Picture this. You are sitting in front of your computer, smiling as wide as you can. You hope the person at the other end of the video call can’t see you sweat. Your heart is pounding so hard that you can hear it through your headphones. Yes, this is it. This is your college admissions interview!
For many of you, your college applications are almost completed (and there is light at the end of the tunnel, we promise). The next big item coming up is early admissions decisions!
The college admissions landscape continues to surprise us this year. The new, digital SAT will be implemented in Spring 2024, and some schools, such as MIT, terminate their test-optional admissions policy. With USC offering its first Early Action admissions option and CalTech moving to a new Restricted Early Action plan, notification dates for early admissions results seem more important than ever!
For 23 years, Insight Education is committed to helping high school students and families to navigate the college admissions process, and that includes understanding your concerns and providing a tailored strategy for you. Here are the top 3 common questions surrounding ED/EA, and you can always reach out to your Insight Counselor or contact us to find out more!
Q: What do I need to do between now and the decision time?
A: Check your portal regularly! Set up a weekly reminder and commit to checking your email and college portal. Some schools may require you to send in your progress report for the current school year.
Q: What does my result mean? Can I do anything if I am deferred?
A: To understand your result, check out our article “Accepted, Deferred, or Denied: Understand Early Admissions Results.” If you are deferred from your dream school, don’t worry! You’re not out of the race yet. The school wants to compare you to their regular applicant pool OR they simply need more details from you. To learn more about that, visit The Importance of Writing A Letter of Continued Interest
Q: What do I do about ED II if my ED I decision won’t come back until January?
A: You can still apply to ED II. When ED I notifies your acceptance, you can withdraw your application from ED II school.
Q: What do I do if my current progress report is not as good?
A: If you are improving but your progress report doesn’t show it, ask your school counselor to make a note on your progress report before you send it to your ED school.
Here are early admissions decision notification dates for the upcoming Class of 2027. Please check back regularly for updated dates and times as we gather the most updated information – especially for those without specific dates and times or those labeled “TBD.”
Last Updated: January 9, 2023
School |
Early Decision I Notification Date |
Early Action Notification Date |
Early Decision II Notification Date |
Early Action II Notification Date |
| American University | December 16 | February 15 | ||
| Amherst College | December 9 @ 6:21pm ET | |||
| Babson College | December 14 | December 16 | Mid-February | |
| Barnard College | December 14 @6:30pm ET | |||
| Bates College | December 20 | February 15 | ||
| Baylor University | December 5 | January 15 | March 1 | |
| Bentley University | Late December | Early February | ||
| Boston College | December 6 | February 15 | ||
| Boston University | December 13 | February 15 | ||
| Bowdoin College | December 9 | Mid-February | ||
| Brandeis University | December 15 | February 1 | ||
| Brown University | December 20 @ 7pm ET | |||
| Bryn Mawr College | December 16 @ 5pm ET | ED2: TBA | ||
| Bucknell University | December 14 | Mid-February | ||
| Cal Tech | December 10 @ 8:06am PT | |||
| Carleton College | December 15 | |||
| Carnegie Mellon University | February 1 | |||
| Case Western University | December 5 | December 21 | Beginning January 9 | |
| Chapman University | December 16 | Late December, rolling through early February | ||
| Clark University | Late December | Mid-January | Early February | |
| Claremont McKenna College | December 15 | February 15 | ||
| Clemson University | December 1 | |||
| Colby University | On and before December 15 | On and before February 15 | ||
| Colgate University | Mid-December | Mid-February | ||
| Columbia University | December 15 @ 7pm ET | |||
| Cooper Union | ||||
| Cornell University | ||||
| Dartmouth College | December 16 @ 3pm ET | |||
| Davidson College | December 15 @ 9pm ET | February 1 | ||
| Drexel University | Mid-December | Mid-December | ||
| Duke University | December 17 @ 2pm ET | |||
| Elon University | December 1 | December 20 | ||
| Emerson College | Mid-December | Mid-December | Early February | |
| Emory University | December 15 after 6pm ET | February 15 | ||
| Fordham University | December 20 | December 20 | ||
| George Mason University | December 15 | |||
| George Washington University | December 15 | Late-February | ||
