25,000+ Applications. So little time. How do they do it?

Applying to College
1

<p>Maybe I am just being especially anxious as a senior, but I always have this vision of the admissions officers never getting to my application or just reading a small part of it without looking over my ECs (which I am very proud of) so they aren't getting the whole picture.</p>

<p>But as I am reading through these threads showing articles about how schools like NYU got nearly 38,000 apps and other top schools in the high 20's...it seems like my vision might actually be reality for some applicants.</p>

<p>Is this true? I mean admissions offices only have so many staff members how do they possibly do it? I am not doubting or anything, but I am genuinely curious since it does seem to be a rather daunting task to sort through all those apps so maybe some mistakes are inevitable? What are the chances..?</p>

2

<p>They do it very fast by going over like 20-30 files a day spread among a group of admissions officers who are underpaid and overworked. Mistakes in the process are to be expected.</p>

3

<p>In most top schools, I believe your file is read by two people and then debated in committee, where they vote on your admission. A book written by a Dartmouth Admission officer said that there were few mistakes in the process of admitting students (e.g. b/c the adcom had a bad day, etc.)</p>

4

<p>They have blindfolds and feel around for applications to accept</p>

5

<p>I know Yale boils their apps in a cauldron of Elihu Yale’s sweat and tears. The applications that don’t disintegrate are accepted. Damaged but readable apps are waitlisted, and you can imagine what happens to the ones that burn up.</p>

6

<p>Well, they do put all the applicant’s names in a box and whoever gets drawn is accepted. :-p</p>

7

<p>Well, for all us “boarding school” kids, we have a huge ceremony every year in the Great Hall where all of the new seniors sit on a stool and intently think their SAT scores as the Founder’s Cap is placed upon their heads. Then it shouts out a school and the kid is done! </p>

<p>I don’t know how it’s handled for you muggles, though.</p>

8

<p>Haha…well these certainly are encouraging responses!!</p>