That’s my thought, thumper1
This just seems like one more tool for prep schools and elite high schools to manipulate to their advantage.
The part I like is the part about leading to a conscious college list (one of the paragraphs the OP quoted). The biggest problem I see in students is that they spend so little time before Semester One of Sr. Year even considering where they might want to guy and why. I think merely having “the ingredients” there in advance of that semester may help them be more thoughtfully intentional and may also encourage earlier research and visits on their part.
This doesn’t make a lick of sense to me. You know who is thinking about and actively planning for college in 9th grade? 9th graders who have access to well-staffed guidance offices or private counselors.
Most students from disadvantaged backgrounds- even the ones who will end up going to a place like U of M- are often not thinking about their college choices in 9th grade. That’s just reality and they’re not in places with counselors who are going to tell them to start uploading stuff that early.
With that said, if it can work and if it increases enrollment of low-income or otherwise disadvantaged students, then I’m all for it. I’m really liking the new HAIL scholarship discussed elsewhere and I think that’s more feasible for U of M specifically. ANY attempt to reach out to these students which encourages exploration and application is a plus but I truly hope that it is done well. I can foresee many, many pitfalls and, unfortunately, those who design these programs are not generally the ones who have first-hand experiences with difficulties faced by disadvantaged students.
The only good thing about this idea, from the limited info about it, is that it could put the brakes on the escalating numbers of applications to these colleges via the common app. But that’s a marginal benefit, assuming that’s the effect.
The claim that this new portfolio thing is being implemented to assist low income students is just PR hogwash. I have worked with low income kids. The very idea of getting them to start compiling a portfolio in 9th grade, and then keeping it updated, is ludicrous – it’s hard enough getting them to assemble this kind of stuff in 12th grade.
I suppose the thought is that the extremely highly motivated student living in poor conditions WILL undertake the effort to keep this thing updated, and I guess that’s the type of disadvantaged student these colleges are seeking. I do think, unfortunately, that this is far more likely to bolster the admissions for the highly advantaged students whose “packagers” will have a nice three-year head start on everyone else.
I don’t even see how this system will limit the number of applications a student may submit. With the addition of this, the student would now submitting to multiple elite schools here and (hopefully) safeties and low matches on the Common App. It makes the college application process more complicated, stressful.
If you look at the list of schools, it is not surprising that students need to think about these colleges from early years in high school or may not have a chance anyway. I doubt this approach is for attracting students that are not likely to apply otherwise.
I disagree completely. Even students who end up at top colleges are not necessarily thinking seriously about colleges in 9th grade. Not in any concrete sense anyway.
The article states; “The portfolio system is scheduled to be live in January, and the application in the summer of 2016.”
There’s no way counsellors would be able to keep up with this, the counsellors at my school handle about 500 kids each and barely have enough time to see seniors, much less the other 3 grades
I could be wrong but to me this just seems like a bunch of busy work for the kids. My oldest is already in college but I have a junior and a freshman. There are a number of colleges on that list that the freshman may apply to. I’m hoping that it’s still in the “optional” phase when he is applying to colleges…I’m all for writing separate essays when applying to colleges but other than that how about we just let the kids enjoy high school.
So kids would have to do the Common App for their likely schools and this new application process for the 80 school s on this list? Seems like it would be double the work and would not reduce the number of applications.
I understand wanting a “real” piece of writing, but that would not stop (and may even exacerbate) the college application industry. A “real” piece of writing can be edited after the fact just as much as a response to a writing prompt. Will there be a limit on length? Are adcoms going to read the 10 page research paper or still want a 5 paragraph essay so many kids have to write in high school?
The fact that this starts in 9th grade only seems to add to the college admissions hype and pressure.
I understand the desire to increase financial aid, but think that removing any merit aid makes life very hard for those that are in the middle of making too much for financial aid but not enough for over $60K. The idea that every kid that gets (or accepts) merit aid is a very wealthy kid is certainly not true for the families I know. The very wealthy kids go to the best schools they get into and leave the merit money on the table.
Just another advantage to the prep schoolers. Inner city kids won’t be able to use this system at all.
That seems oxymoronic - more work that will minimize the disadvantages of not having private counselors. I’ll believe the concern they have about students applying to many colleges when they stop mailing literature to all PSAT test takers.
I have a high school freshman. I wouldn’t know where to even start with this. He has no high school grades yet, has taken no standardized tests, and has no idea what he wants to do with his life. Is he going to want to apply to any of these colleges and have the stats to do it? I have no idea. I guess some kids are focused enough at 14 that parents know they will be at the top of the class and they will be premed, but that has to be a very small minority. Mine, however, is still toying with the idea of being a professional basketball player.
I agree with others that this is just going to be another way for prep schools to make their applicants look good. Public schools don’t have the resources to get kids going that early. My kids’ school has one presentation junior year to tell kids that they need to start making lists and visiting schools. The real push starts senior year. I can’t imagine them starting with freshmen.
I don’t think making the admissions process more complex than it already is will help anyone.
This is an attempt to separate the highly selective schools from the rest, and it will force students to start thinking early on which colleges they really want to go to, thus reducing the madness of, for example, applying to all eight ivies. Clearly, low-income students will be further disadvantaged.
The comments following the article made some really good points. (Ex. - who’s going to pay for all the advising of high school students at the universities?)
I think prep schools will be the ones equipped to help students conquer this new format.
College admissions counselors will have more opportunities to manage student applications. They can charge to take charge of student portfolios when the student is in 9th grade.
Our area school districts used to require a “senior project” of all students as part of the graduation requirement. Our neighbor hotrodded a Subaru, a friend’s son did a taxidermy internship and submitted a stuffed raccoon.
About six years ago they switched to a portfolio-based proof of competence with an oral presentation senior year, something much more representative of the educational attainment than a raccoon. Our schools are already collecting portfolios and will be early beneficiaries of the new app process.
@magnetron, but now the “Senior Project” has to become a 3.5 year high school project(s) in order for the public schools to compete with the portfolios that will be compiled by private high schools. Who will pay for the extra counseling, teachers, staff to provide the same level of assistance and oversight at a public school?
Answer: nobody. The wealthier public districts might be able to assemble a team to do an adequate job, but everyone else will be SOL when it comes to putting together a 3+ year portfolio to compete with professionally-assisted ones.
It is hard to implement that, not only at the HS end but also at the college side. I think they only have a general idea right now and the actual process will be shaped in the upcoming years. Believe it or not, in order to get into some of the schools on the list, one need to have an academic goal/plan early on, although not necessarily aiming at certain school from 9th grade. Very often, when a student entering junior starts to plan for college, one may realize there is something missing in the credential that would greatly limit his/her chance at many of these schools (e.g. not enough world language, etc).