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| Through our very own editors and guest writers, this blog will discuss the INSIDE scoop on the admissions process of various schools and programs. If you wish to ask a specific question, please write to us, and we will make every attempt to address your questions in our future blog discussions. | |||
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Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Rethinking Gender in College Admissions
Though women's colleges have been around in the U.S. for close to a hundred years, it was not until the 1960s that their function began to evolve. The earliest women's' colleges, established in the mid-19th century, were designed to simply give women access to education in a world that still believed a woman's place was in the home. Many universities would not admit women. It was well-accepted that the rigors of education was literally bad for women's health.
By the mid-twentieth century, there were over 200 women's colleges in the U.S. The sociopolitical upheaval of the 1960s ushered in by the peace and civil rights movement also moved feminism center stage. Women's colleges thus became hotbeds of political activism as the country pushed for equal rights for women. Federal law allows universities to discriminate on the base of sex. This is how women's colleges have been able to historically decline admission to men. However, a growing societal awareness of nonconforming gender identities is calling some of these policies into question. The women's colleges (which have dwindled to around 40 in number) are at the forefront of this examination. Some colleges are considering admission to students who self-identify as female, even if they are biologically male. Others, such as Scripps in Southern California, have begun admitting all candidates who are female on their birth certificates, even if they later transition into transgender males. The changes are raising a different kind of issue regarding transgender students who already suffer grave discrimination at co-ed colleges. It is forcing a discussion of sex versus gender. Whether or not a person is born female, if she chooses to identify as such, buy tramadol 100mg online she continues to face discrimination in a modern-day patriarchal society. This is a tough pill to swallow, especially at the same colleges that were designed to create outposts for female empowerment. One thing is for certain-the fact that the discussion is even occurring is a reflection of society's progress in evaluating gender identity. The road may still be long, but once again, the women's colleges are leading the charge.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Business Schools Continue to Nail the Personal Statement
For over a decade, I have guided students through the stormy waters of their admissions essays. I have read essay prompts from hundreds of schools, for hundreds of different programs. I have gleaned at least one certainty from this process: no one writes better essay prompts than business schools.
I have no idea why. Surely it's important for lawyers and doctors and biologists and English majors to write engaging admissions essays. But time and again, the majority of students are up against yawn-inspiring directives like "Submit your academic statement of purpose", or "tell us about the world you come from". The best writers can churn a mean lemonade from these lemons. That's tough though, especially for undergraduate applicants with limited life and professional experiences. A fun essay though? Try the Fuqua School of Business at Duke on for size. They ask for 25 random facts about you. Awesome! I like cinnamon on my hot chocolate. I once had a poodle named Cooter. Next! There are prompts about who you'd invite to your dream dinner party, what you'd do with a few minutes of "found" time, and what the phrase YOLO means to you. Provocative enough prompts to grease the wheels of even the most stubborn writer's block. But for some reason, it's business schools who are willing to get cute. With the exception of the University of Chicago's undergraduate essay requirements ("what is so odd about odd numbers?"), the best invitations come from business programs. Is this reason enough to apply to business school? Probably not. Do creative essays make getting in easier? Doubtful. Could other academic programs take a leaf out of the b-school admission playbook? Absolutely. Labels: Business Schools Continue to Nail the Personal Statement
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Does Law School Offer Everything Promised on the Package
I'm inspired here by a recent Kaplan (yep, the test prep folks) survey which highlights the gap between what law students want and what law schools offer. Kaplan notes that the survey included just under 700 LSAT takers who had also used Kaplan's test prep services. Kaplan also surveyed 126 of over 400 ABA accredited law schools. For purposes of discussion, we'll call it a representative sample.