| Georgetown University | December 15 | |||
| Georgia Tech |
December 9 (for Georgia students) |
Late January (for Non-Georgia students) | ||
| Hamilton College | December 15 | February 15 | ||
| Harvard University | REA: December 15 at 7pm ET | |||
| Harvey Mudd | December 15 | February 15 | ||
| Haverford College | December 10 | Early February | ||
| Hofstra University | January 15 | |||
| Indiana University Bloomington | January 15 | |||
| Johns Hopkins University | December 16 | February 17 | ||
| Lafayette College | December 15 @ 4pm ET | February 15 | ||
| Lehigh University | December 9 | Mid-February | ||
| MIT | December 17 @ 12:17pm ET | |||
| Middlebury College | Mid-December | Mid-February | ||
| Mount Holyoke College | Late December | Late January | ||
| New York University (NYU) | December 15 | February 15 | ||
| Northeastern University | December 8 | February 1 | March 1 | |
| Northwestern University | December 16 | |||
| Oberlin College | December 15 | February 1 | ||
| Occidental College | December 15 | February 20 | ||
| The Ohio State University | Late January | |||
| University of Oregon |
(some Insight students already heard the great news) |
|||
| Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) |
(some Insight students already heard the great news) |
|||
| Pomona College | December 15 @ 5pm PT | February 15 | ||
| Princeton University | Single Choice Early Action (SCEA) Decision Notification: December 15 at 7pm ET |
|||
| Purdue University | January 15 | |||
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | December 10 | January 28 | January 14 | |
| Rice University | December 14 after 5pm CT | |||
| Rutgers University | January 31 | |||
| Santa Clara University | Late December | Late December | Mid-February | |
| Stanford University | REA: December 16 @ 4pm PT | |||
| Suffolk University | Late December | |||
| Swarthmore College | December 13 at 7pm ET | |||
| Syracuse University | Late December rolling through January |
|
||
| Temple University |
(Some Insight students already heard the good news) |
Mid-February | ||
| Trinity College | December 15 | Mid-February | ||
| Tufts University | December 13 at 7pm ET | Mid-February | ||
| Tulane University | December 1 at 4pm CT | January 15 | January 31 | |
| University of Chicago | December 21 | December 21 | Mid-February | |
| University of Georgia | November 18 at 4pm ET | |||
| University of Illinois at Chicago | December 1 | |||
| University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) | January 27 | |||
| University of Massachusettes | Late January | |||
| University of Miami | December 9 | Late January | Late February | |
| University of Michigan | Late January | |||
| University of Minnesota |
(Including engineering. Some Insight students already heard the good news!) |
February 15 | ||
| University of North Carolina (UNC) | January 31 | |||
| University of Notre Dame |
Restrictive Early Action decisions released in December 16 @ 6:42pm ET |
|||
| University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) | December 15 @ 7pm ET | |||
| University of Richmond | December 9 | January 25 | February 15 | |
| University of Rochester | Mid-December | Early-February | ||
| University of San Francisco | Mid-December | Late January | ||
| University of South California (USC) | January 20 | |||
| University of South Carolina | December 14 | |||
| University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) | February 1 | |||
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | On or before January 31 | |||
| University of Vermont | December 20 | December 20 | ||
| University of Virginia | December 13 at 5pm ET | February 15 | ||
| Vanderbilt University | December 14 @ 5:30pm CT | |||
| Villanova University | December 14 @ 5pm ET | January 20 | February 15 | |
| Virginia Tech | December 9 at 5pm ET | Late February | ||
| Washington & Lee University | December 16 @ 8pm ET | Late January | ||
| Washington University in St. Louis (Wustl) | December 13 | February 17 | ||
| Wellesley College | December 10 | Mid-February | ||
| Wesleyan University | December 10 | Mid-February | ||
| William & Mary | December 9 | Early February | ||
| Williams College | December 9 | |||
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | December 13 | January 15 | February 15 | March 1 |
| Yale University | Single choice early action decisions will be available in December 15 after 5pm ET |
Thank you for your interest in Insight’s Summer Opportunities Fair on November 5, 2022! We hope you had a great time meeting the participating volunteering, research, and internship programs. This year we had over 250 attendees throughout the day from grade 7 to grade 11. We want to share a few snapshots to capture the day’s festivities and the list of participating programs (listed in alphabetical order).
