April 05th, 2025

I'm thrilled to celebrate my seniors this year, who were collectively admitted to the following schools:

Arizona State University (Barrett Honors College) | Bard College | Barnard College | Cal Poly Humboldt | Cal Poly Pomona | Cal Poly San Luis Obispo | Cal State Long Beach | Case Western Reserve University | College of Charleston | Colorado School of Mines | Davidson College | Emory University | Indiana University | Michigan State University | Northeastern University | Oregon State University | Purdue University | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) | Rice University | Southern Methodist University (SMU) | Syracuse University | Texas A&M University | Texas Christian University (TCU) | Tufts University | Tulane University | University of California, Berkeley (Regent and SEED Scholar) | University of California, Davis | University of California, Irvine | University of California, Merced | University of California, Riverside | University of California, San Diego (UCSD) | University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) | University of California, Santa Cruz | University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | University of Colorado Boulder | University of Kansas | University of Maryland | University of Miami | University of Missouri | University of Oklahoma | University of Oregon | University of Southern California (USC) | University of Washington | University of Wisconsin–Madison | Washington State University

About half of my students applied and were accepted Early Decision to their top-choice schools back in December, and they withdrew all other applications. While this resulted in a smaller sample size for Regular Decision outcomes, some clear trends still emerged — along with important takeaways I’ll be sharing with future students.

Major Matters — But Don’t Game the System

​Applicants targeting competitive majors, especially in STEM fields like engineering and biology, continued to face more roadblocks than those applying to less selective programs. However, I strongly advise students to pursue their true interests rather than try to “game” the system by selecting a different major. Ultimately, students should pursue the major they’re most passionate about — not settle for something they think will make them more competitive. The “best” college is the one that supports a student’s interests and goals, which is why it’s so important to cast a wide net and evaluate schools based on overall fit and long-term value — not just name recognition or hearsay.

Standardized Testing Is Making a Comeback

Test scores will play a bigger role next year at many highly selective institutions. For example, among the Ivy League schools:

• Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, UPenn, and Yale have reinstated testing requirements.
• Princeton has yet to announce a change.
• Only Columbia definitively remains test-optional.

During the pandemic, when test-optional and test-blind policies were widespread, application numbers to selective schools skyrocketed. Students with high GPAs but low test scores could now throw their hat in the ring. But as testing requirements return, I anticipate seeing a drop in applications to those schools — while test-optional institutions may see their applicant pools grow even more, ​further intensifying competition for admission.

Grades Still Reign Supreme

According to the latest College Admission Report from NACAC (the National Association for College Admission Counseling), the top three most important admissions factors, according to college admissions representatives, are:

• Grades in college prep courses
• Overall high school GPA
• Strength of curriculum

​No matter how impressive a student’s extracurriculars, essays, letters of recommendation, or test scores are, grades and course rigor remain the most critical elements in college admissions. Students must aim to take the most rigorous classes they can handle — and ideally earn As. The same applies to activities: students should follow their passions, get involved in leadership roles, and give back — but never at the expense of their academic performance.