 88 percent of 4-year colleges that are selective, meaning they don't admit all of their applicants, still require a standardized test for admission.

While she said SAT scores obviously shouldn't be the only factor considered, they remain a national standard that helps schools "make informed decisions," in light of the thousands of high schools with "widely divergent" academic standards.

Scott Jaschik, an editor at Inside Higher Ed, said going test-optional "is definitely a trend, but it's not a trend with everybody." He explained it's more common in smaller schools, partly because large, selective research universities often need the SATs or ACTs to help winnow down their high number of applicants.

Barmak Nassirian, spokesman for American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, said "there's no abandonment of testing" but that, "the admissions community isn't as blindly committed to testing as it was a generation ago." Particularly among liberal arts colleges, he said, "the thought has shifted more to holistic admissions."

In May, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Massachusetts became the first nationally ranked science and engineering university to make the SAT an optional requirement for admissions, in part hoping to attract more women and minorities — a common reason cited by test-optional schools.

"The SAT may capture academic aptitude, but aptitude itself doesn't necessarily reflect success in this type of setting," says Kristin Tichenor, associate vice president for enrollment management at WPI. "The students who are most successful at WPI are those with high motivation levels, willingness to take initiative and creativity in solving problems."

"Test-optional" policies vary from school to school. Many, like WPI, require applicants to either submit SAT/ACT scores or high school research papers, science projects and other extra academic indicators.

Others require SAT/ACT scores only from out-of-state applicants or when the minimum grade-point average and/or class-rank requirement is not met. Some test-optional schools still require the test scores for certain programs. And others require the test scores to be submitted, but use them only for placement purposes or to conduct research studies.

George Mason, for example, is test-optional for students in the top 20 percent of their class with at least a 3.5 GPA, and the scores are required for programs such as engineering.

Mike Sexton, dean of admissions at Oregon's Lewis and Clark College, which went "test-optional" 17 years ago, said part of the reason was growing skepticism of the high-stakes testing model in general — including the federal No Child Left Behind Law, which requires testing in K-12.

"Is a multiple-choice test for three hours one morning the gateway into a student's soul?" he asked.

Another factor is the concern among some admissions officials that while the tests were designed to equal the playing field for rich and poor students, they may now favor the rich.

"As more and more of the affluent population avail themselves of expensive test-preparation courses and pay to take the tests multiple times, the gap between them and the less affluent becomes greater," said Steven T. Syverson, dean of admissions and financial aid at Wisconsin's Lawrence University, which went test-optional two years ago partly due to this concern.

Proponents of such policies point to Maine's Bates College, which adopted a test-optional admission policy in 1984 and released a 20-year study a few years ago finding virtually no difference in academic performance or graduation rates between those who had submitted test scores and those who hadn't.

Some critics question whether test-optional schools are simply trying to generate more applications so they'll have a higher rejection rate, while some say such policies could serve to inflate the schools' average SAT-scores.

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that when these colleges make SAT scores optional, only applicants with higher scores are going to submit them, thus inflating the college's mean [SAT] score," said Bev Taylor, an independent college consultant based in New York.

You've Been Rejected: Understanding the Rise in Rejection Rates

You may have seen the headlines: College Rejection Rates at Record Highs. With schools like the University of Pennsylvania and Pomona College admitting less than two out of every 10 people who apply, you may think you'll never get into your top-choice school. Don't despair. The headlines appear daunting, but there's more to rejection rates than these headlines would lead you to believe.

There's no denying that 2007 was an extremely competitive year for college admissions. Highly-selective schools saw their admissions rates hover around 10 percent. Harvard University admitted a record-low nine percent of applicants. Even schools outside the Ivy League admitted fewer students this year, like the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which accepted only 33 percent of applicants.

Why have rejection rates increased? A few key factors contribute to high rejection rates.

• The number of students enrolling in college has reached an all-time high. More than 17.3 million students enrolled in post-secondary institutions in 2005, which is more than three million greater than a decade ago, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The number of students enrolling in post-secondary education is expected to continue its increase for the next few years. College enrollment is projected to reach 19 million by 2014, according to NCES.
• Students are applying to more colleges. Not only are there more students enrolling in colleges, they tend to apply to more colleges than before. Seventy-three percent of colleges reported an increase in applications in 2005, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Many colleges, like the University of Chicago, are seeing record numbers of applicants. The College Board suggests that some students are now applying to 20 or more colleges, while in the past five to eight colleges was the norm. "There’s so much panic out there that more and more students are applying to more colleges. That’s really a problem," Jim Sumner, dean of admissions at Grinnell College, says.

Additionally, online applications have made it easier to apply to multiple colleges. An increase in the use of online applications has been reported by 85 percent of colleges, according to NACAC.

With an increased number of applicants for the same limited number of class positions, rejection rates are bound to rise at some schools. Despite the headlines, low acceptance rates publicized by schools like Harvard and the University of Chicago remain the exception—not the rule—when it comes to admissions. On average, four-year colleges accept seven out of every 10 students who apply for admission, NACAC reports. Most schools still accept more students than they reject.

"There are over 4,000 colleges in the country and the whole conversation about rejection rates going up is tied to a relative handful of colleges, certainly less than 100," Sumner says. "I can close my eyes and name over 100 colleges that are still accepting applications and would love to have more people and I can guarantee students could get into all 100 of them."

To avoid being rejected, be realistic about your chances of being accepted. "A lot of students only apply to highly selective schools and they have no backups. Students need to do their homework and find out that these schools are such longshots and they're not going to be accepted," Bev Taylor, an independent college counselor, says.

Sumner suggests having one or two schools you're sure you can get into, one or two that are a stretch but that you're 70 percent sure will accept you, and one or two that are stretches. "Applying to a double-digit number [of schools] is absurd. It just means you haven’t done your research," he says.

If you are rejected from all the schools you applied to, it’s not the end of the world. You’ll probably still be able to enroll in a local college in time for the fall semester. You can make plans to reapply as a transfer student for the spring semester. This time, follow Taylor’s advice above, and do your admissions homework.

Getting into college takes planning, flexibility

While high school students are competing with each other to get accepted to good colleges, colleges and universities are competing among themselves to win the hearts of the best students.

High school students and their parents can use this to their advantage in the race to land a slot in a freshman class at a school of their choosing.

A sampling of a few selective colleges and universities close to northern New Jersey, as well as counselors who help families navigate the intricacies of college applications, reveals a number of ways students can use the process to their advantage. The following are intended as examples and ideas for high school students and their parents to pursue with college admissions officers. Not all of the avenues of acceptance are utilized at all schools.

The acceptance rate for schools with excellent reputations -- and there are many near New Jersey -- are all over the map, from the 10 percent to 11 percent of applicants accepted at the Ivy League schools, to the 40 percent to 60 percent accepted at some of the Big Ten schools. Academically demanding schools, such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, also have acceptance rates with wide variations.

Some of this is likely due to self-selection by students and parents. A school may seem to have a high acceptance rate, but many students who have little chance of acceptance do not spend their time and energy applying. Elizabeth Wissner-Gross, a college coach and author of two books on how to get into the college of your choice, puts it bluntly.

"Why would someone who is having trouble getting straight A's in high school want to go to one of the most competitive colleges? They would be miserable. Eighty-five percent of the students who apply to Harvard University have high-A averages, and the majority of them get turned down."

At the same time, there are thousands of well-rounded students with decent grades who may get shut out of the top three or four colleges of their choice just because there are so many straight-A students with athletic accomplishments and community service who get the first offers. But those same students should consider a number of alternatives, college admissions officers advise. These can range from starting at a satellite college, to taking a few months off or going to a community college or small school close to home for two years.

Trying for a top-tier school is worth the effort, if that is the student's first choice, Wissner-Gross said.

"The most competitive schools usually offer the students the most opportunities. The more competitive colleges enable you to get into more competitive grad schools. You get better offers for internships and you get offers of jobs from better companies," she explained. "While you are in school, the more competitive schools have more money available, so all the programs and activities are better funded."

Try a satellite campus

Pennsylvania State University, a Big Ten Conference school and one of the larger universities on the East Coast, actively promotes this path to acceptance.

"University Park is our most competitive campus, but we have 19 other campuses throughout Pennsylvania and there is a place for almost everyone at Penn State," said Dr. Randall Deike, associate vice president for enrollment management and executive director of undergraduate admissions. "We are unique, I think, in that we admit students to the university, not to a particular academic program or campus. After two years at one of our other campuses, you are automatically eligible to come to University Park; there is no transfer process."

Penn State had 16,000 freshmen start in the fall of 2006, half of them at the University Park campus.

"In terms of the Penn State degree, it is the same degree, no matter which campus you graduate from," Deike said.

Penn State ranks highly in most national ratings, including the annual U.S. News & World Report survey, but not everyone is enthusiastic about attending a satellite campus.

"I would not recommend it, because the other campuses are commuter campuses. Everyone else is going to be from Pennsylvania and is living at home," said Robin Abramowitz, a college coach from Montclair. "I would recommend the student go to Montclair State University or some other school close to home for two years. They will get a great education and save money and can then transfer to a big school."

Wait until spring

The University of Maryland at College Park is one school that offers students whom they want to admit but do not have room for in September a spot starting in the spring semester. The University of Maryland is rated 13th for best value when rated on out-of-state tuition fees, according to Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine's top 50 values in public colleges and ranks 18th in the U.S. News & World Report ranking of top 50 public national universities.

"If there is someone we would love to have come to the university, but we have no room in the fall, we will offer them admission in the spring. In 2006 we started the Freshman Connection program. Students took some extended studies -- classes at non-peak times between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. -- in the fall and then were admitted directly in the spring semester," said Laura Cosgrove, associate director of undergraduate admissions.

"This is the first year we did this. It was offered to 371 students and all but two started when the spring semester began. We will offer it again in the fall of 2007," she said.