Wondering what you should do for the summer? Need help with your summer program essays and application process? Contact us and schedule a meeting with our counselors today!
Bay Area Community Health was formed in 2020 off the strength of southern Alameda County’s Tri-City Health Center and Santa Clara County’s Foothill Community Health Center. Formed during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bay Area Community Health (BACH) brings more than 70 years of combined service to an area that stretches from Union City to Gilroy. BACH serves more than 100,000 people, who rely on high-quality healthcare services, regardless of their immigration status, ethnicity, disabilities, or ability to pay.
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a selective research program for top high school students. As a Lumiere scholar, students work 1-1 with top researchers from universities like Harvard, Stanford, and Oxford. Founded by a Rhodes Scholar and Harvard College classmates, the program guides students in the creation of an independent, 20-page research paper over the course of 10 weeks.
Our City Forest (OCF) is an urban forestry non-profit located in the heart of San Jose. OCF’s mission is to create a green and healthy Silicon Valley by engaging community members in the appreciation, protection, growth, and maintenance of our urban forest. Volunteer opportunities range from helping out at the Community Nursery and Training Center with various tree and shrub-care activities, to joining at the new Education Center at Martial Cottle Park to help expand the arboretum. OCF also hosts community tree planting events in which volunteers can help plant trees at various locations throughout Santa Clara County! These events are typically held on Saturdays.
PilotCity runs programs where students “build projects to win internships” with our employers – serving as an engine for innovation in cities with the people from there. Students enrolled in the program explore employer projects, choose a project, and then are guided through a series of unlockable activities & deliverables to complete to then auto-apply, interview & win offers for internships. Upon hire, interns further advance their project, assigned tasks, and the objective of the employers.
The Pioneer Research Program is a virtual research institute for outstanding high school students worldwide. It offers STEM, social sciences, and humanities disciplines. Widely respected for its high standards in admissions selectivity and academic rigor, it is the only US online college credit-bearing research program for high school students. In Pioneer’s rigorous academic system, students work one-on-one with university professors in advanced study and research of a topic of their interest, culminating in a full-length research paper. To learn more about Pioneer Academic’s Information Sessions, please click here.
Polygence is an online research academy connecting high achieving students with expert mentors to pursue personalized research projects and publish research papers. Polygence offers project-based research mentorship in academic disciplines across STEM, the humanities, social sciences, and fine arts. Polygence students submit their projects to high school science fairs, research journals, and conferences with guidance from expert mentors. Mentors hold PhDs, MDs, JDs, MAs, and MFAs in a variety of disciplines from neuroscience and computer science to fashion design and architecture.
Rosetta Institute provides advanced classes for high achieving high school and middle school students interested in pursuing a career in medicine or related fields, such as biomedical research, drug development, pharmacy, or nursing. They offer a variety of workshops related to molecular medicine – Molecular Biology, Medicinal Chemistry, Medical Bioinformatics, Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Covid-19: Biology/Immunity/Medicine, Cancer Research, Immunology Research, and Biomedical Research – that are taught by PhD-level instructors with years of research and teaching experience.
Youngzine teaches children about our environment and the changing climate. Its mission is to empower youth to action. Youngzine’s Climate Fellowship provides an opportunity for high school students to help combat climate change and contribute to a more sustainable future. During a three-week program, students will have the chance to learn about climate change issue, interact with climate experts, and develop a climate or sustainability-related project. Throughout the year, Youngzine offers training and opportunities for high school writers.
Extracurricular and summer activities are important in building a powerful narrative in your College Application. It is also important to help build your character, skillset, network and values! Not sure what summer or extracurricular activities you should do? Contact us and schedule a meeting with our counselors today!
Over the past few years, all of us at Team Insight are noticing more and more families want to know if early admission option can increase their chance of acceptance. While early admissions may have a higher acceptance rate, it’s important to understand your options and weigh the restrictions before you send in your application!
Most of you probably know about early actions (EA) and early decisions (ED). If you are uncertain, you can learn more about them in our article “Early Decision vs. Early Action.” In addition to early decisions and early actions, we will also explain restrictive early actions (REA) and single-choice early actions (SCEA) and provide insights on Early Decision 2 (ED2).
