Nine Admissions Myths and Tips

This general admissions piece from Forbes covers many of the themes found in other recent articles on college admissions.

It's main points are familiar: that it's tougher than ever to get into selective schools and that there are no magic formulas. Every college, and every admissions director, is looking for something a little different and trying to create a balanced, well-rounded class. Judgements about applicants are made using fuzzy logic across all parts of the application, rather than some specific set of criteria (assuming 'good' grades and test scores, of course).

Particularly interesting are 9 myths it debunks:

1) The earlier you send in your application, the better
2) Less than a 5 on an AP exam--throw in the towel
3) An A is always better than a B
4) Admissions essays are crucial
5) Volunteer work helps
6) Legacies increase chances of admission
7) All minorities are shoo-ins
8) ACTs are a cop-out
9) The more extra-curricular activities, the better

In my next post I'll talk specifically about #9 since it's going to be a topic of discussion with my Sophomore son over the upcoming Christmas break.

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