The college admissions process is one that changes every single year based on the goals of the institution and lacks a tremendous degree of transparency. That’s why so many experts have dedicated their careers to creating ways to get information out to families about all aspects of the process. And why, over the last 10 years, I’ve written blogs and sent out newsletters to provide information that hopefully provides overall guidance on approaching this process in a way that takes away some of the stress and overwhelm and adds some compassion, balance and FUN!
One of the many things that make the process stressful is the plethora of myths that are out there. So, let’s dispel some of those myths while also having a bit of fun by playing TRUE or FALSE.
1. There are certain activities that students need to do to get into certain colleges.
FALSE. There are no specific activities that are required or that get students into specific colleges. One of the biggest misconceptions is that students must have community service or volunteer hours. There are many benefits of volunteering but students should do so because they want to. It’s not about what things you’ve done, it’s about WHY you did them. Colleges want to know things like how they’ve led to certain interests or majors, why they’re meaningful to you and what you enjoy about them.
2. Colleges rely mostly on email to communicate with students.
TRUE. It’s antiquated and it’s not how students communicate but that’s how colleges send information so it’s super important that students get in the habit of using and checking their email. That and creating a student portal ensures students receive important communication related to their application and admission. AND that means checking SPAM for the first few times to make sure an email didn’t get lost.
3. The common app essay is the most important part of the application.
FALSE. It’s an important part but not THE most important part. In fact, many colleges say they look more closely at the supplemental essays, especially the ones that shed light on why the college is important to you. The common app essay is a way for colleges to learn more about your qualities and characteristics, as opposed to your accomplishments. It’s about WHO you are versus WHAT you did.
4. You need to know what you want to major in before you apply to college.
BOTH TRUE and NOT TRUE. Some colleges do require you to state your major when you apply, but for the majority of colleges there is a lot of flexibility to explore what you want to study once you get there. What DOES help is to know what areas of study you’re interested in. That can help you choose colleges to apply to that have that focus. It can also help you choose courses in high school that prepare you for majors in those areas. For example, STEM majors require different course prep than humanities.
5. Colleges don’t care if you submit the ACT or the SAT for your test score. It can be either one.
TRUE. Colleges accept both the SAT and the ACT do not have a preference for one over the other. Choose the one that is best for you and focus just on that. There is no need to keep taking both. Also, many more colleges are test optional these days so you don’t need to submit your score if you feel it won’t be additive to your profile. And just a reminder that the SAT goes digital next year.
6. A college with a high admit rate means it’s not a good college.
SO MUCH FALSE. And if these blogs don’t persuade you, please read my favorite book about successful people who attended “non-prestigious” (written with an eye-roll) colleges
7. Senior year grades don’t matter.
FALSE. They do matter for a variety of reasons. One example, is that if a student is deferred, strong first semester grades will be important. In addition to senior grades, the rigor of your coursework also matters. Colleges want to see that you are taking classes that prepare you for college level work.
8. Test optional is different than test blind.
TRUE. And here are some of the ways they differ.
9. The UC’s are better than the Cal State colleges.
FALSE. And I say that because “better” depends on your overall goals and what you’re looking for in your college experience. For example, depending on what you want to major in, a UC may not be a better choice. Majors like: business, broadcasting, journalism, digital studies, gaming, criminal justice, criminology, Exercise and nutrition/kinesiology, sports management, viticulture, marketing, television/radio are just SOME of the majors that you can’t find at a UC that you can find at a Cal State college. (And remember, there are more Cal State colleges than Cal Poly SLO and SDSU).
10. It’s easier to get into UCLA as a transfer student from a community college than as a freshman.
GENERALLY TRUE. This is based on fulfilling all the major requirements with a competitive GPA. But in general, comparing freshman vs transfer admit rates, UCLA’s admit rate last year was 8.6% for freshmen. It was 23% for transfer students. In general, the transfer admit rates from a community college to a UC are higher for most of the UC’s. Community college is a great option for a variety of reasons. Including that it’s a great way to graduate with less debt.