In 2016, institutions, educators, and individual members began the Character Collaborative initiative to focus on non-academic factors and character-related attributes in the admissions process. It struck a nerve. Then Harvard created the Making Caring Common project in 2018. Many scoffed. How could Harvard, admitting <5% of applicants, consider itself to be caring?
But the importance of this philosophy has grown, even if we don’t see it in the most literal sense. We know that colleges cannot accept every qualified applicant.
No question: numbers still matter. But for admissions to the most highly selective institutions, perfect grades and test scores are simply a toe in the door. Grade inflation, which escalated in the pandemic, has made an A the average grade in many high schools. Test scores, which vanished from applications by necessity during 2020, have returned, but at a far lower percentage. Many state colleges accept 70% of their students test-optionally, and even institutions like Tufts admit 50% without scores. When grades reveal less and scores are absent, what matters in an admissions office?
While I can’t say that every community-minded student with the right numbers will be admitted to their dream school (especially if it denies >80% of its applicants), I notice that students who are committed to extracurriculars that serve others often have better outcomes than those who do fewer activities, or focus only on themselves.
Find what matters to you, then spearhead any kind of service effort, either real or virtual. Join an existing club or organization and stay for the long haul. Work at a job that requires you to interact with the public, teach a skill or share your talent. Think about who you can help in your neighborhood.
Colleges know that ethical students become involved classmates and loyal friends. They get immersed in projects–regardless of major–that address the good of all. That’s why schools seek students who are not only exceptional academically, but are exceptional humans as well.
Elon University
A classic New England campus in the south, with new buildings designed to fit with the original 1889 “neighborhood.” Happy students (many from the northeast) choose business, education, arts and sciences, and Elon’s communications program, which is consistently top-ranked, along with its study abroad. No need to choose a major till sophomore year. ABET-accredited engineering program in beautiful new building; D1 sports, Greek life (spring rush); direct-entry nursing.
Wake Forest University
Rain shortened my tour but I met with our longtime NJ rep. He clarified the rolling admission policy: apply after August 1st but don’t delay. Answer those creative essay questions and schedule your interview (choose the latter only if you are enthusiastic and driven academically). Wake’s sprawling, wooded campus features formal gardens and a new wellbeing center. STEM students study in their own modern downtown Winston Salem campus. Traditions and culture abound, and D1 Demon Deacons games draw crowds, especially for basketball.
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
The oldest US public university, founded in 1793, UNC is a dream school for many. Downtown Chapel Hill and campus offer students, who bleed the trademarked “Carolina Blue,” all they need. Hopeful applicants should know that NC-Chapel Hill received 57,219 first-year applications for fall 2022. The overall acceptance rate was 16.8 percent – 43.1 percent for North Carolina applicants and 8.2 percent for out-of-state. A top-funded research university, two individual UNC epidemiologists helped develop Remdesivir and the Moderna vaccine.
University of North Carolina at Raleigh
Though only 9% OOS were admitted in 2022, I saw why UNC State is so popular! No need to declare a major until sophomore year and no major is capped. Ten colleges, 100 majors, including pre-health, pre-law, and pre-vet (#4 veterinary school in the US), and professors and facilities are all top-ranked. Robots get students' books at the Hunt Library. Campus-based companies hire students for co-ops. Adjacent Hillsborough Street offers a Target, coffee shops and restaurants. The top D1 Wolfpack teams-especially basketball-are cheered on by all. “Think and Do” is the motto!
Duke University
I did a self-guided tour and met with a general admissions counselor (Duke no longer offers regional reps). An unbelievably beautiful campus set in 8,300 acres of southern forest, Duke’s Gothic architecture, landmark chapel, and gracious feel make it classic on the level of Oxford or Cambridge. World-class in every academic regard, there are two colleges only: Arts and Sciences and Engineering. Duke’s sports fanaticism is legendary.
Contact me for more details!
Part #2: Travel Programs
Teen tour to Alaska? Mission trip to Costa Rica? Challenging hike through the Rockies?
Which has the most value?
The teen tour offers the exciting experience of seeing a striking new landscape, learning about the habitats of animals and indigenous cultures as well as greater environmental issues. Before my students leave, regardless of the destination, I tell them to keep their eyes, ears, and minds open. For many, the trips are purely social. But the tour is not a bad choice, just a missed opportunity for those unready to appreciate it.
The well-intended mission trip often spurs the classic clichéd essay: (“We went there to help poor people, but they wound up helping us when our bus broke down. I learned how fortunate I am…”) However, students who genuinely care about a specific mission’s purpose can learn how the environment and economics and politics (think supply chain) impact every aspect of people’s lives in the developing world. Students can get in touch with their power to help, as well as their powerlessness in complicated situations. They can observe how people problem solve with few resources, sometimes more successfully than those with more advantages. Best of all, students on mission trips can create relationships that transcend a language barrier and last longer than a summer.
What about an adventure trip that challenges both bodies and minds? An activity that benefits the student alone may result in a personal triumph. But when students team up, share tasks, and depend on one another for safety on a perilous hike, they bond in an intimate way that makes the joys of the experience unforgettable. These character-building personality traits put students in touch with their strength, vulnerability, and place in the universe.
Summer travels can enlighten students and spark powerful essays and interviews. It’s all about readiness and depth of engagement.