Some schools offer a few months' study abroad for the fall of the freshman year and then admit the student for the spring semester.

Abramowitz worked with a student who studied in London through a program at Skidmore College in Saratoga, N.Y., before starting at the college in the spring semester.

"A group of freshmen went to London and then started college together, so they had a chance to bond, and they had a great time," she said. "Another boy I worked with was interested in politics so he got an internship with a local politician for the fall and then started school in the spring at Brandies University in Waltham, Mass., and it worked out great for him, but it is not for everyone.

"If you graduated with all your friends and they are leaving for college, some students have trouble finding something to do with themselves for those months," she said.

Waiting list

"Predicting how many students will accept your offer of admission is very difficult, so we have waiting lists and we offer students on the list positions after the May 1 cut-off, which is the deadline most schools adhere to," said Louis Hirsh, director of admissions at the University of Delaware in Newark, Del.

"Some schools, and we are among them, offer first admissions to a smaller number than we can accept, and then we finish shaping the class from the waiting list."

Hirsh and the college coaches emphasized that students on wait lists should make sure the college knows he or she is seriously interested and will accept an offer of admission if it is given.

"You have to let a college know you really care," advised Bev Taylor, director of The Ivy Coach, who coaches students trying to get into Ivy League and other schools. "While you are on the wait list, be proactive; put some work into telling them why you think you will be a good addition to the school.

Hirsh added, "The process is very uncertain because students are applying to more schools these days. If we are competing with two or three other colleges, it is one thing, but now students are applying to nine or 10 schools. Some years we admit 200 or 300 from the wait list, sometimes none."

Community college

The University of Delaware, which is ranked 26th in the U.S. News & World Report ranking of top 50 public national universities, usually accepts more than 40 percent of the out-of-state students who apply and the largest share are from New Jersey. This past fall 785 of the 3,259 out-of-state freshmen were from New Jersey. Many of the transfer students also are from New Jersey and neighboring states.

"We have about 450 transfer students who come to us each fall and a good portion of them come from community colleges. Some of our programs have specific requirements for grade point averages they need to meet, but this is an option that works well for many students," Hirsh added.

Weigh all alternatives

If you can't get into the first choice, take a nearby second choice.

Abramowitz advises her clients they can be happy in many different schools.

"If a student wants a big research school and they cannot get into the University of Michigan, they can consider the University of Wisconsin, another Big Ten school. If they can't get into Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, maybe they should consider Colgate University in New York. The schools that are considered hot change over time," she said.

Wissner-Gross, the author of "What Colleges Don't Tell You and Other Parents Don't Want You to Know," agreed school status fluctuates.

"People are discovering lesser known colleges. Washington University is soaring in status and New York University has gone way up. Emory University has gone way up. Schools that might not have been considered really good a few years ago are filling up with high level kids and that is a wonderful thing."

Consider a related major if your academic program is full.

The popularity of different academic interests shifts with changing public sentiment and if one program is full, a related one may have openings.

"If a student is admitted but the first area of interest is full, we might encourage them to go into the Division of Letters and Sciences, which is where people who are undecided on a major start," said the University of Maryland's Cosgrove.

"They can then get into their first choice program later, although there may be require-ments for them to perform at a certain level to be admitted. Or they may want to explore other majors. Part of the college experience is to explore new things."

Nearly as good as a visit to campus

For Dennis Culhane, a student in India should be able to see every nook and cranny of Locust Walk, down to the very last uneven brick.

A professor in the Urban Studies Department, Culhane is in the midst of developing a three-dimensional computer model of campus that will show see every detail on and around Penn's campus - both present and future.

When complete, the model will allow viewers to make their way through campus and the surrounding streets, something Culhane says will be invaluable in planning Penn's eastward expansion.

"This is the ultimate map," Culhane said. "This huge expansion is being planned that is going to have a huge impact on Penn's campus and the community, and this is a great way to model what that impact would be."

The project came to life after Culhane read about an effort to make a virtual model of Center City Philadelphia. When the Center City project was launched two years ago, it made Philadelphia one of only three cities to undertake such plans (Milan and Tel Aviv being the others).

In Culhane's version, each building required dozens of photographs, something that could only be accomplished from the air: Planes photographed campus throughout the fall of 2004 to collect enough data.

In addition to urban planning, Culhane says the model could be a boon for international recruitment, especially for those students who can't always schedule campus visits.

"Students looking for housing can actually look to see what the street they would rent on would look like," he said.

But eventually, Culhane has even bigger plans; he says the model could be the first truly interactive Web site, with users able to click on different buildings and access different departments at Penn.

"You could go to the virtual model and get audio or video clips of the dean," he said.

"The ability to just click on Meyerson Hall, click on the office where professor 'X' lives - that will be an option as well," said Marlen Kokaz, who coordinates researchers and programmers working for Culhane.

"The sense to be able to walk on the streets of [West] Philadelphia" is the whole point, she added.

College admissions counselors say that the model, if completed, would indeed help students who live far from Penn to get a feel for campus.

"It's certainly helpful with international students, and with students that live far away," she said.

But the risk does exist, says Sally Rubenstone, director of College Confidential, that students will begin to rely on the models to judge a school.

"I'm weary of students feeling something like this is a substitute for a visit to campus," she said.

What is the Interest Quotient?

While the number of high school graduates has been increasing each year, the number of college campuses around the country has stayed almost constant. This has created a deluge of college admission applications to colleges nationwide. Today students are applying to an increasing number of colleges to increase their odds of being admitted to a college of their choice.

With colleges receiving so many admissions applications (some in the tens of thousands!), they are continually seeking out ways to identify students who would be good candidates to include in their student body. There is growing pressure for colleges, especially the more selective ones, to admit applicants who are likely to enroll. Why? Because one statistic that is tracked, tallied and reported is the Yield Percentage of admitted applicants.

This number represents the percentage of admitted students who actually enroll at the college. The current perception is that a college with a higher Yield Percentage (where a high percentage of the students who are admitted decide to attend that college) represents a more selective and sought-after college which, theoretically, will attract better students to apply. Higher yields make it easier for the college to guess how many students they need to admit to arrive at the desired number of freshman students. An accurate estimate can also save the college money.

More and more colleges are tracking correspondence and campus visits to determine which applicants are showing the most interest in their school. We refer to this as the Interest Quotient. According to a recent survey conducted by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, more than half of colleges consider demonstrated interest a factor in admissions. Most colleges use it as a marginal criterion, but it scored higher than SAT II tests or race or ethnicity in importance.

Bev Taylor of The Ivy Coach, who has been an independent college admissions consultant for over fifteen years in Long Island, New York and has successfully helped many students get admitted to their top college choices, strongly believes that the Interest Quotient in some cases can be the tipping point to a student getting admitted to a college.

So what should your student be doing to show interest in a college? The key is to show interest without going overboard and becoming an annoyance. We recommend students visit the campus of the colleges they are interested in attending, if at all possible. During the visit, students should try to connect with someone from the Admissions Office with whom they can stay in contact.

Students should also try to attend College Fairs where representatives of their choice colleges will be in attendance. In addition, students should call and e-mail Admissions with pertinent questions about things like programs offered, activities, culture of the campus, demographics of the student body, etc.

The content of a studentÿýs admissions essay can also make a difference. Weaving in some verbiage to the essay about how and why a particular college is a top choice for a student can catch the attention of an admissions officer. Students should communicate both directly and indirectly to the Admissions Office that they are very interested in attending that college.

Colleges insist, however, the Interest Quotient can't replace a substandard record. Nor, most say, will its absence cause an otherwise strong applicant to be rejected. The bottom line is to make sure your student is applying to colleges to which they are academically well matched. Only then should you use the Interest Quotient to try to capture that extra edge to help your student rise above the rest of the crowd.

Private Scholarship Opportunity

U.S. Bank is offering up to 30 scholarships valued at $1,000 each and will accept applications through February 28, 2005. The Internet Scholarship Program is exclusively for high school seniors graduating in the 2004-2005 school year. Winners will be selected at random. Upon selection, U.S. Bank will verify winner submissions and notify each scholarship recipient in writing by early April 2005. Complete Scholarship Terms and Conditions are as follows:

• Scholarship award checks will be issued in August 2005. Scholarship award checks are payable jointly to the student and the school and must be endorsed by both.
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• Scholarship award recipients have no obligation to U.S. Bank.
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• U.S. Bank reserves the right to review and change the conditions and procedures of the Internet Scholarship Program, including its termination, at any time.

For more information and to apply go to:

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The ACT: Why You Should Consider This SAT Alternative

For years the ACT has existed in the shadow of the more popular SAT. This may now be changing. Find out why you should pay attention to the ACT.

The ACT Can Get You In

The ACT emerged in 1959 as an alternative to the SAT, which has been in existence since 1926. The ACT has never gained the level of popularity the SATs enjoy as an admissions consideration for colleges, although it is administered in all 50 states and is universally accepted for college admission.

Historically, the ACT has been popular with students in the Midwest, while the SAT has been the favored exam on the East and West coasts. But in 2006 the number of students taking the ACT on the East Coast increased by nine percent, with some states, like New Jersey, seeing increases of up to 33 percent.

Problems with the SAT and the Growing Popularity of the ACT

The SATs have run into some problems lately and may be losing favor among students and counselors. In 2005 the SAT was overhauled. This redesign was meant to address critics who accused the exam of not being an accurate reflection of student knowledge and preparedness for college.

The new SAT has faced its own set of problems. Students and academic counselors complain about its length—the three hour and 45 minute test stretches to five hours with breaks and instructions. Since the exam redesign, average SAT scores had their sharpest drop in 31 years, which some blame on exhaustion caused by the test’s length. Scoring mistakes on the October 2005 SAT further damaged the exam’s reputation. The College Board reported that 4,411 students had scores sent to colleges that were lower than their actual scores.

