As I write this post, it's the evening of November 1: Early Decision Day for most colleges. While the bulk of my students have long finished their Early apps, I know that some students out there go into panic mode. Is their list long enough? Are their friends telling them to add "safe" choices? Even worse, should they change their essays? Concerns like these can result in unnecessary and often rushed work, which isn't what we want for our students.In this new month, seniors need to settle in through the holiday break, while underclassmen need to work their hardest. Let's take a look at some of the issues they're facing.
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How Significant is ED? Just Look at the Stats.
Colleges are businesses, and it's in their best interest to fill seats early. That's why they have priority programs. But Early Decision is not for everybody:
No student should apply ED to get the process over with.
No student should apply ED if they need to compare offers of financial assistance.
No student should apply ED without seeing the campus, preferably in person but certainly virtually.
Students with mixed junior-year grades may not want to use an ED I round.
Recently, a Forbes article pointed out the disparities between Early and Regular rates at some selective colleges. Vanderbilt, a Southern charmer with an increasingly elite base, takes 15 percent of the Early pool but under 4 percent Regular. Meanwhile, colleges are taking huge chunks of their candidates in their Early rounds. Boston U, Barnard and Penn took half their Class of 2028 through Early Decision. (Barnard accepted over 60 percent of the class from the ED!)
If your student has applied in this Early Decision round, they will hear back in mid-December. Most Early Action colleges don't notify until January or February with a few notable exceptions. For example, the other day I received a message from the University of Georgia indicating a December 6, 2024, Early Action notification. The Dawgs report a 13 percent increase in apps, consistent with what we hear and read about the popularity of Southern colleges.
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Room Decor: A Classy Approach
Think students bring all their decor from home? Not so fast! Recently, NPRdescribed a popular program at UChicago and, no, it was not academic. Students line up to get original art, some by famous artists, to hang in their rooms. The program, Art to Live With, was revived in 2017 thanks to a generous alum. Oberlin also allows students this opportunity. Their program, Art Rental, allows students to pay $5.00 per painting, with some snagging a Goya or Picasso!
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Accepting AI Means Intelligent Use: What Colleges are Doing
AI is no longer new; it's affecting how students learn and work. In "The Future is Hybrid," the Chronicle of Higher Education shared that nearly 70 percent of students are using AI in search, 33 percent are using it to summarize - such a precious skill - and 60 percent are using it as a study tool.At the same time, universities are trying out more approaches to embed AI in curriculum and teaching. The Chronicle reports that Arizona State, Michigan and Yale professors are creating their own chatbots. At Harvard, a member of the physics faculty is finding that "a well-designed AI tutor can help students build basic, foundational knowledge on their own time. That means that professors could spend time in class with students wrestling with more complex problems."Notably, Carnegie Mellon is examining: "Does having generative AI as a thought partner enhance students’ ability to make a claim and support it with evidence?" Inquiring English teachers want to know!Then there's another fascinating area to explore, which is the whole notion of assessments. That's significant in STEM courses where "multiple-choice exams, which can’t reveal how well students grasp foundational concepts or reason their way through problems," could be replaced.
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Sustainable Curriculum
Recently, Inside Higher Ed reported survey results that showed students' "eco-anxiety," or fear of climate change. What to do? Include sustainability in curriculum and student activities. What's particularly refreshing about the article was that it didn't feature just highly selective universities. For example, we learned that UConn has put in place a two-semester experiential learning course where students try out their own solutions. Students at Calvin University (Michigan) are teaming to design a solar energy farm. Meanwhile, the University of Washington is funding projects and awarding a $15,000 prize.
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Don't be That Parent! Unless Your Student's College Invites You in . . .
As the Wall Street Journal asked, what happens when parents face the "ultimate firewall"? Some colleges welcome them in! Many institutions, including Syracuse, Ohio State, Tulane and Colgate, have active parent engagement offices. But when is it too much information, really? For example, Ohio State tells parents about the add and drop deadline, of course their student's responsibility. According to a CampusESP survey, 44 percent of parents are in touch with their college students every day. I looked up CampusESP, which states it's "powering family engagement." There's a platform for everything!
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West Coast? Think Again!
Which U.S. college receives the most apps? If you are thinking UCLA, you are correct. UCLA has just a 9 percent acceptance rate for out-of-state students. The author of an article in the San Francisco Chronicle uses that awful term super-reach, pointing absurd acceptance rates to private universities in her state, including Stanford and Pomona at 4 percent and 7 percent, respectively. She points out that in the UC system, all but UC Riverside and UC Merced are now regarded as tough admits, so the Cal States are the more realistic options. (Looking at the article, the Chronicle is marketing its admissions guides, feeding on anxious parents who are readers.)
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In this month of Thanksgiving, I am always thankful for my students and the parents who share them with me. I appreciate them going unCommon to find out what's really going on!
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