<p>So what do you think Swarthmore could do to reduce stress for its applicants? Make the SAT optional? Change the essays?</p>
<p>The essays are (for the most part) common app essays, so changing that can only add to the stress. I doubt they will eliminate "Why Swat?" essay, since they genuinely want to know what makes you think it's the right place for you.</p>
<p>Making SAT optional might reduce stress of taking the SAT, but most SWAT applicants will take it anyway. If they score low and don't submit their scores, I doubt it will reduce their stress level...</p>
<p>From a consumer standpoint, I would like Swarthmore to provide more admissions data.</p>
<p>For example, SAT distributions for the applicants, accepteds, and enrolled would be useful.</p>
<p>I would also like to see acceptance rate data broken down by race/ethnicity so that potential applicants can better understand their specific chances. Fat chance on this one, I know...but we can dream, right?</p>
<p>Otherwise, I don't think the application process at Swarthmore was notably stressful. I think my daughter found most of her interaction with the admissions office, interviews, meeting profs, etc. to be fairly mellow.</p>
<p>Yeah I don't think that Swarthmore is worse than most other schools of its kind at making the application process stressful, but there seems to be almost a consensus that the college application process in general is too stressful. So what could swarthmore, and colleges like it, do that would make it better? If swarthmore is almost as good as it can get (in terms of making the process non-stressful) then what is everyone complaining about?</p>
<p>ummmmm....I don't really think that the stress surrounding applying for college is the fault of colleges necessarily. I mean, its pretty stressful for any 17 year old to make the decision of where they will spend the next four years of their life. With this comes decisions about career choices, social choices, etc. plus the fact that part of that decision is out of your control (will they accept you?) and finally top that off with a dose of complete independance and lack of close family support, and voila! You have stress! </p>
<p>Have you ever seen those stressor scales? They often show them in Psych classes (Ward showed one in Psych 1 at Swat), that give numerical ratings for concrete events. Environment change is high on that list. </p>
<p>Life is stressful and stress will never be eliminated....too bad.</p>
<p>what could swarthmore do to reduce stress for its applicants? two valium in each application package would certainly reduce the stress. another way is for swarthmore to lower it's sat and gpa requirements to a level where swarthmore could be considered a safety school for the majority of the high school seniors applying to colleges and in so doing, applicants will know that swarthmore is a sure thing or won't care whether they get into swarthmore or not thereby reducing or eliminating stress altogether. otherwise, i don't think that the schools are actually creating the stress in the application process, it's the kids that are creating the stress themselves with the help of usn&wr.</p>