I agree. I’m not saying the holistic review doesn’t still take place it is just not with the time and care the app had in the past. Again, it has been some time since he worked in Admissions but in that scenario it would be discussed by the staff and the Dean/VP of Admissions. Additionally, the app would be read by the actual full time staff. He is shocked by increase in the number of schools kids apply. Again, he worked in Admissions prior to the TO and common app (or the increase of schools on the common app).
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With Ivy and Ivy+ schools giving results this week would your sense of fairness and equitability be restored if some of these top kids receive acceptances?
We don’t know, but most likely … going full circle with yield protection again ))
That sounds kind of nice. Let’s replace student one’s profile to be one that clearly reveals them to be a total homebody who stays at home, cooks, and needs to be coaxed to do activities. Is it possible that a human could give student one and two the same ranking?
Is that holistic review too? Because maybe student one would benefit from being on campus and forced out of shell?
Yes and no. I’m not one to assume my sense of fairness and equitability is everyone else’s. It’s not a question of fairness but a question of expectations based on previous data. My gut tells me that strong non Ivies got more applications than ever and are using them to build up their reputation/rankings. It’s become a numbers game. And yield management and holistic acceptances have changed the course of what has happened in the past.
I think some kids will get into Ivies for sure. Happens every year. Will the numbers be the same as usual. My guess is a bit smaller due to the TO’s, smaller cohort sizes etc. We’ll see soon enough.
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Ideally, the AOs simply quit their jobs when they realize that it’s absurd for strangers to attempt to create personality profiles based on 3-minute scans of 250, largely contrived words.
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I certainly hope somebody reads my kid’s entire app! It has been tough for him to be on the parent side of Admissions. Plus our own kid won’t take an ounce of advice from him. Thankfully, her CC at school is also a former AO from a top school and she listens to her.
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What kind of advice has your husband given? I’m curious.
The season is over for us but we have a few more kids to go.
We’re not pushy on grades or SAT/ACT scores - chips will fall where they will, but feel that
we can suggest or make it easy for the kids to try lots of activities.
One kid is interested in music (niche), math, history, Latin/Greek.
Getting her to do lots of practice AMC tests, maybe will crack that top 300 girl math competition.
Latin/Greek - continue doing well in National Latin exam, maybe find a history activity one summer - dig or archaeological thing.
Music - niche thing, already very involved, hopefully one thing will turn into something interesting to showcase.
Science - less hot on this, seems to be lots of competition and kids getting published, even though very good at science, probably not going to do anything extracurricular.
Languages - in general, very good and interested at languages, maybe become fluent in a language not taught at school.
Essay - find some way to tie all this together and apply some place where classics scholars are in demand, but can also double major in something more career-oriented.
Wishing you and yours luck. I would caution against generalization, extrapolation and gut feeling in advance of having the entire and complete picture.
My own “gut” tells me that many of the trends you reference are real and having some of the knock on effects you suggest. With that said I also know from experience that most commentators see the world through their personal results.
Example: If my kid gets in to school of choice x the system works. If denied and a classmate gets in that kid didn’t deserve it, the school yield protected, TO is unfair, or the entire system is broken.
The “system” is certainly fluid and idiosyncratic but it’s criticism shouldn’t be bolstered by the diminishing others by example.
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I don’t get that sense at all from many of the posts. Some aspects of the system are good for my less-than-tippy-top kid and gets them in to schools. I don’t think that is fair, even though it benefits my kids because it makes the whole system unpredictable.
So what I find “unfair” is the unpredictability. And again, any unpredictability makes the kids apply to ever more schools. My kid got into some schools even though less qualified (in my view). It is now tempting to apply to ever more schools because who knows?
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I don’t think the schools are thinking about which students could benefit from being on campus as much as which students will BRING a benefit to them.
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Do you have a source for this statement? I am sure they are using a predictive analytics model, but I am also confident they can read this number of apps. For example, UCLA reads each of their 140K or so apps twice. And they employ several hundred external readers to help them with that…many other schools use outside readers, though I am not sure about NEU.
Someone I know spent a summer translating some stuff for a prof at Davidson college, while in high school. Worked out well for him.
Thanks for the tip.
If classics is a path that you are taking, a few other thoughts: a) there are schools that are good at translation and schools that are good at digs, b) serious candidates (for undergrad) go and meet the department and discuss the departments strengths and weaknesses at length before applying, and (perhaps) write about this in the application.
My son’s roommate (not the above Davidson kid) is a classics major. He visited several schools in person before the application season and sat down and talked to a senior prof in the department at several of these schools. And if you want to digs, there are a handful of schools that have permissions to dig in particular parts of the middle east, Greece etc. Princeton I think has permissions in Greece. Other universities have permissions elsewhere. Princeton may allow one or two kids from other universities within their quota etc. If kids are interested, and have a geography of interest that they want to study, they spend time figuring out which school they want to go to.
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I didn’t mention my kid. Nor do I base my assertions on my kid.
If you find I’m diminishing others by example please cite, otherwise don’t connect me to this practice. I am looking at bigger trends. And I’ve said a few times, all data isn’t in yet. So the final picture can’t be clear.
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delete.
Most of his advice pertains to her individually. She is a great math/science student but she has zero interest in pursuing in college. He knows there will be more opportunities for her whether that be $$ aid or admission into certain colleges. Language is a huge plus. Honestly, this has been his biggest push for her senior year. She has determined she will take no 4th year of language and will finish with Spanish III due to a school transfer after Freshman year. 4 years or the equivalent of 4 years of language of the same language is ideal. Additional languages are a plus. Honestly, his feeling is focusing or excelling at fewer EC’s is better (again as it pertains to our own child). She is not taking AP Physics but rather Honors Physics again her choice. Honestly, her CC told her one class is going to guarantee her admission into any particular school. In the end she is right. She has chosen to enjoy more of Senior year and after a high school transfer and the pandemic restrictions I can’t say that I blame her. Good luck going forward. I think crazy admissions are here to stay for at least the next couple of years.
Predictive analytics , that what I meant , I was answering to the post that I don’t think the spent much time on each app , given the number of applicants . I don’t think there a multiple reads of the applications… people on NEU thread shared an article about use of predictive analytics , with a new university leadership introducing that further .
Not looking to personalize this as I previously highlighted how challenging the process is and how stressful it is on parents, but in post 178 you said…
Does seem to be about your “top” kid, you do seem to be extrapolating and you are diminishing someone’s “well rounded kid” as you describe them.
And previously you posted…
Once again seems your macro view is being driven by your micro (kids) experience and suggesting checking boxes and randomness is the determinant of an applicants success diminishes those that are successful.
I wish your kid success @Htas and hope this helps provide the citation you requested.
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