When you work in an admissions office, you are often invited to participate in various school-based programming, from mock interview sessions to panels on everything from athletic recruitment to “demystifying” college admissions.

One type of program that is particularly popular in college counseling offices at high schools is an application essay workshop. Typically, these are offered over the summer to rising senior students and consist of inviting various college admission reps who speak on the essay to all participants and then actual brainstorming and revising sessions with a small group of students. 

Like most millennials who fashion themselves unofficial arbiters of culture, I have a Letterboxd account where I meticulously log each movie I see. 

I recently decided to rate each film viewed rather than simply “liking” them. My hesitancy was largely due to the fact that I have never worked on any film production; who was I to say that The French Connection is a five-star film while Dirty Harry only nets four or Spotlight warranting five stars while The Post only gets three and a half? Do I like these films because they are good, or are they good because I like them? 

In recent weeks, the early decision (ED) admissions process has been back in the news, from a decision made by Tulane University to a recent class action lawsuit filed against over 30 colleges and universities alleging price fixing and violations of federal antitrust laws. 

Rather than offering yet another piece responding to this news or painting with broad strokes about how ED is used to only admit wealthy applicants or highly sought after recruited student-athletes with mediocre academic profiles, I would like to correct misconceptions echoed by students/families, counselors, and outside observers as well as offer suggestions for colleges and universities to improve the ED admissions process for all.   

One of the most significant byproducts of the Covid era in higher education was the  test-optional movement. Forced to adapt during the pandemic, colleges shifted from a test-required to a test-optional or even test-blind (scores are not considered at all) application system. Now that we are a few years removed from the pandemic’s apex, more schools are reverting back to requiring tests. Still, numerous schools remain test-optional or test-blind. This more permanent test-optional model has been hailed by some and decried by others, and confusion on how to navigate this quantitative metric abounds.  

With the first major wave of application deadlines less than a month away, prospective students and their families have most likely heard the phrase “holistic admission” during a campus visit or college fair. What exactly is holistic admission and how can context impact the review of your applications this fall and spring?

Now that the school year is underway, the college search process is a major topic of conversation among families. Admission representatives are preparing to spend weeks on the road visiting schools, participating in college fairs, and serving on panels and in workshops. With the college admission process becoming more complex and competitive each year, engaging with the schools that interest you is crucial.