As the SAT faces recent problems, the ACT is growing in popularity. A record 1.2 million 2006 graduating high school seniors took the ACT, which accounts for 40 percent of graduating seniors. While this is still less than the 1.5 million students who took the SAT that year, the gap is shrinking.

Why are more students finding the ACT attractive?

The ACT and SAT measure different skill sets. The ACT tests students on how much they have learned in their high school coursework, which some students may be more comfortable with. The SAT, on the other hand, focuses on reasoning ability.

Bev Taylor, an independent college counselor and educational consultant, says that a student who is not a great test taker but who knows how to study can still do well on the ACT. "It’s less of a standardized test and more of an achievement test. It’s more like a classroom exam," Taylor says.

"The ACT seems to be more suited to my skills," says Ryan Gochee, a high school senior from Murrieta, California.

Students are required to send all their SAT scores to colleges, but the ACT allows students to send only their best scores. This is especially appealing when SAT scores are dipping, yet ACT scores have been increasing since 2002. Average ACT scores in 2006 were the highest since 1991. "Students don’t have to be so stressed with taking it because there’s no report. If you don’t do well, you don’t submit it," Taylor says.

Taking the ACT could also save you the time and cost of taking the SAT Subject Tests. Policies vary from school to school, but some schools, like Duke University and Boston College, do not require SAT Subject Test scores for students who take the ACT.

So Which Test Should You Take?

The ACT has its advantages, but don’t disregard the SAT just yet. The SAT is still the dominant test submitted by students for college admissions. You’re best bet is to take both tests. "I tell my students, yes you need to study for the SATs and you need to take them. Does that mean they shouldn’t take another test? Of course not. I have my students taking ACTs as well," Taylor says.

"I will be submitting both scores to colleges to show off my scores," Gochee says.

With college admissions becoming increasingly competitive, more students may be submitting both test scores. "We’ve seen a slight increase in the combined [ACT and SAT scores], but not an increase in the ACT," says Perry Robinson, vice president and director of admissions at Denison University. "We will look at the best score, whether it’s ACT or SAT," Robinson says.

Navigating An Altered Admissions Landscape

Now that Harvard and Princeton have announced they will stop early admissions, the frantic chess game of applying to top colleges seems to require some new strategies.

So what's an ambitious kid – or parent -- to do?

For the moment, anyway, vying for a seat at the nation's elite colleges will be just as stressful as ever, and might get even worse, some college admissions counselors say, despite Harvard's claim that its latest move aims to ease anxiety for students.

Several private college consultants predicted last week that confusion will rise as some high-achieving kids shift their tactics in wooing the Ivies next year, when the new policies take effect. Some say the pool of students chasing spots with the rest of the applicant pool will likely get even more competitive, since those who would have gotten into Harvard or Princeton early will still be in the running.

So, in an effort to calm the nerves of the driven, those in the know offer some advice (sometimes conflicting, alas) to families looking ahead to the college process in the coming years.

Hurry up and get ready for college admissions.

"Our fear is that kids will get relaxed and think there's no need to prepare for testing early if they're not going to apply early. It's a false mirage to think competition will lessen and everyone will be evaluated fairly in the regular cycle. In reality, the numbers of applicants will be driven up and the pool of competitors will be deeper."

Shaw argues that if more kids apply in the regular cycle, which often means January deadlines, they will have three additional autumn dates to take standardized tests and raise their test scores. That means the average SAT scores of the pool will likely rise and be harder to beat. Some kids who would otherwise have gotten in early will be unclear where they stand and so will apply to more safety schools, and it might be harder to stand out among so many extra applications inundating admissions officers.

"We all know how exhausted they are," Shaw said. "They might not have the time and attention to allocate to your folder."

On second thought, take your time.

Robin Abramowitz, an independent college counselor in Montclair, says it's premature to come up with theories now about how to deal with the new early admissions landscape; it's unclear whether other colleges will follow Harvard's lead.

In general, she won't even meet with students until winter of their junior year. She thinks it's not worth visiting colleges until after PSAT scores come out in January and help shape juniors' options. Try to have fun on those trips, she says; treat them like an adventure. Browse for ideas from college books, such as "The Insider's Guide to Colleges" by the Yale Daily News and "Best 361 Colleges" by The Princeton Review.

"Try to have fun this year before you have to get stressed,'' Abramowitz tells juniors."High school has become just prep for college, and that's sad. ... Kids come in here almost crying because they've heard this one is applying here or there and they think they won't get in."

Her rule: When you decide where to apply, don't talk about your choices.

"The less you talk about it, the less you feed into the frenzy, and the better off you'll be,'' she says.

Get some perspective.

At this point, the new policy at Harvard and Princeton directly affects only a small fraction of the 2 million Americans who apply to college in a year. Last year, about 22,700 students shot for Harvard and 17,500 for Princeton – including many overlapping entries from kids applying to both.

Brandon Jones, national director of SAT and ACT programs at Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions, said the landscape will truly change only if other desirable colleges eliminate early admissions. "The short story for what parents should do is stay tuned," Jones said. "If this becomes a larger trend at top-flight schools, it will impact the admissions process overall."

Know the background.

Early admissions -- in which students typically apply in the fall and hear back by mid-December -- has become enormously popular in recent years as students used the option to demonstrate their enthusiasm to their first-choice schools, in hopes that such loyalty would give them an edge.

Critics of early admission, however, argue that it is unfair to low-income and minority candidates who need time to compare financial aid offers from different schools. Many schools, like Princeton, have "early decision," which requires a binding commitment that anyone admitted early has to enroll. A few, like Harvard and Yale, offer "early action," which is non-binding. Even the non-binding version is unfair, some say, to students without savvy parents or sophisticated guidance counselors prodding them to apply early.

This month, Harvard officials announced an end to early admission for students applying next year to enter in fall 2008, saying they wanted to stop a practice that exacerbated stress and tended to "advantage the advantaged." A week later, Princeton followed suit.

Some cynics speculate that Harvard's move was a public-relations ploy more than anything, since the brand-name institution had little to lose; it will likely continue to have its pick of the best and brightest. Some consultants now predict Yale and Stanford will be big beneficiaries if they keep the early option because students who crave quick answers might rush to apply in record numbers.

Elizabeth Wissner-Gross, a counselor and author of "What Colleges Don't Tell You (and Other Parents Don't Want You to Know)," doesn't buy Harvard's claim that stopping early admissions will reduce pressure or open opportunities for deserving students. "If they really want to eliminate stress, they should open up more spaces for students,'' she said. "The stress is coming from the fact that there is so much demand and so little supply at the most selective colleges.''

Shaw, at Ivy Success, suspects Harvard and Princeton will return to early admissions if other schools fail to join them – especially if they lose their ability to recruit star athletes or raise money from alumni who counted on getting in their offspring early.

He doubts other schools will stop early admissions, too. Many schools admit almost half their freshman class via early decision. When a huge group of admitted students commit that way, it boosts a school's overall percentage of accepted students who matriculate, and that rate is a key statistic in the U.S. News & World Report rankings. Shaw said colleges would be reluctant to tinker with any system that helps them stay high in that list. "If these schools get rid of early decision, they'll see their matriculation yields plummet," he said.

If you apply early, make sure you absolutely love the school.

Karen Steele, guidance counselor at the Bergen County Technical Schools, says seniors often change their minds about where they want to go after they hear about other possibilities from friends. Often their tastes change between September and April, or they wish they had more leverage for negotiating financial aid.

"We've had kids get in early decision and then they say, 'Maybe I should see what I can get from other schools,' but they're locked in," she said.

She told one student in that dilemma that he'd have to send in unofficial transcripts on his own because she believed it was unethical for him to break his commitment. She also notes that an early application doesn't always bring relief: "A lot of kids are deferred to the general pool, and they have to sit around and wait anyway."

Don't forget safety schools.

Bev Taylor, founder of The Ivy Coach, hopes early applications will remain an option. She thinks rejection or deferral early serves as a crucial reality check for kids who presume they'll get into highly selective schools. "Rejection is a wake-up call for these students so they know they need some safeties," she said. "It's necessary to find this out in December when they still have opportunity to apply to more schools in January."

Taylor says that alarm bell is especially important for kids who aren't getting wise attention from advisers. "Guidance counselors at some schools have caseloads of 500 students,' she said. "Are they going to take the time to ask the student where else he's applying?"

Perspective, again.

As Time Magazine asked in a recent cover story, "Who needs Harvard?"

According to a study in the "Quarterly Journal of Economics" in 2002, students who got into the most selective colleges but chose other ones for various reasons were earning just as much 20 years later as their peers from the more elite schools. Only seven CEOs from the current top 50 of the Fortune 500 companies graduated from the Ivy League.

"Parents should continue seeking the best possible match for their kids according to what their kids' passions are," says Wissner-Gross.

Use the fall of senior year to build your resume further.

Students who no longer feel compelled to rush to meet Nov. 1 deadlines for early applications can spend the whole autumn boosting their grades and portfolio, says Wissner-Gross.

"This gives me more time to encourage kids to take more lessons, do more volunteer work, do more nice things during senior year,'' she says. "My package includes improving the child, not just putting glitzy wrapping paper on the child."

Getting into a good School

Applying to top U.S. colleges is a tedious process. Even though high schools provide college counseling, parents with high expectations and limited understanding of how the system works find the process to be quite daunting. Many are seeking additional help.

Harvard. Stanford. MIT. The names of top colleges often swirl through the dreams (and nightmares) of South Asian-American high school students.

"The first priority of an Indian family is always education," says Bev Taylor, president of The Ivy Coach, an independent college counseling service in Manhattan and Roslyn Heights, New York. "These parents are looking for their children to get into the most highly selective colleges that they can."

However, figuring out how to do that can be tough for both parents and students. Together they need to select appropriate schools, get a grip on the application process, agree on professional goals and make peace with the differences between South Asian and American cultures.

