You Have Priorities… and So Do Colleges
In June I was mountain biking with a friend of mine on a beautiful trail in Durango, CO. He and his wife have three daughters and their oldest had just gone through the college search and application process. My friend has a PhD and his wife has a Master’s so suffice it to say that formal education is highly valued in their household.
We just completed a decent climb so we stopped to catch our breath. Between huffs and puffs, I asked my friend to share his thoughts about his daughter’s college process and he had plenty to say. They did all the typical things that families do, including taking numerous college visits to some of the schools on her college list. This included some well known smaller liberal arts schools around the country with admission rates less than 50%.
Even though his daughter ultimately chose to attend an excellent school, my friend expressed frustration and confusion around the admission process. I remember our conversation going like this…
Me: “How many schools on your daughter’s college list was she admitted to?”
Him: “That’s the crazy thing, Mark. She got into <school A>, <school B>, and <school C>. I mean, those are amazing schools. But for some reason <school D> didn’t accept her.”
Me: “Do you know why she wasn’t accepted by <school D>?”
Him: “No, I really have no idea.”
Me: “And you won’t. This is just the way it is. Each school will have their Institutional Priorities (IP) and at this level it’s no longer about SAT scores, GPAs, and extra-curriculars.”
Institutional Priorities
When it comes to admission, not every school leans heavily into Institutional Priorities (IPs). But some schools, especially as the admission rate decreases, do have IPs.
In the context of college admissions, Institutional Priority refers to the specific goals, needs, or focuses that a college or university deems important and seeks to address through its admissions process. These priorities can encompass a wide range of factors, including but not limited to, fostering a diverse student body, supporting specific academic or extracurricular programs, maintaining a legacy connection, achieving athletic excellence, promoting artistic talent, balancing financial considerations, and ensuring a well-rounded class. An institution identifies and sets these priorities based on its mission, values, strategic plans, and current and long term needs. These priorities significantly influence the selection of applicants, as they help the institution build a student body that aligns with its defined goals and contributes to the overall makeup and character of the school.
Here are some of the possible considerations that schools may use to determine their IPs, which impact their admission strategy:
Diverse Student Body: Schools often aim to create a diverse learning environment. This includes not just racial and ethnic diversity, but also diversity in geographic origin, socio-economic background, talents, and interests. A candidate's unique background or experiences can be a factor in admissions decisions.
Academic and Programmatic Needs: Colleges may prioritize students who align with specific academic or programmatic goals. For instance, a university might be looking to expand its media and journalism program or may need more students in the humanities. This need can influence which applicants are admitted.
Legacy Admissions: Some institutions give preference to applicants who have family ties to alumni, particularly those who have been involved and supportive of the institution. This is known as legacy admissions. Right now there is a lot of focus on legacy admissions and this may be challenged in the courts. We’ll wait and see what happens.
Athletic Recruitment: Student-athletes are often recruited for college sports teams. These students may receive special consideration in admissions due to their athletic talent.
Artistic Talent: Similarly, students with exceptional artistic abilities in areas like music, theater, or visual arts may be sought after by schools with strong programs in these fields.
Financial Considerations: Some colleges may consider an applicant's financial background. For example, institutions that are not need-blind may take into account an applicant's ability to pay tuition.
Balanced Cohort: Colleges strive to admit a well-rounded class each year. This doesn't mean every student must be well-rounded, but rather the class as a whole represents a wide range of talents, interests, and perspectives.
Special Programs and Scholarships: Some students might be admitted because they fit into special programs or scholarship criteria that the school is looking to fill, such as leadership programs or scholarships for specific fields of study.
It’s crucial to understand that even similar size and types of colleges may have different Institutional Priorities. And these can change from year to year. If you think about it that makes sense. Let’s say you’re the head coach of a football team and you just recruited an outstanding class of quaterbacks. So do you need to go out and get another quarterback for next year or should you put your time and energy into finding a running back and offensive line. Or what about a game-changing linebacker? Even schools with tremendous resources still have limits.
Pro-Tip for Students
Even the best prepared students and families can’t control every aspect of the college admission process. Control what you can and don’t try to guess what a school may be looking for. Just because you know someone else who may have been admitted, remember that you are you and they are not you. This is a good thing. If you create an appropriate college list you probably won’t get in to every school to which you apply. And that’s okay because your college list should only include schools to which you would be willing to attend. Strong chance of admission, good chance of admission, or low chance of admission - it doesn’t matter. Because you have selected these schools based on their attributes and how they connect to your values, goals, affordability, and the educational experience you want.
I empower college-curious and college-bound students and families with the knowledge, tools, and confidence for college success. I will guide you through the complexities of college admissions and beyond, so you can create your boundless life.
Have a question or comment? Please leave it in the comment section below or contact me at mark@mastalskicoaching.com.
There’s no one way to do college.
Be Boundless.
