A Former Ivy Leagu

Admissions
A FormerOfficer
Ivy
A Former Ivy Leagu
League Admissions
Admissions Officer
Officer Answers
A Former Ivy Leagu
US Admissions
Questions
Admissions Officer
A Former Ivy Leagu
Admissions Officer
A Former Ivy Leagu
Admissions Officer
A Former Ivy Leagu
Admissions Officer
A Former Ivy Leagu
Admissions Officer
A CRIMSON EDUCATION PUBLICATION
US University
Application Questions
Answered by a Former
Admissions Officer
Wondering how to stand out
in the competitive world of
US university admissions?
Our expert has the answers.

One of the key distinguishing factors that

sets Crimson apart in the world of top
university admissions is our vast network of
admissions experts. Beyond the
experienced mentors, tutors, and
strategists who help our students get
accepted to the very schools they attended
themselves, our global team also includes
former admissions officers from world-
leading colleges who know exactly what it
takes for an application to stand out.

Ivy League universities are notoriously

selective and there are many important
things to consider when preparing your
applications. Between grades, test scores,
essays, extracurriculars, and interviews, a
lot goes into the journey, from discovering
your dream school to receiving that
coveted offer letter.

Here to answer all your questions about

gaining admission to the best universities
in the US is a Former Admissions Officer at
Dartmouth College with extensive
experience and insights into the
admissions process.

Having served on admissions committees

at some of the most competitive schools in
the world, our expert possesses a unique
perspective on what makes a successful
application and how universities make
difficult admissions decisions.
1. What exactly was
your job as an
Admissions Officer?
What qualifications
did you need?
Like many Admissions Officers, I wore
multiple hats, often depending on the
season. In the summer I focused on our
on-campus visitor programs; come fall, I
would travel across the US to visit and
learn about high schools and recruit
students; by November I would begin
reading early applications. After the new
year, the whole office would be fully
immersed in “reading season,” each of us
reviewing over one hundred applications
per week. April was always my favorite
month, as we got to meet many of the
students we admitted during our
accepted student programs; then May
would bring the start of summer and the
cycle continued.

The public often thinks about our role as

reading applications and making
decisions, but the job requires a range of
skills, from public speaking to organizing
programs, empathizing with applicants
to educating the public. Reading an
application requires understanding the
context, from details about the
applicant’s school and its curriculum and
clubs, to the broader community and the
opportunities and challenges its
students face. Every year we must
calibrate our evaluations of each file
based on the entire pool of applicants,
recognizing trends in academics,
extracurricular activities, and beyond.
2. Is it true that standardised Philadelphia, whose parents never
test scores (SAT/ACT) act as attended college. Everything else in the
application is considered in the context of
an early ‘cutting factor’ in the
this background.
application process?
Next, I would look at a student’s
Some schools, like large public academic performance, taking time to
universities, may lean on standardized carefully understand the story the
testing to do initial screenings — but at transcript tells. How academically strong
Dartmouth, like many other selective is the student within the school? How has
colleges, we have been committed to the the student grown academically over the
holistic review of every applicant’s four years in high school? Has the
candidacy. This means even students student taken advantage of the most
with less than stellar scores still had rigorous courses? What are the student’s
someone review their applications. We academic strengths and weaknesses?
recognize that students may Then I look at standardized test scores
demonstrate their talents in any of many hoping to confirm the transcript’s story.
dimensions, and standardized testing If I am concerned about something I see
does not reveal the full story. We want to in the academic record, I will look to see if
give every applicant a fair chance, even if there are explanations in essays
they may struggle with testing or have or recommendations.
limited opportunities to prepare,
whether due to limited internet access, My favorite part of the application is a
financial constraints, or other student’s extracurricular activities. By
circumstances. There is strong evidence showing me how they spend their time
that high school grades are a better outside of class, candidates reveal their
predictor of college performance, so if values and potential for impact through
we had used a cut-off SAT score, some of the activities list. Next I typically read the
my favorite admitted students would personal essay, which helps me hear the
have been missed. And in the COVID era applicant’s own voice to benefit from
of test-optional admissions policies, more nuance and texture to the
holistic admissions is more important applicant’s whole story. Rarely does a
than ever. personal essay change the trajectory of
an application, but it helps fill in our
understanding of the real person behind
the black and white forms.

