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TRENDS
College
Admissions
By
Cindy Teasdale
This
May, American high schools will graduate more seniors than in
any other year in history. As the tidal wave of baby boomers'
babies trade in the locker combinations for dorm keys, many
colleges and universities are bearing the brunt of the largest
application pools they've ever seen. And not only did more students
apply to college this year, but those students, through the
ease of the Internet and on-line applications, chose to apply
to a larger number of schools than was typical in past years.
The result is that, this year, it was harder than ever before
to get into college.
So
how do students manage to make it by admissions committees and
into the class of 2004? Through a lot of hard work and very
little free time. Most schools include students' high school
transcripts, testing, recommendations from teachers and counselors,
extra-curricular activities and essays in the application. But
many students are going the extra mile, piling on outside activities
in addition to those offered in school to make them appear more
dynamic, but also to give themselves unique experiences that
will help mold them into the kind of young person colleges are
looking for.
Many
students choose to ditch the surfboard for the chalk board over
their sacred summers, attending university academic programs
or abroad enrichment programs during
the months of July and August. For students whose families may
not be able to afford such programs, many offer financial assistance
and scholarships.
"Summer
academic experiences can be a wonderful way for students to
get their feet wet," says Nanette Tarbouni, director of admissions
at Washington University. "Many students also test out disciplines
that they haven't necessarily had exposure to in high school
but which may interest them, like engineering, architecture,
or even marine biology. That experience could in turn ignite
a true passion for a certain area that students can emphasize
in their college applications," Tarbouni says.
Nearly
every college application offers a box for students to delineate
what work experience they've had, and admissions offices are
reporting that applicants increasingly have an easier time
filling in the blanks. "These days we're seeing kids carry
as many as three jobs in addition to going to school," says
Niel DeVasto, director of admissions at Webster University.
"Maybe it has something to do with the labor market, but I
certainly would
report a marked increase in the number of students who have
had significant work experience."
And
that experience isn't just flipping burgers or folding chinos.
"We're seeing a lot of students with unique internship or
work experiences relating to industries that they may want
to pursue in college," DeVasto says. "They're joining the
work force in careers ranging from broadcasting to veterinary
medicine. As a university, we really value our prospective
students' commitment to learning outside of the classroom,
and the heightened level of learning that commitment creates
within our walls."
Many
admissions offices report that one of the most noticeable
trends in the applicant pool this year was the increased
level of volunteerism. "Fourteen years ago when I started
in admissions we used to spend a great deal of time emphasizing
what these four years offer to students," says Scott Belobrajdic,
Saint Louis University's director of admissions.
"Now
we're seeing so many students with incredible experiences
under their belts already. This year we have students admitted
to the class of 2004 who've done everything from missionary
work to original medical research.
"What
we look for in this increase of volunteerism though are
the students who aren't just participating to add to the
laundry list on their resumes," Belobrajdic reports. "We
want students who understand and have acted on the notion
that they, even as 16 and 17 year olds, can have a true
impact on their communities."
Even
after gaining that coveted acceptance letter, a select
number of students enroll in pre-freshman academic programs
at the four-year college they've selected. Washington
University offers a five-week program where students enrolled
for the fall can take six credits of class work (freeing
up their regular season schedule), and can meet with their
advisors and sign up for fall classes early.
"The
Freshman Summer Academic Program gives students a solid
beginning to their academic and social life at Washington
University," says Delores Kennedy, a dean in the college
of arts and sciences in charge of the program. "Participants
become familiar with campus and St. Louis, make new friends
and often meet their roommates.
"Ultimately
I think the students feel that they have more realistic
expectations regarding the demands of college coming
out of our Summer Academic Program," Kennedy says, "and
they love returning in the fall with a new knowledge
base and a network of peers."
One
thing is for sure in this application frenzy: "young
people today are truly extraordinary," Tarbouni says.
"They are leading and participating in an outstanding
array of interesting and valuable extracurricular, summer
and other experiences. Other students may be just as
interesting, in other ways.
"The
most important thing a young person can do on his own
behalf," Tarbouni concludes, "is to find his passions
and articulate them in the admissions process--no matter
what those passions may be."
Cindy
Teasdale is a St. Louis-based free-lance writer.
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