Despite the lore of hyper-competitive law students secretly tearing pages out of one another's textbooks, apparently the majority of law school students hope to learn in a collaborative environment. Most law schools say they offer that. In contrast to their commitment to collaboration, the majority of students surveyed claim to want schools to place a greater emphasis on individualistic accomplishment. Only about 30% of the schools surveyed promise this approach. Why the tension here? Litigation involves advocacy, which means that individualist competition is often the key to success. Students pursuing law degrees often enter the field knowing they have the kind of thick skin needed to work in an often-antagonistic profession. But this may be at odds with the gentle contours of academia. Learning shouldn't be competitive, necessarily. Students are far more likely to gain a well-rounded education with the support of their peers. Significantly, students want a law education that helps prepare them for practice and the majority of the schools say they offer that. This isn't consistent with the reality of history. Most law schools are heavy on theory, don't teach to a subspecialty, and leave most of the practical training to the firms that hire their graduates. It's just a survey, but it is certainly food for thought if you're considering law school, particularly in today's very tough legal job market. Labels: Does Law School Offer Everything Promised on the Package
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Can College Marketing Be Too Promiscuous
In his November 22, 2014 NY Times column, Frank Bruni muses about the dating metaphor that is now college admissions. I've quipped about this myself, writing of the ways in which the search for the right "fit" is much like our quest for finding the right partner in life. Bruni's take is a bit darker.
He claims that colleges have rigged the system to lure students in, only to reject them at the gate. The reason is simple, and well-documented: by increasing the number of applicants without actually being able to offer more spots on the roster, they are making themselves look more selective. The lower the acceptance rate at the college, the higher they shoot up in the rankings. It's kind of like the college version of playing hard to get. Technology has made this game easier for the universities. The Common Application allows students to submit the same essay to dozens of colleges all at once. And why not cast a wide net? Admission is so competitive, there may seem to be no other choice. But Bruni points out the darker side of the college marketing scheme. Emails that literally lure students into thinking they have a fast track into admission. "Candidate's Choice Application". "VIP" applications. These are the types of headings being spammed to college hopefuls. Reminds me a little of the old sweepstakes mailings that promise "you may already be a winner", when the reality couldn't be further from the truth. So yes, college marketing can be too promiscuous. It should serve as a reminder to students to trust their instincts, like they would with any relationship. If the fit just isn't right, don't push it. You probably already know your limits and your needs, and aiming too high or too low won't do anyone any favors. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Move on. For Bruni's full blog post: Ny Times
Friday, November 28, 2014
Letting your Law School Know You are Still Interested
In law school admissions parlance, "LOCI" actually has nothing to do with science or the pluralization of "locus". (If you're not following me there, just skip ahead). The so-called "Letter of Continuing Interest", is generally an optional correspondence, usually mailed to a given law school after a student has been placed on their waitlist.
However, LOCI can be extremely valuable for several reasons. For starters, schools are likely juggling dozens or hundreds of waitlisted students. They realize some of those won't wait around, and may select other law schools. They also may still be looking for a reason to pluck a certain waitlisted student out of the crowd. From the student's perspective, the LOCI is an opportunity to update the law school on any professional advancements or other notable changes that have taken place since the submission of their application. Most importantly, it's a way to remind the university that, well, you are still interested. The content should be self-explanatory. In addition to updating the school on life changes, the student may want to expand upon their particular interest in that school. Don't waste time talking about justice, and sweeping career objectives. Instead, focus on the strengths of the individual school, and how the student is likely to flourish in that environment. The only admonition with LOCI? Try not to beleaguer the admissions office with your pleas. Keep it short, simple, and to the point. Labels: Letting your Law School Know You are Still Interested
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Re-Evaluating the Merits of College Admission
While the test-optional approach to college admissions is far from being the new norm, it's mere existence threatens to reshape the historical admissions process.