3. How do you evaluate a Lastly, I would turn to the

candidate beyond the recommendations, which I find are a
test scores? critical part of the full application as they
help translate academic performance
The first thing I would look at in a into a sense of genuine intellectual
student’s application is the family curiosity. I want to see that students not
demographic information, allowing me only challenge themselves by taking the
to understand the student’s context. most rigorous courses available, but also
Where do they live? Who do they live aim to go above and beyond the basic
with? What work do their parents or assignments to really dive into the quest
guardians do? A student attending a for knowledge.
public school in rural Indiana and living
with a single parent who is a doctor will
require distinct consideration from a
scholarship student at a private school in
 5. What are the advantages of
applying in the early round?
Do schools give preference to
early applicants?

The early application process

intentionally offers students who have
done their research and know they want
to apply to a particular college the
chance to show their interest and get a
decision several months before Regular
4. What are some common Decision candidates. From the
admissions officer perspective, I see early
mistakes you’ve seen from candidates as committed to our school.
otherwise qualified applicants? Early Decision is binding, so I know that if
we admit you, we will expect to see you
in our incoming class. This helps us build
I think the biggest mistake I see from
a strong backbone of enthusiastic
students is not taking the time to
capture their contributions and impact students. Early application pools also
in the community on their activities lists. tend to be substantially smaller, so from a
For example, if a student spends five mathematics and psychological vantage
hours per week on student government, point, it is easier to stand out among
I don’t want to read something obvious fewer other candidates. If you’re certain a
like “I was elected president my senior particular school is your top choice, you
year of the Student Government should apply early (and if you’re 100%
Association and served in sophomore certain you would attend if admitted,
and junior year as vice president.” then early decision is right for you)
Instead I want to hear how that student
“Fundraised $3k for Leukemia research;
Pioneered ‘virtual prom’ with over 500
attendees; Advocated for extra mental
health counselor during COVID.” Now I
see the student’s skills and impact and
those details will help them stand out
from the other 25,000 student leaders.

One other common issue is that the

“well rounded” candidates fall flat
because they lack something special
that stands out. When a student leans
into one or two unique experiences and
interests, I can easily grasp what they
care about and how they have achieved
at a high level. But when a student talks
about 10 totally disparate experiences,
each one feels small and not particularly
significant. Show us your enthusiasm for
something special about you, whether
it’s potato farming & environmentalism
or 10th century Arabic poetry.
6. When choosing where to 7. What’s the most
apply, should I cast my net as important part of my
wide as I can or zero in on a application in the eyes of
select few? admissions officers?

Build a balanced college list. This means Colleges and universities are first and
you apply to schools across a continuum foremost institutions of higher
of selectivity. Some counselors advise education, so this means your academic
applying to schools that fit into baskets of track record is critical. Students who do
“reach, realistic, and safety.” I try to think not seem ready for the most rigorous
of it this way: what’s the most selective university based on their transcript have
admit rate you have a chance at, and at little chance of admission. Remember
what selectivity are you effectively though, your transcript is not your GPA
guaranteed to gain admission? — an average of four years — rather,
your transcript is a four-year story, so an
A rule of thumb to evaluate your chances upward trajectory to all A’s in junior or
is to consider how you stack up in your senior year remains promising. Testing
school. If you’re in the top 5% of your is typically just used to confirm our
class, you probably stand a chance at a sense of your academic readiness, so
highly selective college admitting around you should invest your time over the
5%. This means a school admitting around long-term in your courses and
5% is a fair high-reach. A school admitting extracurriculars to demonstrate your
10% is a fair reasonable-reach, while a intellectual curiosity (to show us in
school admitting 15% if a good target, and admissions you are about more than
20% is likely safe. Be careful to apply to a grades and scores).
balance of schools from realistic to hard-
reach. Avoid applying to 10 schools that
admit less than 10% and then one that
admits 20% as you’re likely to miss out on
great schools for you that admit 11-19%.
8. How do you think the
elimination of SAT Subject
Tests and the SAT Essay will
affect the way admissions
committees assess
applications moving forward?

