It’s never been harder to gain college admission. Someone said it last year, and the year before, and… is it true? Or, more specifically, is it true most colleges report that they receive and reject more applications every year? The short answer is, yes, it’s never been tougher. According to The New York Times, schools as varied as Skidmore College (42.41% increase in applicants), St. Lawrence University (14.41% increase), and Yale University (2.81% increase) have all seen upticks in the number of applications they receive. Nevertheless, some would argue that colleges are no more selective than before. The bar hasn’t been raised, they say, there are just more applicants beneath it. A March 20th Times article, “College Admissions: The Myth […]

As the calendar stretches into June, most seniors are on their way to graduation. They know where they are going, and are preparing for finals, prom, graduation parties, etc. But what about those students who are still on waitlists? Many schools will extend their waitlist into August, as there are invariably issues that arise that make it impossible for students to attend in the fall, and will offer any spots that open up to the students that have chosen to remain on the waitlist. If you’re in that position, what can you do? In short: maintain dialogue with the school. The school knows that you’re busy with sports and your activities. They’ve already considered you, and know that you will […]

Congratulations on your college acceptances! April will be a whirlwind month. If you haven’t as yet decided which college offer of admission to accept, chances are you’ll be on the road again looking at schools. The date you now have to keep in mind is May 1, the applicants’ universal reply date. By that date you should confirm your intention to enroll in a particular college or university and submit a deposit to that one institution only. You should also send a “thank-you-but-I-have selected-another-institution” letter to the other colleges and universities that have offered you placement in their freshman classes. If you’ve received a wait list letter, read it carefully. The letter should provide a history that describes the number of students on the wait list for the school, the […]