The Application Process

The process of applying to U.S. colleges can be daunting. Although public and private high schools provide college counseling, parents with high expectations and limited understanding of how the system works often turn to independent college counselors for additional help.

"The counselor at our son’s school may have a few hundred students to work with, so he may not be able to give particular attention to each one," says Narendra Trivedi, of Anaheim Hills, Calif., whose son Nick (Nikunj), 17, is a senior this fall at Fairmont Preparatory Academy, a private school in Anaheim Hills. "The outside counselor we hired helped us understand what is required to get into a good college or university and choose the right career."

Most independent counselors charge between $2,500 and $3,800 for services that can begin as early as ninth grade. Consultants underscore their familiarity with numerous colleges and universities. For instance, Mark Corkery, president of National Planning for Education in Newport Beach, Calif., has visited more than 500 campuses.

Consultants know the ins and outs of ever-changing admission plans, such as whether it’s better to apply "early action" or in the general pool of applicants. They know how much importance colleges assign to various factors in their decision-making processes – GPA, SAT, outside activities, etc.

Consultants urge students to distinguish themselves from the large pool of South Asian-Americans, most of whom have excellent grades and test scores, and play musical instruments. Sports and other outside activities can make a difference, but some parents fear that participation will distract students from their studies.

"In one of the families I counseled, when a high school counselor suggested his son try out for the soccer team, the father said he wasn’t going to let his son ruin his life playing sports," says Valerie Broughton, owner of College Connectors in Minneapolis.

Nevertheless students must find ways to stand out. Taylor, who says competition among Indian students – including best friends – is severe, advises clients to follow their passions. For instance, when a student who played the piano began composing music, she suggested he try to have some of his musical pieces published.

Additional Services

Go4College helps students determine their chances for admission to particular colleges and universities. The online service offers a money back guarantee to students who use it in their senior year.

"If we say you are 51-to-99 percent likely to get into a particular school and you don’t, we’ll refund your money," says company co-founder, Matthew S. Schuldt.

In July 2006, The Princeton Review launched Small Group Tutoring. The program allows groups of three students to receive help on schedules they choose and at prices similar to fees charged for Princeton’s classroom-style programs.

"We started it because of customer demand, and incidentally that demand started with South Asian families in Queens," says Harriet Brand, Princeton’s director of public relations. "We developed Small Group Tutoring for families who wanted their children to study with others of the same culture, language and educational ambitions, as well as for home-schooled students and other students who had things in common."

Reality Check

South Asian-American students who apply to Ivy League colleges are in many ways no different from other students applying to the Ivies, says Steven Roy Goodman, president of Top Colleges in Washington, D.C. Goodman recognizes there is often a disconnect between the desire for prestige and the ability of students to achieve that prestige.

"This is more pronounced in the Indian community and to a certain extent among Pakistanis," Goodman says. "There’s [often] been exponential growth in terms of the wealth and prestige of a family in just one generation, and a tremendous expectation that an Ivy League college or a medical degree will follow."

Goodman says students and parents show an overwhelming interest in applying for combined BS/MD programs where undergraduate admission guarantees admission to an institution’s medical school – assuming students maintain a specified GPA.

At top schools these programs are highly selective. To be admitted, Broughton says students need to be, "more than smart. The schools also are looking for a level of sophistication and maturity."

Many South Asian-American parents think their children’s lives will be ruined if they don’t get into one of the top 10 colleges, Broughton says. But Corkery points out, "Just because a university has a good reputation doesn’t mean that it’s the right one for you."

Whose Life Is This Anyway?

"The students have such a high level of discipline, respect and trust that when the parent says, ‘These schools are right, this is the program he should be in,’ the student agrees," Montiel says.

For instance, Nick Trivedi describes his parents as "… really liberal for Indian parents." However Trivedi adds, "my dad always wanted one kid to go to Stanford."

Trivedi admits he wasn’t a big fan of Stanford. "I decided my chances of getting in are unlikely, but it’s just a few essays, so I’ll apply. Why not make my dad happy?"

As for professional goals, parents often have more to say than students, Taylor says. "When it comes down to it, it’s really about what the child wants also, but the child wants what mommy and daddy want. He’s been brought up feeling that way."

Ketki Warudkar, 17, a senior at Irvine High School in Irvine, Calif., has parents who work in what she calls, "hugely successful industries." Her father works in computer science and her mother in biomedical engineering.

"They encouraged me to follow those careers and I agreed because there’s nothing different I see that I want to do," Warudkar says.

Besides where to go and what to study, South Asian-American students and their parents may face cultural challenges. For instance, the concept of co-ed bathrooms is abhorrent to the vast majority of South Asian families, Goodman says.

"Many of these families don’t support the casual campus atmosphere at a lot of American colleges," he says. "But they are often put in a position in which their daughter is accepted to a selective university where the family supports the academics but doesn’t embrace the social situation."

Girls are more sheltered than boys. Boys are allowed to move far away for school whereas girls are assumed to need a more protected environment, a less urban setting and family members or close family friends located nearby.

Sonia Kanjee, a 2006 graduate of Niles Township High School North in Skokie, Ill., chose the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, just two hours from home, over the University of Miami in Florida. Of Pakistani descent, she’s the first in her immediate family to go to college.

"My parents were very uncomfortable with me applying out of state," Kanjee says. "They are still worried about bad habits I might pick up in college."

How Schools Get Hot

It could have been a public-relations nightmare. Last year, SUNY-University at Buffalo officials found out that MTV planned to film reality shows during rush at two of the school's Greek houses. It wasn't necessarily the image most schools want to project, but Buffalo decided to make the best of it by allowing MTV to film on campus during the day--slipping in some academic and campus life between the parties.

It worked: Sorority Life and Fraternity Life turned out to be public-relations coups. "The campus experience that everyone says they have on their brochures, we saw it from 10 to 11 on Wednesday night," says Dennis Black, vice president of student affairs. "It made it real." High school kids around the country pestered admissions officers for details about the show, traffic to the prospective-students page of the university's Web site tripled, and a larger-than-expected percentage of kids who were accepted decided to attend.

Buffalo, a rust-belt urban campus in chilly western New York, is hot.

Which raises the question: What does becoming hot have to do with what it's really like on campus? And why do some schools shoot up in popularity while others that are equally good escape mass notice? Clearly, a TV program featuring real, live students having a fabulous time helps. So does a celebrity student or a big athletic win. "Whenever there's major publicity, it always affects admissions," says Pat Armstrong, the director of admissions at Buffalo. But schools manage to catch students' eyes for lots of reasons, say college counselors, many of them far removed from popular culture.

Colleges make themselves hot with some savvy self-promotion. "It's the college sending out stuff that starts it happening," says Bev Taylor, a college counselor in Roslyn Heights, N.Y. A flood of glossy brochures will make some kids consider a school they hadn't thought of before. "Some schools do an excellent job with marketing," says Marilyn Emerson, an independent college counselor in Chappaqua, N.Y. "They're constantly in touch with students, and they create warm and fuzzy feelings." The school that's the master of this technique, say many counselors, is Washington University in St. Louis. While Nanette Tarbouni, the school's director of admissions, says the university does not mail more materials than other colleges, kids report being inundated. The number of applications to Wash. U. has gone from 10,000 a decade ago to more than 20,000 today; the acceptance rate is down to 20 percent.

Sometimes a college just capitalizes on a characteristic that has become a teen favorite. Thanks to urban TV shows like Friends as well as the perception that cities have become safer, metropolitan schools are hot these days and have been for the past few years. Occidental College, a small liberal arts school in Los Angeles, rode that wave to a 155 percent increase in applications since 1997. "One critical philosophical decision was to position the college as a 'player' in Los Angeles life," says Vince Cuseo, director of admission. The school did so "not only because it would help raise Oxy's visibility but because it was considered the right thing to do as an educational enterprise in this city."

But kids latch on to schools for reasons that schools can't often predict. "All it takes is for one class leader to come home from a college visit with stars in her eyes, and she's got 10 classmates who are suddenly excited about a college they've never seen," says Joan Bress, an independent college counselor in Worcester, Mass. That happened last year at Seven Hills School in Cincinnati. After Alex Maggio returned from a summer visit to Yale, he couldn't stop talking about how cool the students were. His enthusiasm, combined with that of a few other kids, spread throughout the senior class and persuaded 13 people out of a class of 66 to apply. Seven enrolled this fall. How does Maggio feel about being Yale's pied piper? "I like it," he says. "It legitimized my choice."

High schools learning when to hide info

An increasing number of high schools no longer provide class rank to colleges, a move that may give students an extra edge when applying to elite schools with shrinking acceptance rates.

Of six Ivy League schools that have reported an admit-rate drop this year, Penn had the largest, admitting 17.7 percent of applicants.

A survey by the National Association for College Admission Counseling estimates that 40 percent of high schools no longer release rankings to colleges.

This is an adaptation to an admissions process that relies heavily on numerical data, education experts and high school counselors say.

Bev Taylor -- who runs the Ivy Coach, a New York-based independent college-counseling firm -- said many colleges determine the overall academic quality of a student by calculating an "academic index," a mathematical formula using SAT I and SAT II scores and class rank.

When colleges don't receive a class rank, they often substitute a student's grade point average in the formula.

Some counselors say class ranks don't adequately reflect academic quality for students at top high schools, since these students' GPAs usually differ by only hundredths of a point.

Recognizing this, high schools are increasingly no longer ranking students, in the hopes that an academic index calculated using GPA will help their students get into elite schools.

Penn Admissions Director Lee Stetson said that he has noticed a drop in the number of high schools submitting class ranks over the last 15 to 20 years.

Stetson added that, in Penn's admissions process, rankings are becoming "less and less important and performance in a quality curriculum is what counts."