In my time at Dartmouth we never

looked at the SAT Essay — so its
elimination changes nothing. This is true
for many other schools that said they did
not consider the essay section. We did
require Subject Tests, but often they
were just one more opportunity for
students to confirm their academic
readiness. Without subject tests (or
when applying SAT optional), I would
lean more heavily on the transcript and
teacher recommendations to feel
confident that a student is ready for the
rigors of our academic program. Because
selective colleges have used holistic
admissions for about a century now,
recent changes to testing do not alter
the overall decision-making process.

9. When should I get started

on my college applications?
No matter your age, you should work to
become the best version of yourself.
Develop strong learning habits; find ways
to grow your intellectual curiosity;
enhance your leadership skills so you can
make a difference in your community.
Practice listening, patience, and self-
reflection. No matter your grade or age,
you can continue to improve yourself,
but make sure you’re doing things you
enjoy. Do not fill your schedule to look
good — fill your life with things that you
value. When it comes time to apply, your
application will easily showcase a
passionate individual ready to make the
most of our college.
10. Are there any essay • The “Travel essay”
topics that are overdone or When a student expresses a love for travel
that you would caution either by detailing a family vacation in Greece
students against? to learn about the Parthenon, or a review of
all the postcards collected from the 20
countries visited. Some students get to travel
How you write your personal essay matters a lot and travel can be transformative;
more than what topic you write about. I however, your personal essay is not the time
want to learn about how you think, what to show off your love of travel. If you took a
you value, how you act, react, and interact, particular journey, whether a trip around the
as well as how you reflect and grow. When world or a road trip with your sibling, that
reading the personal essay, I am looking for truly transformed your life, focus on the
self-aware and socially-aware students who transformation — not the travel.
will bring intangible qualities that enrich
our community, whether creativity and a
sense of humor or perseverance and • The “Volunteer essay”
concern for others. When a student recalls an experience to
serve a less privileged community, likely
While there are no specific topics I caution spending more money than it would have
against, there are four types of approaches cost to pay someone from the community to
I suggest students avoid because they do the work you did. Now is not the time to
rarely offer valuable perspective. gush about your $5,000 2-week volunteer trip
to rural South Africa where you realized that
there are children who are poor but happy.
• The “Grandmother essay” It’s great you learned this, but I need to learn
about you! I’d be interested in your reflections
When a student pays homage to an
on what this experience says about your
amazing individual (let’s say your
wealth and your happiness.
grandmother) and tells me so many
amazing things about that individual that
make me say, “If only your grandmother • The “Metaphor essay”
was applying!” Make sure your personal
essay reflects you from start to finish so I’ll When a student shares a deep personal
learn new information about what you experience through a metaphor, expecting
specifically will bring to our community. me to take the time to unpack the story in
the 60 seconds I have to read your one-page
essay. You might be a phenomenal writer,
but I want a concrete story that shows who
• The “Broken bone essay” you are and what you could add to our
community. Metaphors about your
When a student recalls a difficult event like metamorphosis like a caterpillar or your
breaking a leg that prevented participation uniqueness like a snowflake miss the
in a major event, like a soccer tournament. opportunity to provide tangible details that
I’ve never read a “broken bone” essay that will allow me to envision you in our
left me thinking, this student is exceptional, classrooms, clubs, dining halls and dorms.
no matter how much they persevered.
Remember, we read applications from
refugees, orphans, cancer survivors, and Help me understand who you are today as a
students facing every type of hardship. If consequence of your grandmother, your
you want to write about a challenge you broken bone, your travels, your
faced, choose something that’s unique to volunteering, or your grand metaphor. Be
your circumstances that doesn’t suggest direct so every sentence helps me learn
pity. Rather, tell a story of your values and something special about you, and even
impact — not a story that could have when I read quickly, every word I land on
happened to many other students. makes me want to get to know you better.
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