What exactly are individual top colleges looking for?

Parents Forum
1

We have seen quite a few posts on CC pointing out that top colleges are not just looking for “stats” (GPA, SAT, course rigor). We have also seen quite a few posts pointing out that ECs that are viewed as “stand-out” within a high school may not actually be “stand-out” when it comes to top college admissions.

I have read quite a few posts admonishing other CC posters that the applicants need to understand what a particular top college is looking for. But I have seen next to nothing that covers how to determine that, particularly in terms of the variation from college to college.

There has also been some discussion on another thread of the fact that Princeton wants to keep its admissions analysis confidential, to avoid the possibility of applicants’ gaming the system–or perhaps to avoid some other problem.

So, I would like to ask anyone who knows what any particular top college is specifically looking for, to post it here.

General statements that they want “savvy” applicants are not helpful, unless they also address how an applicant becomes “savvy.” It seems to me that the type of understanding displayed by a “savvy” applicant is likely to have been derived from a mentor or parent. Of course, listening to the mentor or parent is quite helpful!

No need to restrict the discussion to the Ivies, MIT, Caltech, Chicago, Stanford, Northwestern (you are welcome, PG), Duke, or a favorite top school I have not listed. Just a question about what a particular (identified) top college is looking for, specifically.

I think I get what MIT wants, generally speaking (cries of “Oh, no, not again!” from other posters) and will be happy to PM anyone who asks about that. I will try to get the messages out in time for the application deadlines, but cannot promise quick turn-around.

2

I know this is vague, but a Stanford admissions counselor told a group of accepted students at a reception that she looks for “nice kids”–people who pass the “would I like to go out to dinner with them” test. I am guessing that their essay where you write a letter to your freshman roommate was a primary way in which she gained a sense of the person.

3

I think the answer might be is that they know what they’re looking for when they find it. It’s kind of like shopping for shirts. You know the general size and style you want but only when you find the one you like do you say “that’s it” and buy it. A lot of nice shirts are left on the hanger.

4

I think this is great thread. Anecdotally, everyone may have a different take on each school, a little bit like describing what the big elephant looks like from just limited perspective. But, hey, if enough people describe different things we may just get some big detailed pictures :slight_smile:

5

I think at many schools, it’s authenticity. You know, “the real deal”. With quality, of course, as a given. Not the kid who decides to start a club because it looks good on an app or who is captain or president because they needed to show leadership. At the tippy top schools, they will find room for kids who have distinguished themselves on a national or international level (because that’s hard to fake!) What they don’t want is the kid who reads this thread and takes it as an instruction manual.

The challenge, I suspect, is that enough people have a good sense of what’s needed (or at least very helpful ) and that makes it hard for the AO to distinguish between the real deal kids and the ones who have had the last ten years to look like them. (Which also explains part of the appeal of first gen students - far less likely to have started on their resumes as 8 year olds.)

That’s not to say that replicas, especially good ones, won’t get in. But I suspect most AOs are happiest when they see that kid who did"it" simply because it was interesting to them.

At smaller schools, I think there’s a premium on kids who are doers and who can contribute to the community in more than one way and who can perhaps be the glue that brings different groups together.

6

^ Shorthand way to look at it is they want a student body that will contribute to the vitality of the campus and bring glory to the school.

And yes, LACs probably are more keen about well-rounded kids who will contribute to campus life multiple ways.

7

TheGFG’s post reminded me of the line in the original Star Wars movie in which Princess Leia says that she likes “nice men,” and Han Solo replies, “I’m nice men.” My kid is “nice kids.” I imagine all parents think the same.

It is very good advice to think about the persona conveyed in the roommate essay, though–whether it is authentic to the student or not, and whether it seems friendly (as opposed to containing humble brags or too much in terms of academic references).

8

Read their mission statements. Spend time talking with admitted students. Read admissions blogs.

9

Go to the info sessions and listen to how they sell themselves. Scour the websites. Read the college pages here on college confidential - especially ones that have admissions officers posting.

