In through the Out Door: Presenting College Admissions Results in the Secondary School Admission Process

Transcription

1 In through the Out Door: Presenting College Admissions Results in the Secondary School Admission Process

3 Three Big Questions: Why are families so stressed, and obsessed, about college admissions? What role should a school s college admissions results play in the secondary admissions process? How can you handle concerns about college placement appropriately?

4 The Context: More Students, More Competition 3 million + high school graduates Two-thirds start college Enrollment gender gap of 6 to 10 percent more females Only 57 percent graduate within 6 years! Increase in international applicants/students, especially from China (jumping three-fold over ten years, to about 200,000 in 2012 acc. to IIE). More at the undergraduate level now. 19 million + college students 1.5 million+ bachelor s degrees conferred annually % year-olds with a bachelor s: 17 (1971), 29 (2000), 31 (2009) : The BA/BS is more important, less distinguishing.

5 Conflicting Admissions Trends Increasing applications, both admissions and financial aid More competitive students from abroad and around the U.S., and relatively fewer enrollees from Independent Schools (2/3 -> 1/3) Increasing Early Decision and Early Action applications Some declining enrollments and yield rates: UNPREDICTABILITY Rising costs (particularly sticker prices ), but Increased financial aid (merit and need-based), but Rising loan debt Need-aware admissions on the rise Admissions office budget challenges Decreasing state support for public universities and colleges NACAC survey reported an average of 368 applications per admission officer at private colleges, and an astounding 949 per officer at public institutions.

6 Some selective college admissions results 2013 College TotalApp Acc Den WL EarlyAdmRate RegAdmRate TotalAdmRate Amherst College (Mass.) 7,927 1,084 4, % 11.50% 13.67% Babson College (Mass.) 6,085 1,715 2,357 1, % 19.96% 28.18% Barnard College (N.Y.) 5,606 1,151 2,938 1, % 17.90% 20.53% Bates College (Me.) 5,243 1,240 1,583 2, % 20.10% 23.65% Binghamton 29,104 11,735 12, % N/A 40.32% Boston University (Mass.) 52,699 19,089 23,608 5, % N/A 36.22% Bowdoin College (Me.) 7,052 1,021 4,264 1, % 12.30% 14.48% Brown University (R.I.)28,919 2,649 N/A N/A 18.54% 8.07% 9.16% Bucknell University (Pa.)7,944 2,302 3,089 1, % 25.80% 28.98%

7 Reactions by Colleges Accepting more applicants Offering merit (non-need-based) aid to more students and in larger amounts Increases in Waiting Lists and creative or alternative enrollment strategies (January, gap year, etc.) Enrollment efforts based on snap apps marketed to vast numbers of students, decreased travel (to meet potential students as well as their peers at conferences), increasing use of technology and web applications versus fancy new viewbooks, outreach to independent counselors, and new financial aid initiatives. Scouring the globe for new enrollment opportunities, and searching for non-traditional candidates

8 Families are usually unaware of these trends and challenges, and often look to independent schools as an advantage in the college process. At the least, they want a do no harm reassurance. They are often comparing and forecasting results from independent boarding and day, as well as public (including charter and magnet) schools.

9 There is no consistent model for presenting college data. Schools list results by year, over three to five years, matriculations or acceptances, popular colleges, and so on. Schools don t control all the data. Often the school newspaper presents very detailed results, or families look to more or less reliable websites in their initial search and to compare with the school s self-reported results. Families, and counselors, are wary of schools hiding or puffing up data. They may ask tougher or more persistent questions.

