College Admissions: The Perspective of a 35 Year Veteran

by Bruce Breimer, Collegiate School

Inordinate, and not always informed, coverage has been given to the competitive college admissions scene in recent years. Students and parents alike invariably enter the search with a firm, but increasingly specious, belief that an undergraduate degree from an Ivy League school or its equivalent will guarantee professional success. While this rule of thumb was substantially true for much of the 20th century, it is no longer the case. Ironically, in the 21st century entrance into most professions will be predicated on a graduate degree. Rather than focusing on where an applicant spent his undergraduate years, those entrusted with the hiring process will be more concerned with the reputation of the applicant's graduate program.

Gone are the days when a mere BA or BS from an Ivy League school could properly be seen as a ticket to the next level. Two cases in point offer compelling illustration of the change in the value of an undergraduate degree. To wit, the C minus average that President Bush accumulated at Yale in the late 1960's would result today in his dossier being tossed into the River Charles by Harvard University's Business School, rather than gaining him admission as it did back then. I myself am a 1967 graduate of Yale who directed the bulk of my energies on the Yale Daily News, thereby restricting my academic standing to a rather nondescript cumulative B. Throw a modest LSAT into the equation, and I was, nevertheless, admitted to NYU Law School, which today wouldn't give such meager credentials a cursory look.

Given the fact that undergraduate admission at the most sought-after colleges is currently centered around recruitment of various finite interest groups, the process has become the antithesis of a meritocracy. After counting the number of admittees who are extended an offer primarily because they satisfy the needs of such constituencies as varsity athletics, alumni children, students of color, international applicants, artistically talented candidates and "development office specials," it is clear that a bare-bones minimum of 50 percent of the freshman class has already been selected, leaving the slots for those in the "unhooked" scholar pool more precious than ever. On the other hand, graduate school admission is generally more meretricious since some of these categories such as competitive athletes are nowhere to be seen, and others such as legacy carry much less weight than they do in undergraduate placement.

As consumer shoppers, families who are embarking on a quest for some appropriate matches in undergraduate higher education for their sons and daughters are entitled to procure information about a college's graduate school placement record. Exercising such quality control is both prudent and reasonable, and if an admissions office does not have a three- or five-year survey of these statistics available, the information should be on file with the college counselling office. If prospective students are ultimately stonewalled in their attempt to obtain such data, it is fair to assume that the college in question has something to hide. Far more often than not, these records will reinforce the reality that there are decidedly more than just a handful of schools that can take one to the Promised Land. Conversely, no matter where a student pursues his undergraduate higher education, he or she must demonstrate substantial excellence in the classroom in order to proceed to the most highly rated graduate and professional schools.

Of course, graduate school placement is only one of the key criteria that come into play when evaluating an undergraduate option. Since the average course load of American colleges is a paltry twelve hours per week in the classroom, those students pursuing their education in a residential college inevitably learn as much from interacting with their peers in a variety of arenas as they do from their professors and formal course work. The vitality and sophistication of a given student body can only be discerned through a hands-on campus visit, including an overnight stay in the dormitory. By and large, undergraduates love to talk at length with visiting high school students about the strengths and weaknesses of their respective institution. If the prospective applicant has the self-confidence to go down to the student center or its equivalent and engage upper classmen in a substantive discussion about the pluses and minuses that earmark this residential and academic experience, such a comprehensive scrutiny is time extremely well spent. In recent years, colleges have spent a small fortune on spin doctoring via publications, videos, DVD's and Web sites which tend to paint the life of the undergraduate in roseate terms. It is virtually impossible, however, to fool or mislead the students who are currently enrolled, so this source of information must be tapped in order to arrive at an accurate assessment of each of the schools that is potentially in the mix.

Despite the unprecedented level of anxiety that currently accompanies college admissions, some of the fallout has been positive. For instance, with the most coveted colleges reporting an admit rate that barely reaches the low double digits, many extremely talented and well qualified students who were able to gain admission to these bastions of excellence some ten years ago are now being turned away. But since these stalwarts are as intent as ever in pursuing the most accomplished undergraduate education available to them, they have greatly enhanced the intellectual ambiance and quality of life at dozens of well-respected institutions, which are now more exciting and sophisticated than ever. It is safe to assume that throughout the course of the last decade, the number of colleges that annually enroll a truly first rate student body has doubled, thereby increasing the field of excellence for those whose seeming misfortune it is to be engaged in the hunt during the most volatile and challenging period that college admissions has ever seen.

The strongest piece of advice that I can proffer to students and their parents at this time is to do full justice to all rungs on the ladder as they compile a list of schools that will eventually make up the application profile. One must avoid the trap of falling in love with one specific institution at the expense of arriving at a deep-seated appreciation for alternate forms of academic excellence. There is nothing wrong with being passionate about a first choice or to consider a binding early decision application, but most high school seniors are open minded about scholarly fields of concentration and their ultimate choice of profession. It is unrealistic to think that their lives will be compromised by failure to gain entry into a specific institution, no matter how compelling the pedagogical excellence and the overall trappings that they might find there.

In constructing a final application list, there should be rhyme and rea-son behind every intended submission. When a student asks his parents for a check or credit card number which must accompany each dossier, this must be seen as a rite of passage, signifying a tacit agreement within the household that the senior can enroll with pride and with expectations for a first rate experience. If such a consensus cannot be forged, then the school in question should be dropped. This is particularly germane when selecting the college at the bottom of a preference sheet, wherein each applicant must be reassured that at least one college on his ladder will welcome him with open arms in the fall.

Arguably more time should be spent settling on a so called "cover school," which ideally should be chosen in competition with three or four others with similar admissions standards. If proper care is brought to this facet of the journey, even those students who ultimately draw the short end of the stick and are only left with one option can hearken back to the reasons behind that school being chosen as the anchor. As each student develops his own personal criteria for selection, the school ultimately used to cover his bet must be able to cater to the most essential of these conditions. In essence, difficult choices should be made at the front end of this process to avoid any possibility of irreparable disappointment. If that great American sage, Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra, were asked to weigh in on this issue, he most likely would say, "The only way that one can attend a school he doesn't like is to apply to it in the first place."

Allow me one observation about the essay component of the application. Writing about oneself is not easy, and for many young men and women this is the first time they have had to do so. In attempting to highlight their most salient qualities, students invariably fall into the trap of unwittingly coming across as being egocentric. Although the colleges, request a personal statement, the "I's" do not have it in this process. When applying to a residential campus community, it is essential for applicants to showcase their interpersonal skills and the ways in which they interact with peers and mentors alike. Having to say "no" to so many extraordinarily attractive candidates, the gatekeepers at the most sought-after schools are looking to weed out anybody who might come under the heading of an "ivory tower" scholar, as well as those whose success might come at the expense of others. Collegiality and civic-mindedness are at a great premium at the most compelling campuses, and it is incumbent upon those who seek admission to these flagship colleges and universities to display their readiness to become contributing members of these academic communities.

When approached with integrity, sobriety and future orientation, the college search component of one's senior year can be a highly educative experience. Without making any irredeemable pledges concerning their future, seniors should embark on an honest self evaluation, realizing that they are still works in progress, but that they are also experienced enough to be in touch with their likes, dislikes and aspirations. While being savvy enough to avail themselves of learned counsel, these rapidly maturing adolescents should strive to arrive at highly personalized decisions that give full vent to their individual needs. If young men and women approach this culminating facet of their high school careers with intelligence and perspective, they will be able to draw on the wisdom they exhibited in this decision making when they confront the myriad challenges they will face through-out their four-year foray into undergraduate education and beyond.