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Can you share a college admission secret?



QUESTION: It seems like you know a lot about what colleges really want and how college admission really works. What is a secret to college admission that may not be widely known? Signed, Extra Boost

Dear Extra Boost: Many students say that the admission process is a mystery. They send off their applications and several months later receive either the coveted acceptance letter or hated denial letter in the mail. They wonder who the dark figures hiding in the shadows are who read their applications.

The truth is that they are real people. They come from all kinds of backgrounds, former English majors who love to read, alumni who love their colleges and educators. And perhaps even more surprising is that they are not your critics who take evil pleasure in denying you. Admission officers are actually rooting for you, looking for reasons to admit you.

Of course the reality is that colleges can not accept all applicants, but for the most part admission officers approach the applications they receive positively. They review all of the pieces of the application, building a complete picture of who you are from your academic record to the passions you describe in your essays to what others say about you in recommendations. While your academic fit with the college is the most important, admission officers also seek to find your personal fit with the college as well. Will you thrive on the campus? Will you be challenged? Will you contribute to the campus community?

The truth is that the great majority of admission officers enjoy the process, especially when they see the new students they have admitted on campus. Help them by giving them reasons to admit you. Don't be afraid of showing them who you really are and what is important to you.

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Gen & Kelly Tanabe

Gen and Kelly Tanabe are the founders of SuperCollege and the award-winning authors of 11 books on college admission, financial aid and scholarships. Together they were accepted to all of the Ivy League colleges and won more than $100,000 in merit-based scholarships to graduate from Harvard debt-free.