Applications to Penn's undergraduate schools ask for class rank, but don't require it if a high school won't provide it. Stetson said that a student's chances of acceptance are not affected one way or the other.

National Association for College Admission Counseling public policy director David Hawkins said in an e-mail interview that the trend is, in part, an attempt to help students strengthen their applications.

At Shaker Heights High School in Shaker Heights, Ohio, administrators stopped ranking students "years ago," said school spokeswoman Peggy Caldwell. She added that the school realized that "the ranking system probably hurt more students than it helped."

Many top universities place "artificial limitations" -- like only accepting applicants from the top 10 percent of a high school class -- on admissions, Caldwell said.

At a school like Shaker Heights, where student GPAs are often separated by "thousandths" of a point, ranking unfairly reflects the quality of students, she added.

Although many high schools are changing their policies, education experts say that colleges show no sign of changing the way in which they conduct admissions.

Taylor said she conducted an informal survey of admissions officers at the Ivies, all of whom told her that they like to see rankings on applications.

"But that doesn't mean they have to get it," Taylor said, adding that it is hard to justify releasing the rankings "when colleges like Penn announce how many valedictorians they've rejected."

Officials at some schools think there are better ways than not ranking to get their students into college, however.

At Philadelphia's Frankford High School, counselor Alan Zimberg said students are ranked because it is a school in which the levels of academic achievement among students vary greatly.

At Frankford, "very few students can attain what [students ranked] No. 1, 2 and 3 can attain," Zimberg said. He added that as long as colleges request rankings, his school will continue to provide them.

Applications up across the Ivies

Penn turned in an average performance in terms of drawing applicants this year, at least relative to its peers.

The four other Ivy League schools that have released application statistics saw increases similar to or greater than Penn's 8-percent jump in total applications received.

Dartmouth College witnessed an estimated 18-percent overall rise in applications, more than any other Ivy thus far. Still, it received the lowest number of applications overall -- about 15,000.

Penn received about 20,300 applications. Columbia's 19,730 total applications marks a 9-percent increase. Yale's total applications rose 7.5 percent, to 20,903. An 8-percent boost at Brown yielded 18,250 total applicants.

Independent college counselor Bev Taylor said that in recent years her students have begun applying to more institutions, specifically to more Ivy League schools. She said most of her students apply to six or seven schools, but some apply to as many as 16.

Hearing stories of Ivy League schools that reject valedictorians with 1600 SAT scores scares students into submitting more applications, she said.

Alana Chill, a senior at Harrison High School in New York who applied to Penn, Cornell, Brown and eight other schools, said students commonly apply to multiple Ivies at her school, where Penn is very popular.

"People know the statistics are fairly low of getting into one, that by applying to more than one they increase their chances," she said. "Some of the kids take the name of the school very seriously, and the reputation [as well]. They know what they want and they'll do whatever it takes to get it."

Last year, Penn admitted just over a fifth of all applicants. Some of its peers, however, routinely admit around 10 percent.

Taylor also cited rising use of online applications and the Common Application as contributors to an increase in Ivy League applications. Five of the Ivies now accept the Common Application, but Penn is not among them.

She added that parents and students think, "Graduate from an Ivy League school and everything is going to be easier for you later on," she said. "I'm not saying that's true, because you could get a wonderful education at a school that's not an Ivy. ... We live in a society [where] Ivy equals success."

Early applications surge 21%

Applications for early admission to Penn rose dramatically this year, officials announced yesterday.

The University received 4,148 undergraduate applications to the Class of 2010, a 21 percent increase from last year's 3,420.

All four schools saw an increase in applications.

"I sensed during the fall that we would be seeing an increase," Dean of Admissions Lee Stetson said. "Needless to say, these are ... record numbers for Penn."

Stetson expects students admitted early to make up about 47 percent of the Class of 2010, a number similar to that of previous years.

Under Penn's early-decision policy, students apply by Nov. 1 and find out if they have been accepted, rejected or deferred a month and a half later. By applying early decision, students commit to attending the University if accepted.

Penn was among the first of its peer universities to release early-application data. While Harvard officials would not release their university's numbers, The Harvard Crimson reported that "nearly 4,000 students" applied to the university early, marking a slight decrease from 2004. Columbia University reported a 5.5 percent increase, with 2,275 students applying to Columbia College and engineering school, according to the Columbia Spectator.

Penn received a record number of applications from 26 of the 46 states represented in the applicant pool, including 352 applicants from California, compared to 241 last year, 96 from Texas, up from 86, and 10 from Kentucky, up from five.

Applications from members of racial minorities increased from 1,143 to 1,605, with the number of Latinos increasing from 149 to 201, Asians submitting 1,219 applications, up from 858, and applications from blacks rising from 128 to 176.

Legacy applicants submitted 590 applications, up from 523 for the Class of 2009.

Despite worries that antiterrorism laws would decrease the number of applicants from abroad, 534 applied early this year, as compared to 391 last year.

While Stetson said that the increase in students applying early is not necessarily indicative of how many students will apply during the regular-decision process, he called the numbers a "very fine start."

Stetson believes that the rise in applicants is due in part to the University's recent recognition in national publications, such as the Kaplan College Guide's naming Penn the "Hottest for Happy-to-Be-There" school.

"I think Penn's visibility has been rising," Stetson said.

He added that Penn's many specific and cross-disciplinary academic programs may also be a key factor.

Aliza Kempner, an early applicant and senior at the Sidwell Friends School in Washington, agreed.

"Penn seems to grab our attention with some of the outstanding programs," Kempner said, adding that she is interested in the Communication program at the Annenberg School.

However, Kempner added that Penn's reputation for taking a large percentage of its students from the early pool factored into her decision to apply early.

"I knew Penn was my first choice for a really long time," Kempner said. "So to some degree, it was strategic."

Penn has relied heavily on early-decision applicants to fill its classes as a way of boosting its yield rate, since students accepted early must attend, according to college counselor Jeannie Borin.

Bev Taylor, an independent college counselor and creator of theivycoach.com, also emphasized this aspect of Penn's admissions.

"If you're going to apply to Penn, apply early," Taylor said. Many prospective students "love [Penn], but they know that they don't have a shot regular-decision."

The selection committee will begin reviewing applications on Nov. 28, and its decisions will be available starting at 7 p.m. on Dec. 14.

The Secret World of College Admissions

Forget "The Apprentice." For real competition, check out "The Applicant" - a contest in which high-achieving Asian kids from New Jersey 's moneyed suburbs jockey for the Ivy League.

Consider the case of a Chinese-American girl at Holmdel High School. Her grades and test scores were top-notch, she ran cross-country and she was an accomplished pianist. Still, her prospects seemed uncertain.

The problem: her all-too-familiar profile.

She didn't, and couldn't, stand out among her peers. She ranked in the top 20 percent in the highly competitive school where nearly a fifth of the students are Asian.

"We needed to get her away from the other Asian kids,'' said Robert Shaw, a private college consultant hired by the girl's family.

Shaw advised bold steps: The family got a place in Keyport, a blue-collar town near their home, and the girl transferred to the local high school. There she was a standout: The only Asian kid in the school, she was valedictorian for the Class of 2004.

Next came an extracurricular makeover, one a bit out of character for a Chinese- American girl, said Shaw. "We suggested some outrageous activities, like Miss Teen New Jersey,'' where she won a talent competition playing piano.

"We had to create a contrarian profile,'' Shaw said. "We put her in places where she could stand out."

The girl was accepted to Yale and to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she is now a freshman.

Shaw helped the family play the admissions game. The ethnic, geographic and racial profiling that goes into assembling classes at the nation's top-tier colleges and universities is the worst-kept secret in American higher education.

"It's a very well-known thing but colleges don't want to talk about it,'' Shaw said. "It is certainly not a meritocracy, it's about being the right type of kid."

More than grades

With a huge pool of outstanding applicants, admissions at the top schools long ago stopped being about the numbers.

Good statistics alone are not the key to the Ivy League, said Willis J. "Lee" Stetson Jr., dean of admissions at the University of Pennsylvania . "In a really competitive pool, it's the extracurricular stuff that makes the difference."

Penn gets almost 19,000 applications for 2,400 seats a year, and the odds are no better at other top-tier schools. So how does a kid stand out in a large pool of students who have 1,500s on their SATs and 4.0 grade-point averages?

The children of alumni usually get preference, as do athletes. Admissions officers look for geographic balance as well, courting a mix of international and American students.

And, even as the nation's highest courts have ruled against racial and ethnic quotas, a de facto system remains in place as admissions officers strive for "balance" and the inclusion of so-called "underrepresented" populations, like blacks and Latinos.

"If you give me a Hispanic kid with a 1,350 (SATs), I can get that kid into every Ivy League college, or an African-American kid with 1,380 to 1,400,'' Shaw said. "But give me an upper-middle-class Caucasian or Asian with a 1,600, and I can't guarantee anything."

Recently, an Asian client of Shaw's from suburban Philadelphia got "wait-listed" at Yale despite a 1,600 SAT score and a 4.1 grade point average.

Shaw, a partner in the Long Island-based Ivy Success, honed his pragmatism while working in the admissions office at Penn. He recently changed his name from Hsueh to make it easier to pronounce, he said, but allows that a less Asian-sounding name may be an advantage when his young daughters reach college age.

A 'hidden agenda'

The schools deny quotas exist. On its Web site, Princeton University says: "We do not have a profile of the ideal applicant, nor do we map out a checklist of all the particular 'types' of students we plan to admit in a given year." Asians make up 13 percent of the Princeton enrollment.

Lauren Robinson-Brown, Princeton 's director of communications, said admissions staffers consider all applications without "criteria such as ethnicity or geographic region."

But admissions counselors and parents who've been through the process say they know differently. "I'm not saying that colleges have racial quotas, but I imagine that most schools want representation of different cultural and ethnic groups,'' said Jonni Sayres, a counselor in Englewood and Teaneck.