I think it’s also important, there isn’t just one thing. So while Harvard wants engaged students who do a lot on the side, they also make room in their class for the “200 or so intellects” who don’t necessarily bring anything to the table beyond academics. Since I was not a fly on the wall I don’t know what colleges saw in my kid. But he sold himself as a student who found an academic passion early and was largely self taught as the high school only offers one year of computer science (he took the AP as a freshman.) He showed he could be a team player - both via school things like Science Olympiad and a job he had for about a year and a half where he had to learn any number of programs in order to do the work. The fact that he had almost no volunteer hours was a non-issue. (He did part of one summer at the Senior Center.) My cousins’ kids (all three attended) all played Ultimate Frisbee (at a very high level) and one spent a couple of summers being a clown. I don’t know what else they brought to the table.

You don’t have to spend much time on the Tufts website to find out that they are interested in producing global citizens. You don’t have to do model UN or volunteer overseas, but it will be a plus to have a sense of what you want to do in the world. It’s not an “America First” sort of place. Their essay prompts give more room than most to have fun and show a sense of humor or some quirkiness. It’s not a place where you need to play it safe.

You can do this for any college. These are two I know well.

10

If there was a blueprint for top college admissions, someone would be selling it!

Work on doing your best in every area – academically, ECs and follow anything you are passionate about. Then seek out and apply to a wide range of reach, match and safety schools that appear affordable and that you would be happy to attend. Plenty of schools can offer a great 4 year experience and get you where you want to go in life.

11

I found this very interesting: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1994685-top-college-officials-share-notes-on-great-application-essays.html.

12

For LACs with less than 2000 students total and 20+ sports teams, including a football team, they need to select for athletics just to fill out all the rosters.

13

My impression is that Claremont McKenna looks for leadership. I don’t know if their supplement still asks about that.

14

Highly selective colleges may be intentionally opaque about what they are looking for to leave themselves room to change their minds whenever they want.

15

I think Harvard wants interesting kids. They all say they want leaders but I went to a commencement this weekend and the speaker said that partnership is the new leadership. I don’t think the top elites have caught on–they still seem to be looking for leaders versus students who appreciate the talents in each other and can work together to accomplish a big task. Pomona seems to want diversity.

16

Harvard and Yale say the same thing. And yet, over a dozen early admits to H were rescinded this year after they posted offensive memes to the incoming freshman class FB page.

If they were serious about admitting based on this quality, then alumni interviews would carry a lot more weight than they do. More than anything, I think this is a way of saying they weed out kids who are really obnoxious, those who won’t even pretend to be nice in a fake letter to a roommate.

17

“My cousins’ kids (all three attended) all played Ultimate Frisbee (at a very high level) and one spent a couple of summers being a clown.”

That’s a sure admit right there.

18

@HCollegeAlum: “Harvard and Yale say the same thing.”

Do they? Yale, sure, but I never got the sense that “nice” was something Harvard looks for.

19

This subject sure gets bantered around a LOT on this site!

20

Re sbjdorlo, #7: Could you give an example, please? If you would be willing to analyze a college web site and any admissions sessions for that college you have attended, it would help to illustrate for students (and parents) how they might figure out what the college really wants. A lot of the college web sites read like hard-to-differentiate blather to me, to be honest.

To be fair to MIT, they are relatively transparent about what they are looking for. I could figure it out from the web site, blogs, and CC. (I don’t happen to agree with MIT’s priorities; but for this thread, that’s beside the point.)

Stanford has said in admissions sessions that they like students who are “irreverent.” I think they actually mean “irreverent, but not about Stanford.” They used to say that it’s not the case that the student “with the most APs wins.” Well, of course not. Piling up AP courses, especially the AP lite courses, is not very meaningful. But I think they really mean that they are not necessarily going to take students who have gone the deepest beyond AP level (even if the students are “nice kids”).