If you look at any of the admissions statistics, you may be shocked at how high the acceptance rates are compared to regular decisions. Before you jump in and apply ED, note there is a catch. Early decision is binding. You can apply ED to only ONE college, and if you are accepted, you must withdraw all your applications to other universities. Essentially, when you apply ED to a school, you are signing a contract telling this school, “You’re my number one choice, and I will absolutely attend if I am accepted.”
Should you do that for your dream school? The answer is “it depends.” ED doesn’t mean less competitive; it may even be more competitive because it is a self-selecting process. Everyone who applies ED to UPenn is highly qualified, not to mention they are well-motivated to plan and start their application process early. If you are confident that you can finalize a high-quality college application by the typical November ED deadline, ED may be an option for you.
The other consideration is financial aid. Once again, when you apply early decision, you are signaling to the college that you will attend no matter what. This means colleges are less likely to offer you scholarships or financial aid. Therefore, if you are counting on financial help, then early decision may not be the right option.
Read more: Think it Through: Early Decision
This is a relatively new admissions option, and not all colleges offer this. You follow the same rule as ED1. For many schools, ED2 deadline is slightly before or the same as regular decision. Why would you choose the ED2 option then? The main reason you’d apply ED2 is that you were deferred or rejected from your ED1 college.
Like ED1, your ED2 school is a college that you are excited to attend. Although early decision 2 admissions rate is not as high as early decision 1 acceptance rate, it can still provide you with a boost because of the binding policy.
A word of caution for ED2: some universities (for example, Santa Clara University) offer both early action and early decision 2. You cannot switch from early action to early decision 2. That’s why ED2 options need to be factored in early during the admissions process rather than treated like a backup option. If you are not sure which of your top-choice colleges offer ED2 or how to use it to your advantage, reach out to your Insight Counselor!
Have quesitons about applying early? Talk to one of our Counselors today!
The deadlines for early action are typically November 1st or November 15th. For some schools and majors, you may need to submit your application as early as mid-October. When you apply EA, you can apply to as many schools as you want. A word of caution, some colleges offer EA programs, but the admissions process is closer to restricted early action, which we will get to in the next section.
What’s the benefit of submitting your applications early? In addition to getting a big to-do item checked off before your high school finals, you also hear about the admissions results earlier. You may find out in December or January whether you get to attend your top-choice school, and who wouldn’t like that as a Christmas present?
The other advantage is you have time on your side to strategize (or relax) since you won’t have to commit to a college until May 1st. This gives you time to apply to more schools, compare financial aid options, and visit more campuses. Since early action is non-binding, you can choose what you like the most.
This is where things get a bit more complicated. Whether you see restrictive early action or single-choice early action, please note that REA and SCEA are interchangeable. Ultimately, it’s up to the admissions office’s restrictions, so always remember to read the college admissions website carefully. When in doubt, talk to your Insight Counselor!
There are two different types of restrictive early action, and we will explain both with examples. The first type of REA limits perspective students from applying ED to any universities, nor can they apply EA to any private colleges. The colleges that adopt this type of REA are Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, CalTech, and Yale (on Yale’s admissions site, this is known as the single-choice early action). This means if you are applying early to Princeton, you cannot apply EA to USC, but you can still apply EA to University of Michigan.
USC now words their early action deadline differently, so you may still be able to apply to restrictive early action to some of the examples listed above. Wonder how this might work? Schedule a personalized college admission strategy session with an Insight counselor today!
The second type of REA does not limit the type (private or public) of EA schools you can apply to. Georgetown is a good example. On the admissions page, Georgetown classifies its program as early action, but their description of their EA program outlines the restriction. If you apply early to Georgetown, you can still apply EA to both USC and UMich, but you cannot apply to any early decision programs.
While it may be confusing on what you can or cannot apply, the restrictions end at the early admissions round. Both REA and SCEA are non-binding. Thus, you can still apply to other schools during regular decision deadlines, and you can enroll in the college that you like the most.
While you may use early admissions to increase your chance in getting into your dream schools, it’s still important to have a strong college application that tells a powerful personal narrative. Ultimately, it’s up to you. How thoughtful you are in putting together your college list. Have you talked to your parents about financial aid? Did you send your application to your Insight Counselor for review yet? Are you following up with teachers who can be strong recommenders? Have you been working on your college essays? Are you scheduling time every week to focus on your application and essays? These are all actions you can take to ensure you have the best chance of maximizing your college admissions acceptance rate. If you need help or additional clarification, don’t hesitate to email us at info@insight-education.net and let our team of experienced college admissions counselors help you!
