Admissions Activity
You are the admissions officer
5 candidates
Accept: 1 or 2
 Deny: everyone else
Judging Applications
Activity
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Here are 5 students that you get to be the
judge of whether they get accepted into the
schools they desire based on the following
criteria:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Academic rigor
Love of learning
Excellence
Passion
Leadership
Student 1
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Gender: M
Nationality: USA
Race: White
Home State: NY
• Academic Summary:
Ranks 4th/ 250 students
A’s in all courses since 9th grade
Mix of honors and regular level courses in 9th and 10th grade
All honors courses in 11th grade
All honors and 1 AP course in 12th grade
His school offers AP course in 8 subjects.
• SAT: Math 780, Critical Reading 760, Writing 750
• SAT II: 720, 790, 730 in English, Math, and French
Student 1
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Academic Interests:
Wants to study math and computer science in college and has an interest in
technology.
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Activities:
1) Computer Science club, 4 years
2) French Club, 4 years
3) Math Club, 4 years
4) Yearbook Staff, 3 years
5) Service Learning Club, 4 years
6) National Honor Society
7) Math Team, 3 years
8) Drama Club-- Lighting and Sound for school plays
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Interview:
Interviewer noted that the student clearly had the ability to succeed
academically and had a facility for academics. The student was confident,
albeit a little quiet, and would probably enjoy academic success while in
college. Overall, the interviewer was impressed by the student’s academic
record.
Student 1
• Academic recommendations:
Teachers said the student was a pleasure to have in class
and was consistently one of their highest performing
students. Always did assignments accurately and correctly,
generally resulting in one of the highest grades in class.
While the student didn’t really question much intellectually
in his work, it was generally going to be A level work.
• Essay:
Student wrote an interesting piece on why he likes
computer science, and how his interest in technology is
motivated by wanting to contribute to the world by making it
an easier place to do everyday things. The essay was well
written.
Accept or Reject?
Not Admitted
• Student 1: He was denied admission. His
grades and test scores were strong, but the rigor
of his curriculum was questioned. In addition,
although he had a long list of extra-curricular
activities, there was more quantity than quality.
His participation lacked leadership or
excellence. Finally, the interviews,
recommendations, and essay revealed no real
love of learning or intellectual curiosity.
Student 2
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Gender: F
Nationality: USA
Race: African American
Home State: Minnesota
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Academic Summary:
Ranks 14th / 90 students
Overall average of B+
Strongest grades were in English and literature (A’s).
Weakest were in Math and Science (B’s).
Graduated from a rigorous high school
Her curriculum has comprised of all honors in 9th and 10th grade,
All honors courses and 2 AP courses in 11th grade
All honors and 4 AP course in 12th grade.
Her school offers AP course in 7 subjects.
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SAT: Math 770, Critical Reading 790, Writing 760
SAT II: 720, 720, 730 in English, Math, and Spanish
Student 2
• Academic Interests:
Loves writing and poetry and wants to major in English literature in college.
• Activities:
1) National Honors Society, President
2) Piano—has performed with the Minneapolis symphony, New York
symphony, and has ranked as a top-10 pianist in every major national
competition.
3) Founder, Black Service Forum: she founded a non-profit organization to
give underprivileged African Americans the opportunity to serve others in
various capacities. The idea was to give those at risk of street crimes
and gang membership an alternative path—service. The organization
began in 9th grade with 4 members and by 12th grade, there were 75
members actively serving.
Student 2
• Interview:
Interviewer noted that the student clearly had an unusual intellectual
curiosity and passion for her academic interests. Her ability to
discuss literature reflected an intellectual maturity and meaningful
level of insight.
• Academic recommendations:
Teachers said the student was a gifted writer and an intellectual
leader in literature courses. She actively contributed to class
discussions, often leading them informally with her insights, and had
a real passion for the subject matter. An uncanny level of
intellectual curiosity.