10 Examples of Boarding School Profiles and College Placement Data, and Thoughts on the Big Questions from Three Different Boarding Schools

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13 The members of the Class of 2013 were accepted at 141 colleges and universities, a diverse list that includes some of the best schools in the world. Here is a list of the schools that offered admission to members of the Class of The schools marked by asterisks are where our graduates plan to matriculate. Adelphi University Allegheny College *American University Barnard College Baylor University *Boston College Boston University Bradley University *Bucknell University University of California, Berkeley University of California, Los Angeles *Carnegie Mellon University *Case Western Reserve University Catholic University of America Central Connecticut State University Chapman University College of Charleston Colby College Connecticut College University of Connecticut *Cornell University Davidson College University of Denver Dickinson College *Drew University Eckerd College Elizabethtown College Elon University Emmanuel College Emory University Endicott College Evergreen State College Fairfield University Florida Atlantic University Florida Southern College Florida State University Fordham University *Franklin & Marshall College Furman University *George Washington University Georgetown University Gettysburg College *Hamilton College, New York University of Hartford Harvey Mudd College *Hobart & William Smith Colleges *Hofstra University Iona College Ithaca College Johns Hopkins University Johnson & Wales University Keene State College Lafayette College Lasell College Le Moyne College *Lehigh University *Loyola University, Maryland Manhattan College Marist College University of Maryland, Baltimore County *Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences *University of Massachusetts, Amherst Merrimack College Miami University, Ohio University of Michigan *Middlebury College University of Mississippi *New College of Florida *University of New Hampshire *University of New Haven New York University Northeastern University Northland College Norwich University *Occidental College Ohio Wesleyan University Pace University, Westchester Pace University, New York City Pennsylvania State University, University Park University of Pennsylvania Providence College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rhode Island College University of Rhode Island Rice University Rider University Roanoke College Rochester Institute of Technology *University of Rochester *Roger Williams University *Rollins College Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Rutgers, New Brunswick Rutgers, Newark Sacred Heart University Saint Michael s College Salve Regina University Sarah Lawrence College *School of the Art Institute of Chicago Siena College Simmons College *Smith College University of Southern California *University of St. Andrews St. Lawrence University *Stanford University Suffolk University *State University of New York, College of Environmental Science & Forestry Susquehanna University University of Tampa *Texas Christian University *University of Texas, Austin Trinity College Tulane University Ursinus College *United States Naval Academy *University of Vermont *Villanova University Washington College Wentworth Institute of Technology Wheaton College, Massachusetts *Wheelock College