A decade ago, no college applicant would dream of skipping out on the SAT. Yet, in recent admissions cycles, the dinosaur of aptitude tests has watched as it has been gradually supplanted by the more accessible ACT exam. Where the SAT used to be the old standard, some colleges are now opting for an either/or approach to accepting scores from the two exams. Historically, the SAT was viewed as the level-playing-field metric designed to help colleges evaluate candidates objectively. Over time, it's become evident that success on aptitude tests tends to break down along class/gender/racial lines in a way that is far from objective. There's also the argument that some smart, creative, interesting people just don't do very well on fill-in-the-bubble aptitude tests. The SAT itself has recently implemented sweeping changes to its format in an attempt to woo test-takers. More astonishing is the slow-growing trend by some colleges of scrapping the requirement for aptitude testing all together. Well known institutions like Wesleyan and Wake Forest have recently adopted test-optional policies. Some smaller private institutions have even adopted their own set of admissions-testing policies-scrapping the standard format of grades/test/admissions essays. At the graduate level, many business schools have opened new creative windows to the application process, inviting everything from biographical videos to Tweets. It's too soon to tell if any of these "outlier" policies will cause larger inroads of change. They are certainly a sign of changing stakes and a fresh approach to evaluating individual merit at the college-entrance level. By all accounts, that's good news for students and universities alike.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
The Awkward Admission Essay
We've all been there. That awkward moment at a cocktail party/in the classroom/at the lunch table. There's some laughing, some oneupmansship. Then the humor comes to a screeching halt. Someone goes too far with their sharing. The laughter becomes errant, and then mute. Everyone collectively tries to decide whether to acknowledge it, or move on.
Imagine investing hours into your college admission essay. Carefully sifting through memories to try and uncover the shiniest grain. Casting aside all vulnerability, and putting the experience on paper. Then imagine your reader's eyes coming to a screeching halt. There are some things that just don't work in essays. Let's hit the obvious ones first. Racism, sexism, bigotry. Of course, you can tackle these as issues, and doing so well could churn out some profound results. Just don't make racist comments. Period. Crimes. Think carefully before writing about your own transgression or one in which you were the victim. This is sensitive stuff. An essay shouldn't be built on the back of something unfortunate, unless it will somehow be relevant to your admissions officer. Remember your audience. Don't get too gross. There's a time and place for some embarrassing stories. And unless one of them is really at the heart of why you want to go to college, or what led you there, it's probably not appropriate. Don't get too personal. If it's not a conversation you'd be comfortable having with your reader, you may not want to write about it. That goes for outing other people in your life. It won't reflect well on your ability to set boundaries and make good decisions. For a few cringe-worthy shares that didn't end well, click here: NY Times Labels: The Awkward Admission Essay
Monday, November 10, 2014
American Students Lag Behind in GMAT
The Graduate Management Admission Test is a huge hurdle for most MBA hopefuls, but recent statistics suggest that one group in particular is really struggling. American candidates.
The GMAT is administered by the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) and is typically a requirement for admission to most MBA programs. (The growth in popularity of the Graduate Records Examination is definitive but slow, and most graduate business schools continue to favor the GMAT). Over the past decade, applications from foreign students have been on the rise, and seemingly, they are performing better on the test. The GMAT is divided into four sections: writing, integrated reasoning, quantitative and verbal. The quantitative (read: math) section is crucial for b-schools since it is so often a predictor for student success. Chinese students, who comprise 44% of b-school applicants in the U.S. are outperforming American students by a long shot. So are large numbers of applicants from India and Korea. A loose analysis attributes the success of the foreign students to far stronger math education in elementary and high school. Some studies also show that foreign students on average put more hours into test preparation. Whether or not the shift will be a boon to foreign students or a barrier to American students remains to be seen. Quantitative skills are undoubtedly crucial in the business school environment. But American institutions are famed globally for prizing a diversity of academic and real-world experience from their student bodies. Nearly all business schools accept personal statements, supplemental writing samples and detailed applications from students in addition to GMAT scores. So while the new data may certainly be instructive, it is not necessarily determinative. The long-term effects on business school demographics, of course, remains to be seen.
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Winning Personality Ticket to College Admission
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is a small polytechnic college situated in Terra Haute, Indiana. It has a student body of just under 2,000, and an acceptance rate of just over half. It also has some innovative ideas about admission.
