The bottom of the article lists proposals/alternative admissions possibilities proposed by admission deans and college counselors (its too long to copy/paste-- sorry). Most are very tongue-in-cheek.
Will the new Coalition Application cause more problems than it solves?And other admissions proposals
“Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success”
I always love the cheezy names of these groups.
I am part of the coalition for love, smiles and lobster bisque.
Well, this is my favorite:
First Things First: “Wouldn’t it be great if students could focus on being high school students and then have an application process that takes place after graduation?”— Peter J. Quagliaroli, Director of College Counseling, St. Anne’s-Belfield School, VA
I rather like the “Sorting Hat” idea:). It would save a lot of tedious paperwork.
Generally, rather than encouraging thoughts about college early in the game, I think the better route is to encourage everyone to think about it as late as possible- as the other quote said. I agree, the sorting hat idea would do that.
" The Hogwarts University System: What about a Harry Potter matching hat style algorithm that places candidates in the right college?”—Dean of Admission, Ivy League Institution" (Note this a dean at an Ivy)
But are there enough colors?
I just re-read the article and perhaps those are some of the most silly things I have read. those people are embarrassing to themselves and their employers.
maybe they can have amazon drones fly all over areas with low income kids and drop tickets that say admit 1 student for free for 4 years to (fill in the elitist school name)
the one thing all students would benefit from is to understand that the ivy schools and a couple others like u of chicago, amherst, stanford etc… are not make or break for your lives or your future. if students tossed a much wider net it would be much better for them. the best school for many students is probably one they never heard of or thought to apply to. I actually look down a little on ivy league grads (and the other elitist schools) because I feel they needed some validation by going to those schools without thinking if it was the best choice.
anyway enough of my preachy babbling.
When is this slated to begin?
cghteach
which part?
the “The Hogwarts University System” that should be up and running by next year.
they are working out some glitches in the magic powers .
I’ve said it often, I’m all about the later is better and keep senior year of high school in tact as a learning experience and not a year long trudge toward college not start the kids earlier. I’m about except applications in January, make decisions in April, make applications personal again so we don’t have kids applying to 10 or more colleges by checking boxes and sending the same stuff and regain some sanity in this process.
@zobroward Lol, but as much as I might enjoy the sorting hat approach, I was referring to the new coalition application.
cghteach–my sarcasm can not be controlled!
Just a comment on this : (I don’t know how to shade quotes!)
“the one thing all students would benefit from is to understand that the ivy schools and a couple others like u of chicago, amherst, stanford etc… are not make or break for your lives or your future.”
I would change that to " the one thing that many low income students would benefit from is if their guidance counselors understood that ivy schools and some others will be free if their income is low." That would improve access more than this coalition.
I don’t think prejudice against Ivy students is really warranted. It may be true that some attend for the “validation” but actually admissions does a pretty good job of discerning those, from my experience anyway.
… “the federal government talked about putting “boots on the ground,” they were referring to battalions of counselors and mentors who would fan out and fight for college access. Why can’t we develop a force akin to the National…” Blah blah blah from the Director of Admissions of the Derryfield School?
Why should the federal government fund college counselors for expensive prep school graduates? Please.
I recently observed my son apply to seven colleges. Each required two, three or four essays. He survived.
If students are having are hard time navigating the Common App they are not college material.
ospreycv22
sounds like an after school tv special…the young rich handsome white guy who stumbles into the job and finds out the harsh realties of people living in the inner city and how hard life is and learns hard life lessons while helping some kid with great talent make it. (and of course the character falls in love with the hardened teacher who at first shows him her tough exterior but is really a loving special person) they will have a cast of the racist white principal, the single black mom who talks semi-poetically , the black teacher who hates her students and her job,etc…etc…
Much ado about something that won’t shed light til at least January and the application won’t be seen til next summer. An odd article and she gets quirky in her statements- loving Springsteen and buttercream frosting seem light.
Btw, at this point, I tend to disagree that kids shouldn’t be thinking of college possibilities sooner. It would benefit them to broaden their thinking. We tend to treat them as somewhat helpless, then magically think they become adults at 18. Having them learn to qualify their work for something other than a high school grade or social status might be okay. Plenty of us try to do that, already, and the issue isn’t “thinking” about college, but the lack of info too many kids go on.
Maybe schools should recruit students instead of athletes? You want xx kid? You go after him/her. Probably more work than they can do, but still…
I think the common app makes it too easy to shotgun. I also think it makes it too easy to apply randomly to all elites. The real pressure to cut down would com if a separate rec letter and GC pack had to be faxed or mailed to each. Then HS would set reasonable limits.
HRSMom …I agree get rid of the sports scholarships and give them to what schools are all about…academics!
Many of the schools on the Coalition list don’t offer athletic scholarships. The Ivy League and NESCAC schools offer only need-based aid, although recruited athletes do a get a leg up in admissions. OTOH, I’m not a big fan of the way some schools use merit scholarships as a way of enticing full pay students to attend while not covering full need for low-income students.
sue22–
I disagree with you on that, if many schools want more academically talented students they need to pay a little to get them!(what other draw would they have?) everything does not come done to income of the family. to me schools are about academics, not athletics. so what do you suggest a tier 2 or tier 3 school do to get awesome students? (p.s. I hate the concept of giving schools tiers or rankings)
" I’m not a big fan of the way some schools use merit scholarships as a way of enticing full pay students to attend while not covering full need for low-income students."
I understand why schools employ these tactics, but I’m looking at this from the perspective of the common good.
A relative now in college was offered merit money at a number of schools despite having just good, not great stats. This kid comes from a 1% family. The student personally has a fully accessible trust fund worth north of a million dollars. IOW, this kid could pay full price and still have 3/4 of a million dollars left upon graduation.
Most of the schools offering money do not cover full need. The one I just looked up, one of the schools that offered my relative merit money, covers full need for only 24% of students, and of those given aid only covers an average of 78% of need. That means your average lower middle class kid is going to be left with a huge gap even after taking out loans while money that could be used to help close that gap is going to enticing wealthy kids.
At this school (not a CC darling, but certainly a name people here would know) 70% of students are found to have need and 22% of those students were given merit money, while 29% of students were found not to have need but were still were given merit scholarships. That means virtually every kid without need was given money while only 1/4-1/5 of students with need received it and even then it appears it wasn’t used to cover full costs. This tactic may be in the best financial interest of the school, but to my mind it’s still just wrong.