Bev Taylor, director of the Ivy Coach on Long Island, is more blunt. "Colleges have a hidden agenda. They are not going to say this,'' she said. "They look for diversity and unless you know the culture of the school, you are not going to know what's diverse."

A bulge in the college-age population has made admission harder for everyone, said Stetson of Penn, which just filled almost half its incoming freshman class through early admission.

Although less than 4 percent of the population, Asians make up about 14 percent of the Ivy League. And the numbers are even higher for schools located in cities, where Asians generally gravitate. At Penn, Asians make up almost 23 percent of the student body, 16 percent at Harvard.

Still, because they are in such a highly competitive subgroup, they are admitted to the Ivies at a lower rate than other groups, with about one in every 15 gaining entry compared with an average of one in 10, Shaw said.

As a group, Asians score the highest on standardized tests - a testament to a cultural emphasis on scholarship - and generally have high grade-point averages.

When California eliminated racial preferences - set-asides for underrepresented groups - Asian enrollment skyrocketed in the venerable University of California system. Although Asians are 13 percent of the state's population, they make up 42 percent of students of the campus at Berkeley , 38 percent at Los Angeles and 61 percent at Irvine.

Some counselors advise Asian students to apply to top-tier schools outside urban centers, such as Duke University in North Carolina or Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, where they will still be considered a minority.

"One of my biggest obligations as a counselor is to get across to the parents that they need to look at areas who will appreciate them more," said Sayres, the Teaneck counselor.

Politics of admission

The glut of A-students presents a dilemma for top-tier universities that want their classes to mirror the broader society. Such institutions are more likely to "attribute a higher degree of importance to a student's race or ethnicity," according to a soon-to-be-released report from the National Association for College Admissions Counseling.

Shaw and others say the system can work against individuals in a highly competitive pool like Asians. There are also complaints that Asians are counted as minorities by colleges but don't receive minority preferences at many top-tier schools. Others balk at an analysis that views admissions as a competition among minorities - that blacks and Latinos take what otherwise would be places occupied by Asians. They note that whites remain the majority at most selective colleges.

There is concern, as well, that almost 30 distinct groups are lumped together under the Asian rubric, from the fifth-generation Japanese-American to the entrepreneur from India to the poor Hmong farmer newly arrived stateside. Despite their variety, there is a belief that the bar is set higher for the entire ethnic group.

"The perception is that there are so many who are qualified that they have to be a little higher up on the ladder," said Lance Izumi, who studies education at the Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy, a California think tank.

Shaw and others have no doubt that the perception is a reality when it comes to admissions. They worry that the trend is creating upper-limit quotas for Asians at the best schools, such as those imposed on Jews prior to World War II when they began to break into the Ivy League after decades of overt anti-Semitism.

The politics of admissions can be bewildering and disheartening, especially for parents. "They are very disappointed because they've done everything right,'' said Sayres. "For the Asian students, especially the Korean students, they lose faith if their child doesn't get into the Ivies. And it's just not possible anymore. There are too many kids and too few places."

Undergrads face major decisions

Kristin McQuillan primarily chose the University of the Pacific for a pilot program in which she could earn both a pharmacy degree and a master's of business administration in six years.

But in her first semester last year on the Stockton, Calif., campus, she found herself far more enthusiastic about her economics and public speaking courses than biology. "Biology at UOP is a very difficult program. In order to excel, you really have to care about it," she says. Spending several years memorizing massive amounts of microbiology information held no appeal at all.

"They teach it for a reason, but I couldn't get myself to focus on something I didn't enjoy that much," says McQuillan, 19, of Fresno. So she changed majors to math and economics, abandoning the program that prompted her to choose the school to begin with.

Colleges across the country offer a panoply of specialized undergraduate majors and programs, from biomedical engineering to criminology.

But before students limit their college searches based on highly specialized majors and concentrated studies, they should keep in mind that chances are good they will change their minds and change their majors.

In a national sample of students followed from the eighth grade in 1988 through 2000, U.S. Department of Education senior research analyst Clifford Adelman found that 37% of students who earned bachelor's degrees changed majors at least once.

While a few teens are absolutely certain about their career goals, the average kid is not, says Bev Taylor, an independent college counselor in Roslyn Heights, N.Y. "How certain can they be at 17?" she asks. "Your major should be what you're passionate about, and the only way to find out what you're passionate about is to go to college."

The proliferation of highly specialized majors and undergraduate programs has been going on for some time, says Bill Rubin, an educational consultant in Costa Mesa, Calif. Specialized programs may reflect the academic interests of a school's faculty researchers or its community needs, while other times it may be a marketing gimmick, he says.

For students who see college as the ticket to getting the tools needed to do a job or for those wanting to go into fields such as nursing, specialized training may be what they need.

But in many fields, a specialized undergraduate major such as computer engineering or biotechnology may not give a student a leg up in getting a job or getting into graduate school. Majors are often far less important than how students perform academically, receive internships and other experiences.

"It's not intuitive that you could study math and go into business, but . . . it happens more often than people would expect," Rubin says.

Of the eight Ivy League colleges, only Penn State offers an undergraduate business major, yet no one would deny that the Ivies turn out students who get MBA degrees and are successful in business, Rubin adds.

For the student who has a career in mind, a good idea is to seek advice of professionals in the chosen field, says Jody Glassman, senior assistant admissions director at the University of South Florida. "Sit down for lunch or a soda, and ask them questions," such as what they majored in and what professional societies they belong to.

She also recommends the Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm), which features a search engine with different types of jobs, nature of the work, working conditions, employment outlook, and training and qualifications.

With two CSI shows in prime time and the FBI in the news, many students are interested in forensic science and criminology, she says. But forensic science typically requires an advanced degree, so a bachelor's degree in chemistry would be an appropriate major.

"The FBI recruits on our campus, and they don't necessarily want criminology majors. They want accounting and foreign language majors."

In any case, the nature of undergraduate education is to be broadly based, Rubin says.

"It's not supposed to be specialized. That's what graduate school is for." The central philosophy of a liberal arts education -- learning to read well, write well and think critically -- should help anyone in any career.

That's something McQuillan came to appreciate at UOP. "Before, I really did think I was going to be a pharmacist. It was more training," she says. "Now, I go to classes to learn."

Though she isn't completely sure about her career plans, she knows she won't be earning $90,000 a year as a pharmacist. She briefly considered transferring to a cheaper state school, but she loves the faculty and small class size at UOP, where tuition is $23,180. "It's a financial burden, but we made it work," she says.

Log on & learn about what schools offer

• www.collegeboard.com: The College Board's site includes the CSS Financial Aid Profile, college search, information about the SAT.
• www.commonapp.org: The Common Application, used by 241 selective colleges and universities, is available for online application or can be printed out and mailed in.
• www.finaid.org: This overall financial aid site has information on loans, scholarships and a financial aid calculator.
• www.fafsa.ed.gov: The government's Free Application for Federal Student Aid is required by those seeking Pell grants and other types of government aid; also required by many colleges for those seeking institutional aid.
• www.wiredscholar.com: A college planning resource site from educational loan lender Sallie Mae includes college and scholarship searches, information about loans.

Discussion Questions

1. How long does it typically take for students to settle on a major that truly interests them? Are any of your classmates thinking about changing majors? Do you have any plans to change majors? Explain.

2. What references can you consult to investigate other areas of study as well as information on real-world job opportunities? What additional resources would you like to see offered? Explain.

3. How do you feel about the curriculum they're studying? Is it teaching you to read and write well and think critically? Why or why not? Are there any areas that aren't adequately addressed?

It takes two to tackle college entry

Karin Kasdin fantasized that her son would do her proud in the college application process. Dan would make a good impression on admission officers with questions about degree programs and library resources. The college visits would be mini family vacations. Ultimately, she would drive off into the sunset, her car window graced with a sticker from his prestigious college.

As it turned out, Dan Weinstein fell asleep during his first college information session, tired and distracted after a breakup with his first serious girlfriend. His mother bickered with him on the college visits and nagged him through the entire process.

Kasdin does have a car sticker from Boston University, Dan's first-choice school, where he is a senior. But she didn't get it without enough hair-pulling to fill a book: Watsamatta U: A Get-a-Grip Guide to Staying Sane Through Your Child's College Application Process.

"Kids are nervous. They're not even finished with the junior prom, but they're tossed into a college situation," says Kasdin, a playwright and "recovering hyper parent" from Newtown, Pa.

The college admission process always has been a rite of passage for students and parents. With concerns about competitiveness and spiraling tuition, stress levels are higher than ever.

In college-bound communities, parents are stressed over whether their children will get into the "right" college. Who gets in where has become unpredictable, and parents have no control over it, says educational consultant Bill Rubin of Costa Mesa, Calif.

"In communities where significant amounts of parents didn't go to college, they're stressed in entirely different ways. They're more stressed about what is college, why is it worth all this money, and how should we pay for it."

How that concern translates to parental involvement is at once socio-economic, regional and highly individual. In the most re- cent National Association of College Admission Counseling survey of counselors, half of those who listed parental involvement as a pressing concern worried about over-involved parents, but half worried about parents who weren't involved enough, says David Hawkins, the association's director of public policy.

Mark Your Calendar

Admission deadlines vary widely depending on the college and type of admission, so students and parents must check deadlines with each individual college. It's also important to note whether deadlines are "postmark" deadlines or "received by" deadlines. Colleges may have separate applications for scholarships or honors programs, says independent college consultant Bev Taylor of Roslyn Heights, N.Y.

Seniors who haven't taken the SAT or ACT (or think they can improve their score) can still take the tests in December or January, Taylor says.

When late registration deadlines have passed, you also may be able to pay an extra walk-in or a standby fee.

The rule of thumb with financial aid is to submit your paperwork as soon as you can because some types of aid are first-come, first-served. Private scholarships have their own deadlines, as well.