This article was created from an interview with Insight’s Co-Founder and Head of Counseling Purvi Mody.
Since 1998, Purvi has dedicated her career to education and is exceedingly well versed in the college admissions process. Her philosophy centers around helping kids identify and apply to the schools that are the best fit for them and then develop applications that emphasize their unique attributes and talents.
It’s application season! Whether you’ve been working on your college essay drafts all summer or just finished slaying your first draft, you want to double-check your personal statement or personal insight questions (PIQs) response. In this article, Insight’s Senior College Admissions Counselor Zach Pava summarizes the <b>Top 10</b> most common college essay mistakes that you definitely want to avoid!
The University of California (UC) application portal has been open for 2022-2023 admissions since August 1. As Insight Counselor Jenny guided our seniors step-by-step through filling out their UC apps, she discovered some important updates to the UC applications that you wouldn’t want to miss!
In the past, UC Berkeley only allows applicants to select one major. In the 2022-2023 admissions season, you can indicate your alternate major choices on all UC campuses. This is in an effort to standardize the University of California system’s application process.
However, UCB will only review your alternate major as space permits. What does that mean? It means your second major choice for UC Berkeley may not be reviewed. In short, nothing has changed in the review process. If you want to study Computer Science (CS) and not Electrical Engineering/Computer Science (EECS), then you should be honest in that preference in your application. Keep in mind that CS at UCB is a pre-major, and if accepted, you will enroll in the College of Letters and Science (L&S) as undeclared. On the other hand, those admitted to EECS will spend their 4 years in the engineering program.
Not sure what you should do to maximize your chances? Interested in other competitive majors? Let our College Admissions expert do a 360-review of your profile and help you plan the path to your dream school!
This is a massive improvement! In the past, UC applicants had to visit the UC A-G Course website and check how the UC admissions office categorizes their high school classes. Now, once you enter your high school in the UC application, you should be able to find the classes offered in your high school in the academic section.
While this is true for many high schools across the United States, there are of course exceptions. If you cannot find your school or coursework on the UC A-G Course website, then follow your transcripts as closely as you can. Avoid any unclear abbreviations. Most importantly, make sure you satisfy the UC subject requirement.
Did you know? At Insight, each college application is thoroughly reviewed by multiple counselors. We don’t just check your academic records, activities, and essays. Our team carefully examines your personal information and your major choices to make sure your application is complete!
For those who are applying to UCSD, you should know to rank the colleges you want to be at. These are usually not related to your major (though it can be), but the community you want to be a part of. At Insight, our counselors guide their seniors to carefully rank these colleges to maximize the overlapping of required coursework and personal interests. This year, San Diego has a new college – the Eighth College.
The Eighth College’s theme is “engagement and community.” The Eighth students will be taking more writing-intensive courses which focus on community, critical engagement, and structural racism.
This begs the question: will you be more likely to get accepted into UCSD this year if you rank the Eighth College as number one? Sadly, no. You will only be placed in one of the UCSD colleges AFTER you are accepted. We know we say this a lot at Insight; it is important to be true to yourself and be authentic on your application. Rank the colleges where you can see yourself thriving in the next four years!
The UC made many changes in the past couple of years, and the historically low acceptance rates of some UC campuses may be daunting. If you are a high school senior right now, take a deep breath and understand this: while you cannot change your past, you have the power to do your best in the present. Focus on what is important right now. Fill out the UC application carefully and accurately. Continue to do your best in your classes. Brainstorm and revise those Personal Insight Questions and personal statements. And should you need any guidance on major choices, college essays, or comprehensive application review, all of us at Team Insight are happy to help you!
Do you know what’s a co-op university? What is unique about co-op? Can you name a few colleges that offer this? Let Insight share with you all about cooperative universities and why you may want to add a few of them to your college list! Continue reading
During the college admissions process, you may come across many supplement essays. The most challenging one is the “why” essay. Generally, these college essay prompt asks, “Why do you want to attend our school” or “why do you want to study this specific major?”
