5 Myths About College Admissions
Navigating the college process is hard. Many parents and students hear rumors and myths about college admissions and don’t know what to believe. Here are a few “myths” I hope we can debunk.
▪ I haven’t heard of that college, so it must not be a good school.
There are more than 4,000 colleges across the United States, and each one has something unique to offer to students. Have you heard of Denison University? Jennifer Garner & Steve Carell both attended Denison and are very successful. How about Kenyon College? Kenyon is a small college located in Ohio and it is the alma mater of Academy Award winner Paul Newman.
Colleges are recognized across the US for all kinds of reasons. Think of why you know some of the school names that you do. Is it because of their football team or other sports team? Is it because the school is an Ivy League school? Is it the flagship school in your state? Have you heard of it from the US News & World Report? This list only identifies about 100-150 of the colleges across the country. That means there are 3850 that you may barely know! Think about what YOUR priorities are for your college experience and research that. Don’t shy away from a school you’re not familiar with until you do your due diligence. In fact, a quick look at Colleges that Change Lives highlights the many successful people who attended those schools and have made a difference.
▪ I have to know what I want to major in before I apply to college.
How many adults knew they would be where they are today? Does it have anything to do with your major? People change their careers & industries an average of 5 times in their lifetime, and studies show that is increasing even more for our young adults. While some majors require you to enter at the beginning of your freshman year (Engineering and Nursing are two that come to mind), many colleges allow students to wait until the end of their sophomore year to declare a major. There are some students who have had a calling their whole lives, but a significant number of 17 and 18-year-olds have no idea what they want to do. That’s why many colleges encourage students to try a little bit of this and a little bit of that before they decide on a major.
▪ I am a legacy, so I’m guaranteed a spot.
There are no guarantees in admissions. Many of the colleges inform students that legacy may only be relevant if you are competitive in all aspects of the application. Today, colleges have so many legacies, it would be easy to fill up their entire freshman classes with them, so in order to continue to diversify its student body, colleges may not consider legacies so heavily. The college’s goal is to find students that will bring something to their campuses in all aspects.
Finding a college that fits what you seek out of your academic and social education will serve you better than just being a legacy.
▪ Colleges are looking for well-rounded students.
Actually no, not so much anymore! Universities are looking for a well-rounded class. They are looking for a mosaic of students that will bring variety to the campus. They want brainiacs, athletes, dancers, singers, artists, readers, advocates, musicians, leaders, and worker bees to name just a few. Colleges are looking for students who are dedicated and excel at something! Find a few things that matter to you, and then dig deep and get involved. If it’s not there, then create it. No matter what it is, do it the best way you can.
▪ Essays don’t matter.
Essays do matter as they give the students a chance to express themselves beyond the application facts. Essays are the most dreaded part of the application for most students. They struggle with what to write, and parents sometimes think they know best about what to write. There’s no doubt about it, writing essays causes a significant amount of stress during the college process.
Instead of making essays a negative part of the application, look at it as a positive way to share a human connection with the college. Your college application will show the classes you have taken, your GPA, and the activities you have been involved with. These do not need to be repeated in your essay. The admissions counselor will have already seen that. What they want out of the essay is something different about YOU! What is important to you? Why does it matter to you? What do you want them to know about you that is different from other applicants? Why would they want you as a roommate on their college campus?
When you write your essay, make sure to use your voice, not your parents’ or your favorite aunt’s voice. Is this an essay that your friend would recognize as you if they found it in the lunchroom? Give yourself time to write but try not to overthink it. Most importantly, don’t cram it in at the end of the process and make sure you do more than one draft!
There’s no doubt about it, the college admission process is stressful and difficult. But, if you can understand the differences between myth and reality, applying will be a little less stressful.