Here are some major dates students and parents should keep in mind during the senior year:

"From the research I've taken part in, a lot of parents who haven't gone to college don't know how to help," he says.

So what's a parent to do?

"Parents need to identify themselves as support. The student is the decision-maker," says Judith Hingle, the admission association's director of professional development.

Students really should own the decision, and parents who don't trust their children to do it right send them a mixed message, says Marilee Jones, dean of admissions at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

From her vantage point at MIT, a school that accepted only 16% of its class of 2007 applicants, Jones sees the norm shifting. There always have been some highly involved parents, but "the norm now is for parents to manage their kids' lives," she says.

Baby-boomer moms who have been shuttling their kids from one supervised activity to another are comfortable driving the college application process, making the appointments, touring schools without their children, sitting in on interviews and, most egregiously, writing student essays, she says.

Parents need to pay attention to their language. If they find themselves saying "we are applying" and referring to "our application," those are red flags that they're stepping over the line.

Even if they didn't go to college themselves, parents can help a lot by going to parent nights and getting good information, Hingle says.

News stories about the competitiveness of the most selective schools give people a distorted view of the whole process, she adds. "The attention tends to discourage people with less knowledge. They see it as impossible."

Only about 100 of the nation's 3,000 four-year colleges and universities can be considered highly competitive, but people don't get the message that the vast majority of colleges still accept the vast majority of students who apply, she says. "Everybody equates college admissions with what's happening with highly competitive colleges."

Not every college costs a bundle

Parents who didn't go to college also tend to overestimate the cost, she says. "They read about Ivy League prices and assume that applies to all colleges." (Tuition and fees averaged $19,710 at four-year private colleges and universities this year, $4,694 at four-year public schools, and $1,905 at two-year publics, according to the College Board.)

Parents also need to keep in mind that the whole process comes at a difficult time for teens, Hingle says. "Many are getting driver's licenses, and their social lives are becoming very different at that point. The end of high school is visible, and as eager as they are to move on, they are threatened by the massive changes that are coming on."

Meanwhile, college and scholarship applications often ask students to toot their own horn. "We teach them to be fairly modest, and then we tell them to write an essay on what your good points are." One way they deal with it, she says, is by procrastinating.

It may be ideal if students take the lead, but most parents do have to get the search started, says school psychologist Carol Freeman of Middletown, N.Y., author of Living With a Work in Progress II: A Parents' Guide to Surviving High School.

"They (kids) don't know what college is all about. As parents, our responsibility is to jump-start the process and be on top of them for deadlines. They need to do the work. But to expect that to come from inner motivation is a little unrealistic for most kids," she says.

The paperwork can be daunting for all involved.

"If he didn't have me, I don't know where he'd be with the applications," says Cynthia Saxton of Columbus, Ga., of her son Dexter Nathaniel, 17. Not only are there multiple essay questions, but you have to depend on so many other people — teachers and counselors and even peer recommendations, as well as transcripts, she says.

Paperwork vs. school work

Dexter knows he needs scholarship money to go to his top-choice college, but it's a struggle to keep up with the paperwork along with his courses at Carver High School's science magnet program and the local community college, plus fall baseball, the math team and the National Honor Society.

"It's difficult staying organized and actually trying to enjoy my last year of high school," he says. "I'm mostly concerned with doing the schoolwork I have now."

Though at first he didn't want his mom organizing all that college mail, Dexter relented.

"I hate to be a procrastinator and wait to the last minute," he says. "With my mother here, I'm not allowed to be. When I look at the big picture, that's not a bad thing. When it's time to come to bed, and she's wanting me to work on them, it's irritating."

Even as parents keep a watch on deadlines, it's also important for them to reassure their kids they're ready to move on, Freeman says. The kids who have excelled in high school and made lots of friends are often the most ready to move on, she says, but they're often the most reluctant to leave it behind.

Issues such as cost and location may be points of conflict, but it may be a mistake to rule out applying to a dream school based on the price tag, she says. Sometimes the most expensive schools have the biggest endowments, so there may be more financial aid available.

By supporting students' choices in the fall, parents also can stick in a few options of their own when deciding where to apply.

"When it comes time to make a decision in the spring, you can sit down and make pros and cons," Freeman says. "If your child wants to go and you can't afford it, you have to be honest. But none of these decisions have to made quickly; there's time."

Whatever financial parameters they may have, parents really do have to let kids make the decision themselves, because it's the first step to being an adult, Kasdin says.

Though her son Dan says he always understood that his mother had his best interests at heart, Kasdin regrets having pushed him so hard. "I straightened myself out in the nick of time before I ruined my relationship with him."

When it came time for her second son to look at colleges last year, they drove six hours to a school, and her son said he didn't like it even before he got out of the car.

"We put the car in reverse before it was ever in park," Kasdin says. "If that had been my first child, I would have had a hissy fit."

The Tour Is the Cure

It was a picture-perfect, crisp October afternoon: The sun shone brightly, a brisk breeze swayed the branches on a myriad of trees, some 8,000 altogether, that abound on the academic campus of Hofstra University in Hempstead that also has accreditation as an arboretum, a point noted in an information session for visitors.

It was perfect walking weather for these nearly two dozen newcomers to campus, several sets of parents with their high school seniors in tow, who were getting a first-hand look at the university.

And all, save for the lone Long Island teenager there with her dad, were setting foot on the campus for the first time.

Such visits to colleges by high school juniors and seniors - and increasingly sophomores - experts say, are essential in a world where the cost of a college education is skyrocketing, as well as becoming increasingly necessary in the 21st century.

"It's just like the old adage, they say you wouldn't buy a car without giving it a test drive. You wouldn't want to go to a college you haven't visited," said Bill Rubin, director of Costa Mesa, Calif.-based The College Authority, which takes students from all over the country on college tours concentrated on the East Coast. "You can't turn or walk three steps in the Northeast without bumping into a college campus," he joked.

Bonnie Eissner, a spokeswoman for Adelphi University in Garden City, turned to a car analogy as well, likening prospective students and their parents to "consumers" who "want to kick the tires. And that's what we want to enable them to do."

Christine Murphy, Adelphi's director of university admissions, added that college is a place a student is "going to live, play, study, learn, meet friends and have all sorts of collegiate experiences" over four years. In light of that investment, she said, "It's really about finding the right match, the right fit."

On a recent afternoon, Jaclyn Whalen, 21, of Deer Park, got her first glimpse of Adelphi's campus. Because rain threatened but never materialized, other guests canceled on that day, leaving her the sole visitor on that tour. This underscored the personal touch that Murphy said Adelphi likes to provide by keeping tour groups small, with Whalen's getting all the attention from her guide, junior Suzanne Winkler, 21, and from student greeters Jillian Wolfson, 17, and Chantal Hamlin, 18.

"I think it's a very nice campus," said Whalen, who should graduate from Suffolk County Community College in December with an associate's degree and plans to continue college for a bachelor's degree. "Everyone seems very nice. I like the fact that you can dorm here and feel the whole college life but still not be too far from home if you wanted to go home." Whalen said she already had heard positive things about the university from a relative and a few friends. "Adelphi is my first choice because I heard a lot of good things about it."

Part of finding the right college fit, experts say, involves in large measure the campus visit. Student visitors are encouraged to ask college students questions about the campus to get a feel for the environment. Have a meal in the cafeteria and strike up a conversation with some of the students, counselors advise.

Typically, colleges offer twice-daily tours, with morning and afternoon sessions. Visitors often can hear a presentation from admissions officials about the college, then go on a student-led tour of campus. Many conduct tours on Saturday as well. Arrangements can be made at many institutions, if students call in advance, to visit a classroom and stay overnight with "student ambassadors" to get a more in-depth experience. Also, students may request individual interview sessions with admissions officers at many institutions.

Students are advised to go prepared.

"They need to know as much as possible" about the colleges they visit, said Barbara Hall, New York University's associate provost for admissions and financial aid. She and others said that is easy to do, since "information is now virtually on everyone's Web site. They need to know about the school so the questions they ask supplement that information rather than just [be] something they could've read," Hall said.

Gigi Lamens, Hofstra's vice president for enrollment management, said, "Come prepared to one of those one-on-one [interview] sessions with questions and with a little background about the college [you're] visiting. That shows an interest and level of motivation."

Chris Carson, founder and "tour director" of CampusTours, which helps colleges design "virtual tours" of their campuses for their Web sites, called such tours a starting point for students to learn about an institution. Through its Web site, www.Campus Tours.com, the company provides links to about 750 college Web sites. He said CampusTours' offerings demonstrate that the first place many students will go to find out about a college is online. He added, though, "there is really no substitute to actually getting there. You'll find out at some institutions, it just doesn't rub you the right way. At others, you'll find it's exactly what you're looking for."

Ben Jones, dean of admissions and financial aid at Bennington College in Vermont, suggested students should also research themselves as they shop around. He said they should have a sense of how they learn. "Do they respond to having close attention with a teacher? Or do they want more of a lecture environment? ... They should know that."

Bob Musiker, owner and director of Summer Discovery Pre-College Program, based in Roslyn, said, "The campus visit is taking on greater importance" as the admissions process has become "much more competitive."

Musiker said his program, which he said has been around for about 30 years, seeks to address that by providing high school students with opportunities to take college courses during the summer at various campuses across the country. Recently, he has joined forces with The Princeton Review to provide a two-week program for high school students that involves not only college visits, but also SAT and college essay preparation. Choosing a college, Musiker said, "has become one of the most important decisions you will make in your lifetime."

To Bev Taylor, an independent college counselor from Roslyn Heights, the college visit is a must - "a no-brainer" in fact.