(Rather watch a video instead? Check out Senior College Admissions Counselor Zach’s video on How to Write the “Why Major” and “Why College” Essays!)
It depends on the specific college or the specific program you are applying to. When you respond to the “why college” essay, you want to address the reasons that you’re drawn to that college. Essentially, you’d share what you find unique and different about that particular university.
Think of the “why college” essay like a love letter. There are thousands of colleges out there you can apply to, but what makes this college THE ONE? A good “why college” essay is based on in-depth research. You really have to do your homework! Don’t just jot down the first few things you see on the college’s website. Dig deep. What are some of the opportunities that this university offers that draw you in? How do you find yourself fitting perfectly into the campus culture? Why is this college the best fit for you academically or socially? What are some of your personal goals and values that can only be achieved at this school?
Just like any love letter, you want the reader to feel special. The why essay should not feel generic. The easiest way to check if your why essay is too general is to substitute the name. If you can replace “College A” with “College B” in your essay and it still reads fine, then you need to rewrite and be more specific.
The “why major” essay is specific to what you are hoping to accomplish or what career path you hope to be on in the future. Not every high school student knows exactly what they want to do. That’s perfectly normal. For those who are undecided or those who have several interests, be as clear as possible on what you are trying to achieve. What drives you to this set of majors? What do you hope to explore within this particular program?
For those who have a better idea of what they want to do, you’d want to research the resources that this major (or program) offers. What classes are available? Why do you find them intriguing? What research opportunities are offered? What facilities and labs will you be able to utilize? What professors would you study or research under? You want to demonstrate that you’ve really looked into this program, and only this major/program at this school can offer you the unique chance to achieve your goals.
Be specific! The more focused you are on expressing what attracts you, the better. The why essay is as much about you as it is about the school (or program or major). Don’t rely on samples or templates that are out there. You may want to talk to friends or alum who went to this college, but what they tell you to write might not make good content.
This really needs to be about you. Think about it from the admissions officer’s perspective. They are reviewing thousands and thousands of applications. You don’t want to sound like just any average joe. You don’t want your love letter to this school/program/major to sound generic. You want it to be unique. You want it to be authentic and specific. You want your own voice to come out. Most importantly, you want your why essay to supplement your personal statement.
A good why essay should provide another dimension to who you are. You shouldn’t repeat information that’s already in the activity section or your personal statement. Ultimately, a good why essay shares why this college is a good fit for you while allowing the college admissions officers to get to know more about you.
One way to get started on your why essay is to ask – “What did you enjoy doing?” You want to reflect on what you’ve done thus far. Think back on your high school years and what you have accomplished so far. What are the ways you can continue excelling at the college level? How can this college help you grow?
For example, if you have been involved in certain charity work and you love it, look for opportunities on this college campus that will allow you to explore this. What are the ways this college or program will help you expand this experience? If you have started a particular research at the high school level, you will have access to more resources, better tools, and professors that can help you to further your research. It may lead to jobs and future career paths.
Another way is to visit the college. Check out research opportunities online. Walk around the campus. Join a virtual information session. Schedule informational interviews with alumni. Essentially, use all the possible resources to learn more about this college. This can help you convey why you are drawn to this school with detailed examples and reasons.
The key point to remember as you write your why essay: you want this college (or major) to do as much for you as you can for it.
Need professional guidance for your college essays? Schedule a personalized one-hour consultation with our College Admissions Counselor!
This article is inspired by an interview by Insight Senior Counselor Zach Pava.
Zach has guided hundreds of students throughout the college admissions process. His extensive writing background includes essay contributions online and in print, a sports blog, screenplays, and film reviews. Contact Insight Education today to schedule an initial consultation with Zach. Read his full bio here.
There are so many college ranking systems – US News might be the most famous one in the USA, but there are also lists from the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, just to name a few. Can’t you just copy/paste a college list from one of these and call it a day?
Nope!
Because these lists often include hundreds and hundreds of schools, after seeing the common “name-brand” choices, they might just blend together so that you mentally check out – and overlook many excellent choices. Or maybe you decide against applying to certain schools because of the sheer intimidation factor. The rankings systems at best could be a place to start your research but you cannot substitute their judgment for yours!