• Essay:
She wrote a moving piece about why she founded the Black Service
Forum, and what she learned from it. Her sense of passion for her
work was evident throughout the essay, as was her love of learning.
The essay was extremely well written.
Accept or Reject?
Not Admitted
• Student 2: She was denied admission. Her
curriculum was challenging, and her test scores
were strong. However, her GPA and grades
were lower than they should be, and as a result,
her academic index score (on a 240 point scale
which will be discussed in the presentation) was
low. Her extra-curricular portfolio was excellent,
and she demonstrated a high degree of
intellectual curiosity, but ultimately, in a
competitive process where there are other
choices, she just didn’t have it all. There was a
push to wait-list her, but she didn’t make it
through committee.
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Student 3
Gender: F
Nationality: India
Race: Asian American/Indian
Home State: N/A
• Academic Summary:
Class Valedictorian with the highest results possible in
the most challenging curriculum available.
• SAT: Math 750, Critical Reading 750, Writing 730
• SAT II: 770, 730, 760 in English, Math, and Chemistry
• Academic Interests:
Loves science and wants to be pre-med in college.
• Activities:
Student 3
1) Photography: developed an unusually high skill in photography
and created a portfolio of extraordinary shots of some difficult social
situations in India. After some works were published, she was
sponsored to travel to Tibet and China to photograph risky political
movements that she did in tandem with a Newsweek photographer.
Newsweek is calling her one of the most talented up-and-comer
photographers they have ever seen. Her work was submitted to this
college’s department of fine arts, and Professor’s testimony is “of the
highest quality-- must take her”. She spends some 20 hours a week
traveling around adding to her portfolio.
2) Founder, Youth Leaders Initiative: she founded an organization
that taught other young people in her community how to be leaders.
Through her photography, she learned about where some important
leadership opportunities were in the underprivileged world, and she
was able to network and bring in important leaders to train members
of her club. She is comfortable that the organization she built will
continue after she lives, bringing in new students, teaching them to
lead, giving them major projects to lead, and serving others. She
noted this was a 10 to 15 hour a week project, and most weekends
as well.
Student 3
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Interview:
What drive and ambition! The interviewer gushed and gushed about her
endless energy. She was floored by how humble the student was, and the
interviewer almost felt lazy around her, since the student was so motivated.
How could she do so much and have time to study? The interviewer was
convinced that the student would take full advantage of the resources
available to her on campus, as well as serving as a student leader in some
capacity.
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Academic recommendations:
Teachers called her the best student they had taught in years. Her love of
learning was extraordinary, and she had a real passion for her academic
interests as demonstrated by how she tied her extra-curricular interests to
her academic interests.
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Essay:
She wrote an excellent essay about her motivation to found YLI and what
she wants to do in the future, and how it relates to her decision to study
medicine. She related it very well to how photography served as a stepping
stone to seeing how she “fits in this world”, and how she can make a
difference. The essay took a risky topic (idealism) and made it very credible.
The essay gave a real sense of who she is, what her fears are, and made
her a feeling human.
Accept or Reject?
Admitted
• Student 3: She was admitted. She had it
all: academic success in the most
rigorous curriculum available. Her
extracurricular activities were exceptional,
and her essay, interviews, and
recommendations demonstrated a true
love of learning, intellectual passion and
curiosity, and a real sense of who she
was.
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Student 4
Gender: M
Nationality: USA
Race: White
Home State: Texas
• Academic Summary:
Ranks 3rd/290 students
Average of A
Graduated above average
All honors in 9th and 10th grade
All honors courses and 3 AP courses in 11th grade
All honors and 5 AP courses in 12th grade
His school offers AP course in 9 subjects.
• SAT: Math 800, Critical Reading 800, Writing 800
• SAT II: 790, 770, 740 in English, Math, and Physics
Student 4
• Academic Interests:
Likes math and wants to get into business.
