Admissions Blog

4 Free Resources to Prep Students for the New Digital SAT Debuting March 9

Posted on January 22, 2024 by Shaan Patel

On Saturday, March 9, 2024, the SAT is going digital for American test-takers the first time in almost 100 years! Two million students take the SAT every year, and the transition from a paper-based to digital format marks a huge change to the college entrance exam.

The new 2024 Digital SAT will be unlike any previous paper-based SAT exam. Here are a few of the key differences:

(1) Digital Platform

The Digital SAT will be administered on the College Board’s Bluebook app. This is a testing platform that will allow students to take the Digital SAT online. However, students will not take the SAT at home. Instead, parents still need to sign up their child for a test date to take the Digital SAT at an approved testing center just as they did for the old, paper-based SAT. Students will have the option to take the Digital SAT on their own laptop or use a device from the testing center.

(2) Adaptive Testing

The Digital SAT is adaptive. However, the Digital SAT is not like many adaptive standardized tests such as the GMAT or the GRE that get harder or easier based on your answer to the previous question. Instead, the Digital SAT adapts module by module, not question by question. This means the second module’s difficulty level is based on your performance in the first module. If you perform well in the first module (on either SAT Reading and Writing or SAT Math), the second module related to that subject will present more difficult questions. This will give you the opportunity to attain a higher score overall. Conversely, if you perform poorly in the first module (on either SAT Reading and Writing or SAT Math), the second module related to that subject will present less difficult questions. This will limit your opportunity to achieve a higher score overall.

(3) New Question Types

There are many new question types on the Digital SAT that were not on the previous paper-based SAT exam. These include the following:

The SAT Writing section now includes “Rhetorical Synthesis” questions that measure a student’s ability to selectively extract information from bullet point notes to achieve a writing goal.
The SAT Reading section now includes “Command of Evidence” questions that measure a student’s ability to use both written and numerical data to draw conclusions.
The SAT Math section now includes “Probability and conditional probability” questions that had previously been removed on the paper-based SAT.

Shaan Patel is the Founder and CEO of Prep Expert.

To get ready for the Digital SAT, here are 4 free resources you can use to prepare:

(1) College Board Bluebook App

Download the College Board’s testing app at https://bluebook.collegeboard.org. This application contains multiple full-length College Board practice SAT exams that contain official test questions.

(2) Khan Academy’s Website

Visit the Khan Academy’s official website at https://khanacademy.org. Navigate to the section of the website that is dedicated to “Digital SAT.” Here you will find College Board SAT questions that you potentially have not seen before.

(3) College Board’s Website

Visit the College Board’s official website: https://www.collegeboard.org/. Navigate to the section of the website that is dedicated to “Digital SAT Practice and Preparation.” Here you will find College Board SAT questions that you potentially have not seen before.

(4) Prep Expert’s Digital SAT Book Launch Event

Attend my Digital SAT Book Launch online webinar at https://prepexpert.com/booklaunch. I am hosting an online book launch event on Sunday, March 3 to release my new book Prep Expert Digital SAT Playbook. The webinar is free to attend and I will share test prep tips for parents and students on how to ace the new Digital SAT! At this online book launch webinar event, you will learn the most powerful tools to maximize scores on the new Digital SAT. In addition, attendees will also receive free bonus chapters, masterclasses, cheat sheets, practice tests, and more. If you are a high school student or the parent of a high school student, you won’t want to miss this online Digital SAT book launch event! Register free here.

Good luck on the new Digital SAT!

Elon’s On-Campus Summer Pre-College Journalism Program is Completely Free

Posted on January 16, 2024 by Craig Meister

Not all summer pre-college programs for high school students cost a pretty penny. In fact, one such program for aspiring journalists is completely free and takes place on one of America’s most beautiful college campuses!

While year three of the virtual component of the Emerging Journalists Program at Elon University starts tonight – January 16 – in the dead of winter, there is still time for current high school juniors (11th graders) to apply for Elon’s free, fun, and immersive summer journalism experience, which takes place on Elon’s campus from June 17 through 28, 2024.

According to Colin Donohue, Elon’s Emerging Journalists Program (EJP) Director, the on-campus and immersive summer residential learning workshop component of the EJP is open to rising seniors from diverse socio-economic, racial, and ethnic backgrounds and is completely free thanks to a generous grant from the Scripps Howard Fund.

Elon University is a private university in Elon, North Carolina, which is a half an hour from Greensboro and an hour from North Carolina’s capital, Raleigh. Last year’s summer EJP cohort produced a newspaper, a forty-minute newscast, and a website. Here’s a video snapshot of what last year’s participants did while on Elon’s campus. Students who complete the summer immersion program are also assigned two mentors — an Elon communications student and a professional journalist — to help identify, report, and produce multimedia stories during their senior years of high school.

If you think the Emerging Journalists Program would be an exciting opportunity for you or your student, learn more and apply at www.elon.edu/ejp. Application review will begin soon and priority will be given to applications submitted before March 1.

55,000 applied to Purdue Early Action; 97% of those admitted submitted test scores

Posted on January 10, 2024 by Craig Meister

Cary Quadrangle at Purdue University with an animated Boilermaker on the roof.