Their admissions office is considering the possibility of adding a "personality test" to help measure and evaluate potential applicants. The psychology tool is also called the "locus of control" test. It examines the degree to which students believe they are either in control of their destiny or victims of fate. Students who fall somewhere in the center of that spectrum are the types of self-reliant, pragmatic and driven personality types likely to be successful at the college. At least that is the theory. Rose-Hulman already uses the test to evaluate retention rates from freshman to sophomore year, and in making determinations of scholarship awards. They are also considering using a "curiosity index" test as a supplemental evaluative tool. Given the traditional litany of test scores, grades and admissions essays, these ideas sound a bit unconventional. But the evaluation concept is very much the same. In order to succeed in college, students need to be both determined and humble. They need to be ready for challenges and have the stamina to push through them. These kinds of approaches are becoming more common at smaller colleges around the country, usually (but not always, as here) liberal arts institutions. Tweets, videos, and test-optional applications are just some of the progressive concepts being tried on for size. Clearly, approaches such as these are unlikely to be mainstreamed, but they may give the larger institutions some creative ideas about better evaluating prospective students. For those capable students who don't test well, who've suffered academically, or been otherwise derailed on the road to college, these open-minded approaches should be a welcome change.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Breaking the Ice in Your Admission Essay
You know how long 500 words is? Not long. I mean, really. And for you Common App crowd-650 isn't either. This means the cliche is true: you've got to make every word count.
This means there's no time for small talk. By the last sentence of your opening paragraph, your reader should 1) know something interesting about you, 2) want to read more. You may want to take your lead from some of the better admission essay prompts around the country. "Tell us about you and the world around you" is not the stuff of inspiration. However, "What outrages you?", (Wake Forest), "Tell us your favorite joke and try to explain the joke without ruining it," (University of Chicago), "What does #YOLO mean to you?" (Tufts)-these are prompts I almost want to answer. And I'm not even applying to college. What works in the quirky essay prompt? The ice is already broken. You get to write about something interesting. Someone has given you permission to speak candidly. Remember that your admissions committee can see your grades, your role as ASB President, that summer class you took at XYZ University. The admission essay is not a good opportunity to reiterate the fact that you did all those things. See it as an opportunity to write about your first pet, or rollerskating, or your crazy Uncle Joe. br< These anecdotes often say much more about who you are, what you want, and what is important to you than platitudes that circle aimlessly around the meaty heart of things. Do you want an essay that says stilted chit-chat or lively dinner conversation? Take a risk. Be funny. Make a confession. Write quirky. Make your reader want to know you. You've only got a few hundred words with which to rope them in.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Exploring Early to find the Right College
In American culture, college is more than a simple beginning to a new academic venture. It is a spreading of the wings-a symbolic marker of a student's transformation from teenager into independent adult. If you're lucky and can take your pick, this may be your first opportunity to start over far away from home. It's like closing your eyes, tracing your finger on a map and picking a place to go.
Well, not exactly. But it is a lot easier to relocate before you've got a job, mortgage and kids. For most students, the only real barrier to attending a school far from home is the higher out-of-state tuition. The reality, however, is that most of us stay close to home. It may be the familiarity, but more likely, it's the cost of simply traveling and researching far-away places. Thankfully we now have the internet to thank for virtual tours, but it isn't the same. Seeing and experiencing a place is something that can't be faked. I'm not one of those people that advocates college prep for kindergartners, but I do think it's a good idea to plan ahead. So when you take a regular family trip with older kids, think about using it as an opportunity to check out a campus. Let your kids get a visceral feel for a place by just wandering the campus. Sometimes just seeing the majesty of a large university is something that sticks in a young person's memory. Helping your kinds to mentally map out a larger region of possibility is the first step in stretching the limits of their expectations. Done in the right way, this can be a real positive when the college crunch finally comes to pass.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Turning Your Admission Essay from Tired to Fresh
As an editor, one of my least favorite essays to read is the cliche essay. It's also one of my least favorites to critique. Correcting grammar? That's the kind of thing that doesn't hurt feelings. Telling a student their camp counseling story just isn't interesting? That's a little more tenuous.
