Inside Scoop On Selective College Admissions!

Jeffrey Selingo’s newly released college admission book Who Gets in and Why is a must read for anyone wanting the inside scoop on SELECTIVE college admissions. Selective colleges are the ones that many students and parents, especially in higher income areas, tend to focus on. While these selective colleges often get the majority of attention, they actually make up less than 10% of all universities. That means that about 90% of colleges are relatively accessible, especially for a high achieving student. 


​Selingo puts colleges into two categories, which he calls Buyers and Sellers. Sellers are the selective schools.  They are the “name brand” schools. Students come to them. They don’t have to advertise or offer scholarships/discounts to entice students. They are the schools with the single and teen digit admissions rates, the ones many parents are willing to borrow loads of money to pay for, and the ones that leave many high achieving students heartbroken every year.

Buyers, on the other hand, often offer incentives for students to apply including tuition discounts, special programs, unique mentorship and research opportunities, free application fees and more. Students should always have some buyers on their list to increase their options. And if students are planning to only apply to buyers, they don’t need to read Selingo’s book. 

But for strong students--those who have taken rigorous courses, have a GPA over a 4.0, earned strong test scores, and have engaged in exceptional extracurricular activities that show leadership, innovation and/or a talent, then Selingo’s book gives them (and their parents) unique insight into a world that is often so secretive: the inside of an admissions office during application season. 


Some Key Takeaways:

• While each admissions office has its own formula for evaluating applications, it often ranks/scores different categories about each student such as 1) academics, 2) extracurricular activities, 3) recommendations, and 4) intellectual curiosity.
• Selective schools usually want to see sustained devotion to activities, as this commitment often gives students an opportunity to become leaders and make a genuine impact. 
• Letters of recommendation can be huge. Colleges want to see letters that have energy and show unique insight about the applicant. They do not want to read a rehash of the student's brag sheet. This is where a student at a private school has an advantage over one at a larger public school. Students at larger public high schools must work harder to establish relationships with teachers and should ask early for their letter of rec. I recommend asking in the spring of their junior year. 
• Demonstrated interest (or what colleges often refer to in house as Likely to Enroll) cannot be underestimated for those colleges that consider it during the admissions process. Many colleges give demonstrated interest the same weight as essays and counselor letters of rec. 
• Early Decision (ED) is key to increasing chances at most selective schools that offer it, and Selingo gives key tips on making the best move in this ED game colleges play to increase their yield and game the rankings.
• Having a hook or edge is crucial in selective admissions, and this can range from being a recruited athlete, a musical talent, a legacy, a student who has overcome and persevered after tremendous adversity, someone who has demonstrated tremendous entrepreneurship or devotion to social justice and more. But athletes have the biggest advantage!
• Which high school the student attends comes into play probably more than you realize. 
• Admissions officers are human. They read “through the prism of their own lives.” (189). While colleges create systems meant to root out bias, everyone has a soft spot for something. 

Overall Thoughts
My takeaways are just a sliver of the insights and tips Selingo offers. And while he gives readers a good sense of what it takes for students to be successful when applying selective schools, he also emphasizes the unpredictability of college admissions. While a student can check off every box he emphasizes, there are ultimately no guarantees. It’s another reminder for students to have a balanced list of colleges, or as Selingo would say, to include some buyers and not all sellers.

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