<p>read all the essays and look at every single portfolio they receive? My D spent a great deal of time putting together her portfolio and writing her essays. Somehow I feel sorry for her because I'm not sure colleges are going to spent enough time reading/looking at her essays/portfolios. I am wrong? Besides, my D didn't visit or contact the arch colleges. She only interviewed for the ones that require them. However, D asked her arch instructor about the arch programs, did a lot online research about a lot arch programs, and attended the open houses for the programs that toured our city. So I know that my D really selected the arch programs that she wanted to apply very carefully. Thanks!</p>
<p>My son's experience says yes they will carefully look at everything submitted! At least for the private schools he applied to.
Two examples, one school e-mailed and followed up with a phone call suggesting he apply for a merit scholarship they offered that required an additional essay competition and a minimum hs gpa even though his gpa was .14 below the stated gpa required to apply... His admissions counselor told him she liked his admissions essay and interview enough that the admissions committee felt he'd have a good shot at it and were willing to overlook his lower gpa. He wrote the required essay and won one of the 25 scholarships awarded :) At another school after acceptance, but prior to enrollment decision, I know he exchanged emails with an admissions rep that included discussion of his portfolio.</p>
<p>Best wishes to your daughter. I know this time of year the waiting is hard. However, soon, after her acceptances are in hand, then she will be in the driver's seat and the schools will be playing the waiting game.</p>
<p>4trees, thanks for sharing your son's experience with the arch programs. It seems that they do pay close attention. I know admission have plenty of application to look. And, it is really hard on the students too. My D started working on her portfolio since summer and just finished yesterday. Hopefuly D will get some nice surprises.</p>
<p>When I was on the admissions committee at Columbia (as a grad student reader)we looked at every paper in the file. I suppose it might be possible that if your grades and SAT scores were very very low there might be a school out there that would put you in the reject pile without looking at everything, but it didn't work that way at Columbia. I will confess that after reading 100s of essays about "Why I want to be an architect" they all began to sound alike. They tended to get skimmed unless they grabbed me in the first couple of sentences. I never found portfolios boring though!</p>
<p>Thanks mathmom!</p>