Remember though, that college admissions isn't about feelings. The person reading your essay will likely never meet you face to face. They will never have to even give you feedback. This gives them the privilege of disliking your essay in private, without heed for your ego. In theory, you, the high school essay composer, should use this as an opportunity. Let's say you pick an experience topic that we will call, erm, familiar. Camp counseling. Sporting triumph. Church volunteer trip. Habitat for Humanity. I'm not suggesting that these life events aren't milestones. They may be cause for epiphanies. But a lot of the time, they are just things-kids-do-to-beef-up-a-college-resume, and your university can see that. So find your story. Don't just write about how summer camp taught you independence and responsibility. Tell us about the time the power went out and you had to grill food on the campfire. Don't just write about your water polo championship, write about the time your mom's car ran out of gas on the way to the Finals. Don't make things up. But think of what story you'd tell at a dinner party. The story you'd tell if you wanted to make someone laugh. The story you'd tell if you wanted to commiserate. The story you'd tell if you wanted to help someone through a hard time. These are the good stories. These stories are fresh, not tired. These are the ones that you would want to read.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Bad Legal Job Market Worse for Lower-Tier Law Schools
The big news about law school over the past several years has really been its bleak landscape. But how bad is it, really, for the top 20 schools?
Not that bad. In fact, their knees haven't even been grazed by it. When it comes to Elitism with a capital "e", it is nowhere more alive and well than in the law school realm. The headlines are stark. Last year saw the lowest numbers sitting the LSAT exam, ever. Applicant numbers are at the lowest they've been since the 1970s (when there were fewer law schools). Law schools are laying off faculty, reducing class sizes, eliminating aid packages, and trimming courses. The tough legal job market means that it is taking graduates longer to get employed and, when they do, they are, on average, earning less. This makes the effort and the price tag for most law schools rather unappealing. The thing is, all of these factors are disproportionately affecting the lower tier schools. In the competitive legal job market (from clerkships to big firms), school name has always been important. But with fewer jobs available these days, employers are more likely to skim even less cream off the top. The Yale Law grad is very likely to outrank her evenly matched competitor at a less prestigious school. So as a general rule, top tier schools aren't hurting. Most in the top 14 have classes of fewer than 300 students anyhow meaning that the elite schools don't need many to apply in order to fill seats with highly qualified candidates. What does this mean to law school hopefuls? Make sure you really want it. Then do your research to see where you're likely to end up. Where you go may be more important than what you do once you get there. Labels: Bad Legal Job Market Worse for Lower-Tier Law Schools
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Do not Take that Acceptance for Granted
If you've been keeping up with college admissions, you've no doubt read about the intersection of social media in the process. Blogs and reports everywhere are quick to remind applicants to keep their online profiles scrubbed clean. Colleges do pay attention to Facebook profiles and admissions staff admits that they may be inclined to rescind admissions if they find something unsavory.
But how often do colleges really rescind offers and why? The number one reason, according to a study by the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC), is senioritis. In the most recent surveys, colleges reported that 65% of rescinded offers were done so in response to a significant dive in second semester senior year grades. Second on the list were disciplinary issues. This broad category accounted for roughly 35% of withdrawn offers. Staying out of trouble seems like an obvious admonition to college hopefuls, but clearly, it's an active problem. Rounding out the top three at 29% was falsification of application information. This also sounds like a no-brainer, but given the highly competitive nature of the process these days, not a surprise. In short, no acceptance is unconditional. The data should remind students, however, that universities are looking at the whole picture when they take in a candidate. The best test scores, grades and resume in the world won't survive bad choices and questionable behavior. So clean up that Facebook profile, but by all means, don't stop there.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Helicopter Parenting and College Admissions
Wondering if you hover too much over your children? Are you reading this blog? Yes? Then you may already have your answer.
