<p>College admissions are often misunderstood by students (and parents) as a right, not a privilege. Even for state colleges. The only education you are entitled to by the Constitution is a high school education. Beyond that, its a matter of choice, privilege and opportunity. </p>
<p>In a perfect world, anyone who wanted to attend a particular school would be admitted. But there are 10 times (or more) applicants than there are available seats. Colleges can select how big they want to be, how many dorm rooms to build, and sometimes they are restricted by zoning laws, building restrictions. </p>
<p>For decades the courts have debated affirmative action. It is controversial, but it also serves a public interest of providing opportunity to persons who might not otherwise have a chance of admission at a highly selective university. For others, attending a HBCU is more important than attending Michigan or Harvard or CalTech. </p>
<p>Every person is born with unique skills and limitations. The admissions committees are “building a class”, as much as they are making individual assessments of admission. Thus, they may pass over a person with a 1400 (2300) SAT, who is class president, and pick someone with a 1250 SAT, played three sports but is not seeking an athletic scholarship. They may pick someone who is first generation to attend college. They may pick a violinist with a poor math score. </p>
<p>Different colleges have different agendas. Some will reach deeper into the applicant pool than others. Some have state mandates for admitting state residents (Georgia and UNC come to mind). </p>
<p>We dont like that our future is determined by somebody else and often for seemingly capricious reasons or the “luck of the draw.” </p>
<p>We went through this three years ago. It was painful and exasperating as we heard about people we didn’t like or felt were not qualified getting into highly prestigious schools, often because their prep school counselor knew someone in admissions at the university. Or people with lower scores got into my d’s first choice school where she was waitlisted. Lots of tears. But in hindsight, everything worked out for the best. She now says, “what was I thinking?” </p>
<p>Finally, while every college is unique in its culture and experience, there is also a lot of overlap about college. What really matters is how well you do where you attend college, how you grow as a person, how you face challenge and adversity, how you help others. If you think that the name on the parchment paper (your degree) is going to define you as a person, then I would suggest you examine your priorities in life. College experiences become part of who we are as people and we all have that warm, fuzzy and humorous memory of “college” when we grow up. But the name of the college does not really define us as people, unless of course we let it. Put another way, I like to think that the values and lessons I learned in college help define who I am as a person, but not necessarily the name of the institution (though I am plenty proud of where I went to college and will stand toe to toe with anyone in defending it.) </p>
<p>Admissions decisions are frustrating, quirky, capricious, irrational…and sometimes in hindsight make perfect sense. Turn the page and move on. As my daughter says, “I am so over THAT!” </p>
<p>If you got in where you wanted, congratulations. Now go and become a whole person and leave the superficial anecdotes to others. </p>
<p>(n.b. CalTech is an amazing school. Trust me, I know. Friends and family at JPL Labs. But its not the only game in town.)</p>