Taylor said some highly selective colleges are even rating students' interest in their campuses. "It's called an IQ, for interest quotient," she said. But beyond showing one's interest, Taylor said a campus visit can help a student prepare for the essay many colleges require. "You cannot write that essay unless you go on a tour or overnight," Taylor said. If a student has visited a class, which admissions officers and counselors encourage, Taylor said, "you can put the professor's name in that essay. You can write about discussions that happened in that class ... It means so much to the college admissions person reading that application. Besides their interest, it shows they're not only doing what's necessary but going beyond."

For Leslie Ziegler of Rochester, "It's a little overwhelming because there's so much out there." She and her husband, Carl, were accompanying their son Rob, 18, on the Hofstra tour.

"It's so very different from when I went through this," Ziegler said as the group wandered up California Avenue, passing Hofstra's Law School. "I never visited ... The first time I saw the campus [at the University of Connecticut] was the day I moved into the dorm room. Things are very different now."

How Students Decide

Last year, The Art and Science Group, a consulting firm specialzing in higher education and the nonprofit sector, asked 500 students bound for 4-year colleges which factors were most influential in their choice of school:

• Visit to schools 65%
• Parents or other family members 39%
• Current students or graduates of school 33%
• College Web sties 26%
• School catalog or other printed matter 25%
• High school guidance counselors 24%
• Admissions staff 24%
• College research sites on Internet 20%
• Friends 17%
• High school teachers 17%
• Published rankings 12%
• Guidebooks (Peterson's, Barrons, etc._ 7%
• Independent college counselors 7%
• CD-ROMS sent by the colleges 4%

Ivy League and Celebrity

Bev Taylor was featured on a 2002 Fox TV Special Report about the influence of celebrity on admission to Ivy League schools. Click here to watch.

As Early Admissions Rise, Colleges Debate Practice

As debate over the merits of early decision college admissions continued, early applications rose sharply at many universities this year. In some cases, colleges have already admitted 30 to 40 percent of their freshman classes for next fall through the early decision process.

At Harvard and Yale early applications increased almost 25 percent, while at other universities, including Columbia, Princeton, New York University and the University of Pennsylvania, early applications rose more than 10 percent.

"The only thing we're sure of is that this illustrates once again how eager people are to have some kind of early admission process," said Marlyn McGrath Lewis, director of admissions at Harvard.

Not all colleges had increases. Among those that did not were Williams, down 2 percent; Brown, down 3 percent; Duke and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, each down 10 percent; and Swarthmore, down 15 percent. Officials at some of these campuses said they were not certain why the numbers had declined. They said the numbers tended to jump around year to year, but were still far higher than they were five years ago.

A student who applies under an early decision plan promises to attend that college if admitted in December. Most of the Ivy League universities and most other colleges that offer early admission programs use binding early decision plans. Under a variation known as early action, practiced by fewer colleges including Harvard, M.I.T., the University of Chicago and Georgetown a student is notified about admission by mid-December, but is free to apply to other colleges and need not decide where to enroll until May.

Advocates of early decision plans say they allow students who know where they want to go to eliminate four months of anxiety. But a growing number of critics say that binding early decision plans lead students who are not sure where they want to enroll to limit themselves to one college because they believe it enhances their chances of admission to a prestigious campus.

In the forthcoming book "The Early Admissions Game" (Harvard University Press), three Harvard researchers report that more than a third of the early decision students they interviewed applied early even though they were not certain of their first choice college.

Students have reason to adopt such a strategy. Penn, for example, has already filled 47 percent of its freshman class through the early decision process. Yale and Columbia have filled 43 percent of their freshman classes, while at Dartmouth and Stanford the figure is 37 percent.

This year several institutions including Yale, Stanford, Beloit College, the University of North Carolina and Mary Washington College announced that they would shift to early action admission from early decision to reduce the pressure on students. On Tuesday, Fordham University in New York, which takes only a small part of its class through early decisions, joined that lineup.

"Early decision has become a game of odds," said Peter Stace, Fordham's vice president for enrollment. "That's not what it was supposed to be about."

Scott White, a college counselor at Montclair High School in Montclair, N.J., said many of the students who were applying early "are doing so more as a strategy than a thoughtful consideration."

Some guidance counselors, like Bev Taylor, an independent counselor in Roslyn Heights, N.Y., say they encourage students to apply early if they have decided where they most want to go. One reason, Ms. Taylor said, is that universities sometimes take weaker students who commit themselves through early decisions and reject stronger students who apply later, or put them on waiting lists.

"Since it is no secret that more and more colleges are filling a larger portion of the incoming classes with early decision or early action, the students are hip to it," said Bob Turba, chairman of guidance services at Stanton College Preparatory School, a public magnet school in Jacksonville, Fla., where about 20 percent of the senior class applied early, a little higher than last year.

But Mr. Turba said many chose early action because "there aren't too many who are so confident in their choices."

Some institutions, like Penn, said they cut back slightly on the number of early applicants they admitted this year to leave more space for regular applicants. Penn admitted 1,122 of its 3,401 early applicants, or 47 percent of a class of 2,400 students; last year it accepted 1,181, or 49 percent of its freshman class.

"We took more last year because of the uncertainty from 9/11," said Lee Stetson, Penn's dean of admissions.

Rebecca Dixon, associate provost of university enrollment at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., which received 1,044 early applications about the same as last year said she accepted fewer early applicants this year; the freshman class admitted last year was larger than planned. The university is now being more selective, Ms. Dixon said.

"The early decision pool's quality was about equal to last year's," she said.

Another criticism of early decision programs is that they are more likely to be used by students at private schools and elite public schools, who are more sophisticated about the college application process, have greater access to guidance counselors and are not trying to compare financial aid packages from a number of schools. The early application pools typically include relatively few students from disadvantaged households, and the numbers of minority students are also small.

But some colleges said they had seen greater diversity in their early application pools this year, with more minority students and more students from other countries.

The University of Chicago, a nonbinding early action college where early applications jumped 21 percent to 2,903 this year, said the number of early applications from international students rose to 139, from 72 last year, and the number of Hispanic, African-American and public school students rose.

As Applications to Some New York Colleges Drop, Officials Cite Sept. 11

While applications at many selective colleges around the country grew this year, New York University, Columbia and Barnard College all experienced declines, with some admissions officials blaming Sept. 11 jitters by families uneasy about sending their children to New York City.

For Columbia, it was the first decrease in more than 10 years. Total applications fell 2.4 percent to 16,157. Eric J. Furda, executive director of undergraduate admissions at Columbia, said the biggest declines were in applications from California and applications to the engineering school. Columbia College had 14,129 applicants, 35 more than last year.

Applications to Barnard College dropped about 10 percent, after an 11 percent increase in early decision applications last fall.

At N.Y.U., applications fell more than 3 percent to 29,500, down from 30,500 last year, which was also down slightly from the previous year.

Marsha Gardner, a college counselor at the College Preparatory School in Oakland, Calif., said that the number of its students who applied to Columbia and Barnard this year had not changed, but that the number applying to N.Y.U. had ''dropped off considerably,'' probably because of its proximity to the World Trade Center site.

At many other selective universities, the torrent of applications continued to grow this year, spurred in part by the continued growth in the number of college-age students. Harvard had about 500 more applications than last year, bringing its total to 19,520. Yale reported a 2.6 percent increase, to 15,200. Applications at Dartmouth grew 5 percent to 10,191.

But the number of applications to some universities outside New York City also declined or remained flat. At Wesleyan in Connecticut, applications fell 8 percent to 6,465. At the University of Pennsylvania, they slipped 1.5 percent to 18,776, with much of the decrease in engineering, as at Columbia. Cornell received 21,486 applications -- just 33 fewer than last year.

Some admissions advisers at consulting firms and high schools said students had pulled back from New York, especially N.Y.U., which had to close some residence halls temporarily because they were close to ground zero.

''Prior to Sept. 11, N.Y.U. was all the rage for our Seattle-area students who were looking eastward,'' said Andrew Bryan, a college consultant with O'Shaughnessy & Bryan Associates. ''Between 'Felicity' and 'Rent,' we were talking about Washington Square weekly in my office. Now? Rarely a mention.''

But Jane McClure, a college counselor with McClure, Mallory & Baron in San Francisco, said that no parents she advised had told their children not to go east, and several students applied early to Barnard, Columbia and N.Y.U. because they thought they might have an advantage if others pulled back.

''The real test will be what students actually decide to do on May 1,'' she said.

Bev Taylor, a New York college consultant, The Ivy Coach, said that some of her students were still applying to New York City colleges such as Columbia, Barnard, N.Y.U. and Fordham, and that those colleges ''are still top choices.''

Susan Semonite Waters, the college counselor at the Ranney School in Tinton Falls, N.J., said that none of her school's 34 seniors revised their college lists after Sept. 11, although some changed their essay topics to include issues like patriotism.

Not all New York area colleges experienced a drop in applicants. At Fordham University, for example, the number of applications rose about 7 percent at both its Rose Hill Campus in the Bronx and its smaller Lincoln Center campus.

Vassar College in Poughkeepsie received 5,733 freshman applications, 43 more than last year. David M. Borus, dean of admission and financial aid at Vassar, said he was surprised that applications from abroad had risen 10 percent.

Many colleges have had bigger increases in applications from far away.

Fordham, which received 11,181 applications this year, had 516 applications from California -- 122 more than last year. Karen Pellegrino, Fordham's director of admission, said there had been gains at many Catholic colleges.

Bruce Poch, vice president and dean of admissions at Pomona College in Claremont, Calif., said that applications had risen 14 percent over all, with a 36 percent increase from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

And in Brazil, Phyllis Clemensen, College Counselor at Escola Graduada, an American school in São Paulo, said that the school's 81 seniors did not change their minds after Sept. 11; most still plan to attend colleges in the United States, including those in New York City. ''Perhaps those of us who live abroad have a different view of personal safety,'' she added. ''Certainly street crime is more worrisome in other parts of the world than in New York City.''