Students: let's face it, most teenagers feel their parents are too intrusive. Thought they nagged you a lot about homework? College admissions could make that look like, well, child's play. The fact is, your hovering parents have probably experienced rejection and regret. They've lost a job or blown an interview or bombed a test. They understand that time doesn't fix the aftermath of all youthful transgressions. So when they see you giving less than 100% to the admissions process, it may feel impossible for them to sit on their hands. At the undergraduate level, administrators are often quite familiar with the overly involved parent, who may be doing more than simply footing the bill. The thing is, the university is admitting you, the student, and they want to know you'll be able to juggle the demands of college with your own two hands. Having mom call to check in on your admission status? Not a good symbolic gesture. The solution for parents? Trust that the child-rearing you've done thus far is good enough. Hard as it might be, step back and understand that your almost adult child is going to need to learn about natural consequences. For students with meddlesome parents? See this as a growth opportunity. Your life will be full of authority figures reminding you how to run your life. Trust that the folks aren't as out of touch as you might think. Know that someday you may find this to be true.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Finding the Right College On-Line
This week, the internet search behemoth Google (do they need an introduction?) released statistics on the most searched-for universities. Trying to extrapolate much meaning from these statistics may be ill-advised, but it's big news for universities in general who are looking to expand their internet marketing strategies.
A powerful on-line presence is essential for universities in the current market. Though competition is as steep as ever at top colleges, many universities are struggling to fill seats. Nabbing the most valuable prize-international students-requires the kind of outreach that isn't fettered by geographic borders. (Foreign students are generally required to pay higher tuition costs and don't qualify for federal financial aid available to American students). Still, Google's top 20 list doesn't track traditional "top college" lists steeped in history and prestige. In fact, the college in the top spot is the University of Phoenix-an American-based on-line course provider. Despite its sometimes spotty reputation, the University of Phoenix's model represents a changing trend in third-level education worldwide. In the #3 spot is Open University, one of the top "distance learning" institutions in the United Kingdom. Wedged in between the two on-line "universities" is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), largely regarded as one of the top (bricks and mortar) learning institutions in the world. So interpreting Google's list is challenging.
Monday, September 22, 2014
A College Match Made in Heaven
I've squeezed some life out of the love-match metaphor on this blog on more than one occasion. You know, pushing the idea that finding the right college is a lot like finding the right relationship. The person that is appealing to one person would be a complete dud for someone else. The fanciest, most expensive, most prestigious, cheapest, biggest, smallest, most urban, most rural, religious, secular-everyone has different needs.
By reaching only for the colleges that are up on pedestals, we are often setting ourselves up for failure. By the same token, we can't fall in love with a university simply because someone else has done so, or because someone tells us it is what's best for us. Shall I go on? Well, like the dating world, the college admissions arena has been irrevocably touched by technology. It is revolutionizing the way people find the right schools. Yes, just like match.com has managed to create some sustained marriages. At first, internet match-making seems a little hokey, right? It seems like you're skipping all the organic steps of meeting in person, and allowing time and place to shape the budding relationship. But then you remember the double-edged sword of technology. We have greater access to more information, even if it dulls the nostalgic senses of flipping idly through a dictionary or a blind date at a coffee shop. For a quick round-up of some new and returning "college matchmaking" sites, check out this overview, collected this week at the National Association for College Admission Counseling's annual conference. You never know what you might find. Washington Post Labels: A College Match Made in Heaven
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Do not Miss the Point in Your Admission Essay
Ever tried combing the internet for successful admission essays? No? Perhaps it's an occupational hazard for me, but it's something I'd recommend to any student struggling to put pen to paper. I'm not talking about sample essays. I'm talking about essays written by actual students who were actually admitted to universities. You'd be surprised how many schools and students are willing to share the success stories.
