I’ve been getting asked a lot recently, “So how did this year go?” I know the real question is “Where did students get in?” And the real real question is “Did students get into ‘good’ schools?” Without getting too much into specifics, I was pretty pleased with what I saw directly, despite another crazy, record-breaking application season. I also understand the overall sentiment. When something is hard to get, it just makes it that much more appealing, despite what the personal reality may be. But with the chase comes the feeling of doing whatever it takes to get that thing. I’ve seen it from students trying to write the perfect essay or being involved in some activities for the wrong reasons. I’ve found over the years that this has extended into the application process itself, as if there was an edge or angle waiting to be utilized. This question comes up fairly often, even more so this year for some reason, so I’ll go ahead and address it. 

The idea of trying to game the system is nothing new. Here are some of the main tactics used and my general thoughts on them.

The Guinness strategy

You may have heard about the senior from New Orleans who applied to 200 colleges this year and inevitably ended up matriculating to an Ivy League school. Apparently, he set a new Guinness world record of college acceptances. I was tempted to write a snarky post specifically on this story, but Jim Jump addressed it more eloquently than I ever could. I don’t know how any college counselor would allow this to happen, but the story is out there and I hope we forget about it very soon.

But on a similar note, I’ve seen highly ambitious and occasionally unrealistic students apply to way too many colleges in the hopes that something will stick. I can’t actually blame some students for trying this strategy, but the more colleges you apply to, the less time you have for each application. Even if you are able to recycle some of the content from your essay supplements, there’s no guarantee that the work will be worth it. It’s usually not. I try to emphasize balance over quantity, but easy for me to say I suppose.

Applying to a “less competitive” major

Another classic. The strategy here is that students will avoid applying to a competitive major (e.g. computer science) and then switch into that major once they’re in college. There are a few problems here. One, if the college as a whole is considered a highly selective university, then all of their majors are going to be competitive and even if you are applying to a major that is known for having a higher admit rate, the admissions counselors already know that and they are going to be looking for evidence of your interest in that major. There’s also the fact that you may not be able to switch into certain majors at certain colleges. College students do change their minds all the time, so switching majors/programs is not uncommon, but some selective majors offer less flexibility. For example, UC Santa Barbara has made it clear that transferring into engineering is incredibly difficult.

Not submitting test scores

The question whether or not to submit standardized test scores is a more recent development in the broader conversation of college admissions, but some colleges have actually had this policy long before COVID. Unfortunately, the original intention of test optional policies has been overshadowed by the current strategic application of it. Students who were historically disadvantaged by standardized testing requirements are no longer the only ones not submitting scores. So how have colleges responded? A few more colleges are going back to using testing, while others have embraced the test optional policy permanently. I’m still wary that some colleges might be more “test aware” than test optional, but students are definitely getting in without scores. Another thing to keep in mind is that the digital SAT is coming and it’s going to raise even more uncertainty depending on how scores are affected. Maybe I’m being too cynical, but if every strong test taker is submitting scores and no below average test taker is submitting scores, where is the advantage exactly?

Gaming the system goes both ways

Let’s be honest. Colleges game the system too, to a degree. Some colleges have gotten in trouble for doctoring or manipulating their application statistics and even legitimate ways of lowering admit rates have come under scrutiny (I’m looking at you, colleges that offer both ED and EA). We are also still in the middle of the waitlist season and many seniors are eagerly waiting to hear if their preferred college has space in their incoming class. Some students will be or have already been admitted, with no clear reason why. I won’t even get into the “hooked” applicants who receive a much different read, but it’s fair to say that there are many constituencies on any college campus who want to have a say in certain cases. Unfortunately, when colleges are not fully transparent, that is going to affect the behavior of applicants. And maybe that’s exactly what they want. As students see lower and lower admit rates, that is only causing them to apply to even more colleges, resulting in the cycle of selectivity that I’ve referred to previously. I will add that not every college is playing the selective admissions game, but if you’re taking the time to read this, I assume you are interested in the colleges that are.

Think about a strategy built on thoughtfulness and empowerment

I realize it has been a while since my last post. To be very frank, it’s been a frustrating year, partly because of some puzzling college decisions that I’ve seen, but more because of my increasing cynicism of the college admissions process in general. However, I will try to finish on a more positive note.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Authenticity and strategy are not mutually exclusive. But try not to interpret strategy as a concept shrouded in mystery. Instead, consider the strategic elements that are readily available to applicants. It’s no secret that your transcript is the most important part of your application. Take as rigorous a course load as you can handle without sacrificing your enjoyment of learning. If learning is not a joyful process right now, how can you change that instead of waiting for circumstances to change? The other major part of your high school experience is your extracurricular involvement. Are you doing the activities you really want to do? What I’m trying to do is help admissions see what you’re really all about. When you try to project what you think admissions wants to see, I can’t help but to think that something is lost along the way.

And what about the application process itself. Something not all colleges offer is interviews. If a college offers interviews and you think that will help admissions get to know you better (even, or especially if you’re an introvert), then take advantage of that. Here’s another strategy to consider seriously: apply early but within reason. I would argue that applying early is the new norm at this point, while regular decision feels like a glorified early waiting list. Applying early decision (the binding early plan) doesn’t necessarily mean to apply to the most selective college on your list either. You have to think carefully about your odds of getting in and this is where your high school counselor can be helpful. Even if you are applying for financial aid, when you apply ED and you are admitted, colleges have an incentive to make sure that paying for college isn’t an issue. You are allowed to back out of an ED agreement for financial reasons, but make sure you’ve done the research (net price calculators, scholarships, total cost of attendance) before you decide to apply ED. And please apply to some Early Action schools as well, assuming you don’t break any restrictive policies.

The admissions timeline has accelerated and I would strongly advise getting a head start over the summer if possible and think carefully about what strategies work for you. You can do that without breaking any records.