<p>This article lists things that might be red flags to admissions officers, and suggests they need to be explained if there are good reasons behind them.</p>
<p>I just don't know exactly where one would explain something, unless they can figure out a way to work it into one of the essays.</p>
<p>My D quit marching band/band in her junior year and switched to chorus. Is this really, as the article says, something that needs to be pointed out and explained? Where would the explanation go?</p>
<p>If it is an important “red flag” – and band to chorus seems ludicrous to me – the GC’s recommendation should thoroughly explain it: impartial, professional/experienced insight, understands what is pertinent to universities, and able to provide a comparative and contemplative opinion that may mitigate.</p>
<p>I don’t know. I switched schools after my freshman year to a school across town because my little sister was only allowed to go there (I’d had 3 choices) and it would’ve been silly for us to go to different schools when I was gonna drive her… but it seems like a really insignificant thing to explain 
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<p>I wouldn’t call that epub a credible source, it is like reading a blogger with no special credentials.</p>
<p>If this is true than my applications should all get wrecked. I’ve switched multiple ECs, did robotics for a year, switched out of homeschooling to a different school, did certain classes for a year (yearbook). Personally, if I was an admissions officer, I wouldn’t flag it. But that is based on my story - I wanted to try new classes/ECs that I might like, and decided the next year that they really weren’t for me. Oh well. </p>
<p>I don’t agree with much of this article. My student had two of what the author considers “red flags” – switched schools, which was automatically linked/opened to an explanation on the CA, It was pretty simple, switched schools and here were the reasons why ( moved from co-ed to single sex; wanted more structure, etc). Also, dropped a sport senior year (had been an award winner), but there was no need for an explanation (wasn’t the recruited sport). On the EC section on CA, just gave the years involved, listed awards – and that was it. No explanation given nor asked.</p>
I’m actually the author of this article. I am a former admissions counselor and director and giving the thoughts I had as a admissions decision maker, as well as conversations I’ve had with colleagues at other institutions. Will red flags hurt a student’s chance of being admitted? It all depends on the institution. At schools with higher acceptance rates, it probably won’t hurt the student’s chances. However, at a college with a low acceptance rate, anything can go into the decision making process. Schools with low acceptance rates are getting many applications that look very similar (high GPAs, high test scores, and outstanding extracurricular activities). At these types of institutions, any little thing could help or hurt an application. This is why I, and many admissions officers, say it is important to cover red flags in college applications.