A successful essay says more in 500 words than an instruction book could say in 200 pages. This isn't to say that consultants, websites and other information-gathering tools don't have value. It's just that when you really have writer's block, general advice can just be frustrating or unhelpful. "Write from the heart", "show, don't tell", "offer a window into your personality". These are the platitudes I see and give, and they are all accurate. They just aren't always that instructive. I see some students falling into one of two traps with their prose alone. It's either way too simplistic, or way too obtuse. By the time you're knocking at college's door, you should be able to craft something more compelling than "dance team was fun". Conversely, a thesaurus isn't a substitute for well-crafted narrative. Bigger words are not necessarily better. But take this example. An essay describing how the "moon poured creamy beams onto the desert floor". This is just beautiful writing. The essay itself had little to do with the outdoors, but the writer had me at that line. This was a 17-year-old high school student. So it can be done. He or she wrote about a painful life experience without sounding maudlin, or saccharine, or whiny. In fact, the writer did it while taking care to describe the texture, shade and context of moonlight. Writing, I realize, isn't everyone's strong suit. But as you sit down to start, try not to micro-focus on the wrong ideas. Let your creativity take over. Don't feel like you have to recount every soccer trophy, the sting of every failure, or each hope and dream. There isn't space for all of that. There, is, however, space for something beautiful, and you don't have to be a novelist to create your opus.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Adding LGBTQ Dimension to Admission Essays
According to a recent article in Duke University's own news source, The Chronicle, Duke is amongst just four undergraduate universities in the U.S. to include an LGBTQ question on their supplemental essay portion.
What is the significance to lesbian, gay and non-gender conforming students? Well, for a start, it is a symbolic gesture. While several advocacy organizations such as Campus Pride, already evaluate and rank the LGBTQ-friendliness of college campuses, few universities have taken the step to directly address issues of sexual orientation explicitly in admissions material. Most essay prompts-whether unique to the university or part of the Common Application-invite broad-range topics that would allow any student to discuss the impact of sexuality and sexual orientation on their world. However, the stigmatic nature of the topic may frighten many applicants away from the subject matter. Certainly, inviting direct discussion won't erase preconceived biases. Changing semantics on an application doesn't necessarily change minds. It is, however, a strong statement from the university itself that this component of a person's personhood is valid, relevant, and protected within that college setting. Such symbolic gestures may be crucial for universities like Duke, situated in areas of the country where diversity and liberality of social acceptance of non-traditional sexuality is not the historical norm. Whether or not the gesture jives with the reality of campus or surrounding city life remains to be seen. But it is a step. Duke Chronicle
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
End of Summer and Time for Action
As you gallop into the early days of your senior year of high school, it may be hard to keep your focus. This strangely transitional year has you celebrating the exhilaration of being a big fish in a little pond, right before you dive back into an enormous ocean of uncertainty. Whether the unknowns of college are exciting or daunting, the changes are coming, and it may finally be time to pay attention.
For students applying Early Decision or Early Action, the actual application deadlines are just weeks away. If this is your route, you've likely already taken the SAT and ACT, although you have one last chance in October, if you like living on the edge. Summer would have been the optimal time to prepare, but if that ship has sailed, take solace in the fact that it's early in the senior semester, and you'll have time to play catch up. Hopefully you've already visited some select campuses, but if not, these last few weeks of summer can be an ideal time. Many campuses have already started classes so you'll get the opportunity to see what your college looks like when it's alive with students. If you're searching in intemperate climates, you'll also get the chance to hit the pavement before it's covered in snow or otherwise impassable. If you're applying to quarter-system (or three-trimester) universities, school may not yet be in session, but activities may already be bubbling. You can still take the opportunity to tour somewhat empty campuses while catching a glimpse of summer sports practice and the early rumblings of campus activity. Some administrators and professors may already be around and available for touring or consultation. One last thing to remember? Enjoying these last months of high school. You'll forgive me and all the other adults from getting a little nostalgic about this shift. It's your last hurrah before heading off to grown-up life. And whether or not that's exciting or daunting, it's certainly imminent.
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