14 College Matriculations American University - 2 Amherst College Arizona State University - 2 Babson College - 3 Barnard College - 2 Bates College - 6 Benedictine College Binghamton University Bloomsburg University Boston College - 2 Boston University - 6 Bowdoin College Bryn Mawr College Bucknell University - 11 Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Carnegie Mellon University - 2 Case Western Reserve University - 3 Catholic University of America - 3 Chapman University - 2 Claremont McKenna College - 2 Clemson University Coastal Carolina University Colby College - 2 College of Charleston - 6 College of William and Mary - 4 College of Wooster Colorado School of Mines - 2 Columbia University - 4 Connecticut College Cornell University - 2 Dalhousie University Dartmouth College Davidson College - 2 Dickinson College - 8 Drexel University - 2 Duke University Duquesne University East Carolina University - 2 Eastern University Eckerd College - 2 Elizabethtown College Elon University - 3 Emory University - 2 Fairfield University - 2 Florida International University Florida State University - 2 Franklin and Marshall College - 4 Frostburg State University Furman University - 4 Gannon University George Mason University George Washington University - 7 Georgetown University - 4 Gettysburg College - 3 Goucher College - 2 Grinnell College Hampden-Sydney College Hartwick College Harvard University - 2 Harvey Mudd College Haverford College - 3 Hobart and William Smith Colleges - 3 IE University (Spain) - 2 Indiana University - 4 Indiana University of Pennsylvania Ithaca College - 2 Jacksonville University James Madison University - 2 Johns Hopkins University - 7 Kenyon College - 2 Lafayette College - 3 Lasell College Le Moyne College Lehigh University - 10 Lewis & Clark College - 2 Louisiana State University Loyola University Chicago Loyola University New Orleans - 2 Luther College Macalester College - 2 Manhattan College Manhattanville College Marist College Marquette University Maryland Institute College of Art - 2 McDaniel College McGill University - 4 Messiah College Michigan State University Montana State University - 3 Moravian College - 2 Morrisville State College Mount Holyoke College - 2 Mount Saint Mary s University Muhlenberg College - 3 New York University - 9 North Carolina Central University North Carolina State University - 4 Northeastern University - 4 Northwestern University - 2 Norwich University Oberlin College Occidental College Ohio State University Ohio Wesleyan University Oregon State University Otterbein College Parsons The New School for Design - 2 Pennsylvania State University - 9 Pitzer College Pratt Institute Purdue University - 2 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - 2 Rhode Island School of Design Rhodes College - 4 Ringling College of Art and Design Roanoke College - 2 Rollins College - 5 Sage College of Albany Saint Francis University Saint Joseph s University - 2 Saint Vincent College Santa Clara University School of the Museum of Fine Arts Shepherd University Shippensburg University - 4 Skidmore College Slippery Rock University Smith College Southern Methodist University - 2 St. Andrew s University St. John s College - 2 St. John s University (N.Y.) - 2 St. Lawrence University - 3 St. Mary s College of Maryland Stanford University - 3 State University of New York, Plattsburgh Susquehanna University - 2 Swarthmore College - 3 Syracuse University - 2 Temple University - 2 Texas A&M University - 2 Texas Christian University Trinity College - 2 Trinity University - 2 Tufts University - 2 Tulane University Union College United States Merchant Marine Academy United States Military Academy - 5 United States Naval Academy - 26 University of Alabama - 2 University of Arizona - 3 University of Arkansas University of California, Berkeley - 2 University of California, Santa Barbara University of Cambridge University of Chicago - 2 University of Colorado - 3 University of Delaware - 2 University of Denver University of Edinburgh University of Georgia University of Illinois University of Illinois at Chicago University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign University of Kentucky University of Mary Washington - 3 University of Maryland, College Park - 3 University of Massachusetts University of Miami University of Michigan - 2 University of Missouri University of Nevada, Las Vegas University of North Carolina at Asheville University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of North Carolina at Wilmington University of Oklahoma University of Pennsylvania - 6 University of Pittsburgh - 7 University of Redlands - 2 University of Richmond - 10 University of Rochester - 3 University of South Carolina - 3 University of Southern California - 6 University of St. Andrews (Scotland) - 4 University of Tampa University of the Pacific University of the South - 2 University of Toronto University of Vermont - 4 University of Virginia - 5 University of Wisconsin - 2 Ursinus College - 2 Valparaiso University Vanderbilt University Vassar College Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Polytechnic Institute - 3 Virginia Wesleyan College - 2 Wake Forest University - 3 Washington and Jefferson College - 2 Washington and Lee University - 2 Washington College - 3 Washington University in St. Louis Waynesburg University Wellesley College - 2 Wentworth Institute of Technology -2 Wesleyan University - 2 West Virginia University - 2 Western State College of Colorado Westminster College Wheaton College (Mass.) - 2 Williams College Xavier University Yale University - 3

15 Some conclusions and recommendations Look for models to compare how your peer schools are presenting college admissions data. Consider how early to present and start the college counseling process, and why, and why it fits with your school s philosophy, mission, and constituents. Present data clearly, openly, and in multiple ways. Be honest about your results. Accept expectations, but manage them appropriately.

16 Understand and explain to your prospective and current families and trustees: The changing college admissions landscape and how that has changed your school s college list. Relate college admissions competition, diversity (geographic, international, racial/ethnic, public/private school graduates, etc.), cost, the job market, and so on. Discuss financial aid concerns and how they can drive the choice of college. The shrinking of the middle class, the search for merit aid, the choice of public universities and honors programs, arts or other specialized programs.

17 Involve college counselors in panels, revisits, open houses, etc. Families want to hear them. The secondary admissions process can be inclusive of the college office, which can be helpful in recruiting and enrolling students. Defending and coordinating with the college office is important. Cultivate relationships between admissions and college counseling. The message: What is the value added for a student of the education undertaken at an independent school? At your school in particular? A focus on process versus outcome.