You will need to make a customized list for yourself for deciding where exactly you would like to apply. Yes, that means doing all kinds of research to get to know colleges to see what would be a great fit for you. It means attending in-person or virtual events to get to know the student body and personnel. It means really digging deep to understand what is most important to you as you emerge from high school. What is really going to help you grow? What do you really need? Reflecting on your wants, needs, and goals is essential for making a good college list. What if you have no idea what you are looking for? Then, start as soon as possible to take stock and identify what are the deal-breakers for you.
One of my students told me that she could not apply anywhere close to skiing sites because she would ditch school for skiing and not study at all. This was incredibly honest of her! Indeed, she ended up applying and ultimately attending *flat* locales (and was very happy).
As much care as you might put into choosing your next pair of shoes, you will want to put one thousand times that effort when you are looking at colleges. How much time do students spend on their classes? Do they connect with professors? Are you extremely independent about academics? Or is having a community of utmost importance? You can look at what majors are popular at a college, or one which is impacted (ones for which demand is greater than supply). What kinds of extracurricular activities, hands-on work or real-world experiences can you access through that college? How do you want to meet schoolmates? If you have loved music all your life as a performer, is there a way for you to continue channeling that joy where you land?
Summer Plans? Top 10 Summer Tasks for College Admissions
For any college on your list, are you feeling like the college matches how you see learning – and does it meet you where you are at, right now in your learning journey? It won’t just be your brain going to college – it will be your entire personality. I heard from a senior who told me that she was so glad that she did not “live” for colleges – she lived her high school life with enjoyment and spent time doing what she loved – without regrets. She told me, “I put myself first.” That might seem obvious – who would not put themselves first – but that is not what everyone does in high school.
I think this sentiment is important because so many students are scared about being authentic and allow colleges to dictate what they do. Choosing colleges that match who YOU are is so much more important than trying to fit into what you think they want from you. Keeping this in mind – that you are focusing on you – as you look for colleges that you want to consider for your college list – will help you stay centered and calm.
– Think about how you truly love to learn, and what you need to do that
– Lovingly research each college, allocating plenty of time to do so
– Try to imagine your life at the college – even if that seems very fuzzy right now
– Check for obvious deal-breakers
– Stay calm and centered by matching colleges which are going to be a great fit for YOU!
Read more: Balance Your College List: Really Focus on What YOU Want
This article is written by Insight Senior College Admissions Counselor Meilin Obinata.
Meilin Obinata is a Senior College Counselor who enjoys learning from her students. She believes education is a creative endeavor and creates a space that allows students to explore new ideas. As a Bay Area native who grew up in Santa Cruz, she is familiar with the local schools. Read her full bio here.
In this week’s #CollegeFactsFriday, we are heading to Atlanta to learn more about Georgia Institute of Technology (aka. Georgia Tech).
1. A coin toss at graduation? In 1890, the first two engineers graduated from Georgia Tech. To decide who had the honor of receiving the first degree, they tossed a coin.
2. Georgia Tech has a unique mechanical mascot, the Ramblin’ Reck. It is a 1930 Ford Model A Sport Coupe that is painted in the school’s color of old gold and white.
3. Are you a super sports fan? Meet the Goldfellas! You can spot them at every home football game, fully painted in yellow and black to look like the mascot Buzz.
4. Another tradition before Homecoming game is the Cake Race. Freshmen are encouraged to participate, and everyone races the half a mile toward the stadium, where the winners receive cakes (but everyone gets a cupcake).
5. Georgia Tech was founded in 1885. At the time, the campus only had two buildings. Now there are over 160 buildings sitting on the 400 acres of campus.
6. After 67 years, the first class of women students was admitted in 1952.
7. Think you will escape the bell schedule once you graduate high school? Think again. At Georgia Tech, the steam whistle blows five minutes to the hour-to-end classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
8. Some of the well-known Georgia Tech alumni included Jimmy Carter, Susan Still Kilrain (NASA astronaut), J. Paul Raines (CEO of GameStop), and Barbara “Bobbi” Morse (fictional character from Marvel Comics).
9. It is one of a handful of NCAA Division 1 football teams without the word “University” in its name. A few others are Boston College and Dartmouth College.
10. Want to learn more about Georgia Tech? Follow them on social media (Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook)
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