• Activities:
1) National Honors Society, President
2) Varsity soccer team captain
3) Editor-in-Chief for school newspaper
4) Senior class president
5) Math team captain
Student 4
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Interview:
Interviewer noted that the student liked math because “he was good at it”,
and generally seemed to do very well in school. The student liked all his
courses and noted a preference for economics because he liked business.
He wants to be CEO of a company someday and ultimately give back to
society as he grows professionally.
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Academic recommendations:
Teachers said the student was a good student who was reliably a topperformer on all tests. They liked having him in class and were confident
that he would excel academically in college. They urged that we accept him
and thought he would be an asset to the class.
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Essay:
He wrote a very interesting essay about being on the Varsity soccer team,
and what he learned from playing, including the importance of teamwork,
unity, and the sense of motivation from competition. He also noted that he
had learned persistence, never giving up, and the spirit of winning.
Accept or Reject?
Not Admitted
• Student 4: He was denied admission. In many respects,
this student is the classic applicant to a tier one school.
He has great grades, great test scores, and a pristine list
of activities and leadership. These types of students are
the most surprised when they get rejected because they
ask: “what more could I possible have done”? The
answer is that colleges reject “perfect” students all the
time if they are “perfect on paper” but have not
demonstrated that they are intellectual leaders. The
conclusion was that he got good grades to get good
grades; he was prepared for the tests and did well; but
he had no real insight as to who he was; he wasn’t selfaware or reflective; and he had no real intellectual
interests or passions.
• Gender: M
Nationality: USA
Race: White
Home State: CA
Student 5
• Academic Summary:
Ranks 5th/490 students
Overall average of A
Graduated from a rigorous high school
All honors in 9th and 10th grade
All honors courses and 2 AP courses in 11th grade
All honors and 3 AP course in 12th grade
Her school offers AP course in 9 subjects.
• SAT: Math 770, Critical Reading 740, Writing 700
• SAT II: 700, 750, 740 in English, Math, and U.S. History
Student 5
• Academic Interests:
Likes math and chemistry the most but has no idea what he wants to
pursue in college. Also has no real career plans. He views college as
his chance to explore.
• Activities:
1) National Honor Society, President.
2) Star player on the Varsity basketball team. Being recruited by
various schools. Considered one of the top prospects in the country.
3) Editor in Chief of school newspaper.
• Interview:
Interviewer noted that the student gave excellent, concrete examples
of leadership on and off the basketball court, and felt that the student
did a good job relating basketball to real leadership. Worried that the
student would be a “dumb jock”, the interviewer probed for academic
passion and was pleasantly surprised by the student’s demonstration
of intellectual curiosity and a love of learning.
Student 5
• Academic recommendations:
Teachers said that the student was engaged, interested, and an inclass leader. He was not interested in grades as a motivator, but
instead genuinely interested in expanding his mind. They thought
he was an excellent role model.
• Essay:
He wrote an unusual essay on an all-too familiar topic: being a
member of the basketball team. In the essay, he explains of a
couple of key turning points in the season, when things were going
poorly, and how he rose to the occasion, even though he was not
the team captain. His essay on the importance of stepping-up as an
informal leader was an inspirational read. It gave a very unusual
perspective on the topic. The essay did not focus on winning, or
provide an uplifting story about how the team won at the last minute
of a championship match because he shot the winning, improbable
shot. Instead, it was a thoughtful, reflective, humbling piece about
turning things around at the bottom—it was something the reader
did not expect and did not see it coming! Refreshing.
Accept or Reject?
Admitted
• Student 5: He was admitted. Like student 3, he
had it all. Great grades and test scores, but
unlike student 5, he was motivated by a real love
of learning and intellectual curiosity. And his
essay revealed a real sense of self. It is totally
ok that he has no clear path or plans; colleges
encourage exploration. And they knew that with
his track record of demonstrated love of
learning, he’d make full uses of the college’s
resources.