What not to ask
I've been suggesting that when you guys visit colleges, or speak with admissions officers at college fairs, you should ask questions. Not all questions are helpful, though. And since you'll only have so much time with admissions officers, you don't want to spend your time asking unanswerable questions. When speaking with college admissions officers, the following is an example of how not to start your questions:
”There was this student at my school, who graduated last year, who got a [SAT score] and was captain of [sports team] and president of [club] who volunteered with [non-profit organization] but DIDN’T get in!”
At this point, the question usually becomes, “so what do I have to do to get in?!?”
Just stop yourself. There is no answer to that question. The admissions officer will have no idea who you’re talking about. That student has nothing to do with you. Application reading is an intricate process that can't be distilled into a scheme of scores, activities and awards. In other words, there’s no particular formula for getting in and even if there were, it wouldn’t be discernible with the sample size that is your high school.
Don’t worry about your peers. Don’t worry about who’s been accepted or rejected in the past. Don’t even bother speculating about the reasons behind these past decisions.
Focus on presenting yourself as best you can.
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Posted on August 1, 2007 under Advice |
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Comments (7)
When you do go to a interview, how is the environment like? Is it in a room where only the admission officer and I are in? Do we sit face-to-face? How does it usually start and end?
Posted on August 2, 2007 1:30 PM
Thank you so much for reminding me of this. It stresses me out looking at the average GPA, ranking, SAT score, etc. on college websites. I really need to remember that it isn't all about the grades, but about the person.
I do have one question though: Are there times when grades are the only thing that matters? For example, schools like UCLA and CAL that receive 50,000+ applicants-- do they make a cutoff GPA?
Posted on August 2, 2007 7:27 PM
Vishal -
Every interview is different. Some interviews are in the admissions officer's office, some are in a conference room, some are out of doors on a park bench. Some interviews are with a senior interviewer, sometimes with an admissions officer, sometimes with an alum. The interview will start when the interviewer comes to get you in their reception area, and will begin in whatever fashion he or she thinks works to get a discussion going. It will end when the time (however much is allotted) is up and the interviewer thinks he or she has gotten enough information from you. No two interviews will be the same which may make it intimidating, but at the same time it keeps it fun and personal.
Posted on August 3, 2007 5:38 AM
Katherine -
Good question. Some schools may rely more heavily on GPA and test scores in initial screening. They may create cut offs, below which, it will be more difficult to gain admission. This is much more likely at a large research university than a small liberal arts college. If there are particular schools you're interested in, call them and inquire.
Posted on August 3, 2007 5:45 AM
Thanks for this, really. That question about "What do I have to do to get in?!" really helped. When you said that 'whoever student' has nothing to do with you, it made me remember and realize that I am my own person and I may have all those activities and everything like that kid had, but something else more special. Thanks!
Posted on August 11, 2007 9:25 AM
my problem is that i don't have extra-curriculars, so i'm concerned about how colleges will feel about me... is this going to hinder me being accepted/eligible for scholarships?
Posted on August 27, 2007 4:58 PM
Hey! thanks for the information. I only have one question.
since i'm waiting for my acceptance to colleges i did apply to, i recently have been call for intervieuws.
those that mean, they're probably want to know more about me...(or i might get in...but they're not sure) or just they want me to know about their colleges?
Posted on February 10, 2008 12:33 PM