Purdue University will release its Early Action (EA) decisions to first-year applicants through each EA applicant’s Purdue Application Portal starting at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, January 12. This includes decisions for its long-standing campus in West Lafayette, Indiana and its new campus in Indianapolis, Indiana’s state capital.

After several years of record-breaking enrollment, Purdue saw another uptick in applications received by November 1, 2023. Purdue received more than 55,000 applications by its November 1 Early Action deadline, which represents an increase of 3,000 applicants from the 2022-2023 admissions cycle.

With Purdue’s “test expected” approach to first-year admission, 44,000 Early Action applicants applied with a test score, and 97.2% of the students offered admission through Early Action submitted test scores.

The middle 50% SAT scores for accepted students for Fall 2023 who submitted SAT scores was 1210 – 1450 while the middle 50% of ACT scores for accepted students for Fall 2023 who submitted test scores was 27 – 34, though there was great variation between schools and majors. For instance, Purdue’s competitive Computer Science major had an acceptance rate of just 29.5% for Fall 2023 and the middle 50% of test scores of accepted Computer Science students was 1490 – 1560 on the SAT and 33 – 35 on the ACT. Yet, Purdue’s College of Education had a 74.5% acceptance rate and the middle 50% of test scores of accepted College of Education students was 1070 – 1260 on the SAT and 23.5 – 29 on the ACT. More Class of 2027 admissions data can be found on Purdue’s website.

Students who have not yet applied to Purdue but who want a chance to become part of Purdue’s Class of 2028 have until Purdue’s Regular Decision deadline of January 15 to apply.

As part of Purdue’s effort to avoid over-enrolling students, Purdue is also relying more heavily on deferred decisions for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle; therefore, EA applicants should not be surprised to get a deferral on January 12. Defer is not a deny decision but a method of allowing Purdue to assess space and availability before making a final decision through its Regular Decision review process. Deferred applicants are encouraged to complete a Letter of Continued Interest form in their Purdue Application Portal.

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If you – or someone you know – has been deferred from Purdue, in the video below I share expert tips on how to craft the most compelling Letter of Continued Interest possible to increase your chances of getting in Regular Decision. Good luck!

More Applying, Fewer Getting Accepted to Tulane Early Decision

Posted on December 4, 2023 by Craig Meister

Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana will release its Early Decision I (EDI) decisions tomorrow, December 5, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time.

Those about to receive decisions – and those who follow this type of thing – should know that Tulane experienced a 20 percent increase in Early Decision applicants this admissions cycle while reducing the number of Early Decision I acceptances for the second year in a row in order to provide more opportunities for students unable or unwilling to make a binding commitment to Tulane, “particularly those from first generation or low/middle income backgrounds,” according to Tulane’s admissions office.

The vast majority of EDI applicants will receive one of three decisions: an acceptance, a denial, or a nonbinding offer to join Tulane’s cohort of Spring Scholars. Spring Scholars do not have to tell Tulane of their decision until May 1, 2024.

Meanwhile, Tulane also received 30 percent more Early Action applications this year than it did last year. Early Action applicants will get their admissions decisions by January 10, 2024 at the latest.

University of Maryland’s 650-character leap into lawlessness or a legal loophole?

Posted on October 5, 2023 by Craig Meister Leave a Comment

For years, University of Maryland College Park emphasized grades and scores in its undergraduate admissions review process for first-year applicants.

Then, a few years back, the university that Testudo the diamondback terrapin calls home added some innocuous and incredibly short answer responses requiring students to complete sentences such as, “The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was…,” “If I could travel anywhere, I would go to…,” and “Something you might not know about me is…” In past years students have had as few as 160 characters to complete such sentences.

Meanwhile, in 2020, Maryland suspended its requirement that first-year applicants submit either their SAT or ACT scores in order to be considered for admission.

Then, this past June, The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that race-based preferences in college admissions are unlawful. Within hours, University of Maryland College Park’s President Darryll J. Pines and Senior Vice President and Provost Jennifer King Rice published a letter on the Maryland website about the role of race in college admissions. In it, the two said the court’s decision was “disappointing” and that Maryland’s “already-unassailable commitment to a diverse and inclusive campus must strengthen and grow within the bounds of the law.” They added, “Our Enrollment Management team and campus administration have been preparing for this moment, and we are confident in our path forward.”

When the University of Maryland College Park supplement to the Common Application went live in Early August, the ‘complete the sentence’ prompts returned, but their responses were all given new 650-character count limits and they were accompanied by a new prompt unlike any Maryland has included on its first-year application before. The new prompt reads as follows:

“Because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the University of Maryland values diversity in all of its many forms. This includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation. We are interested in hearing about your own individual life experiences. In a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity.”

In summary, the prompt encourages applicants’ to show fealty to “one or more components of diversity” in up to 650 characters.

Then, in an email sent to counselors on August 11, 2023, James B. Massey, Jr., the director of Maryland’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions, shared the following message:

“The University of Maryland remains committed to a diverse and inclusive campus. As President Pines has stated, ‘we will remain a national leader by encouraging and supporting students of all backgrounds as they apply, enroll and graduate from UMD. The educational value of campus diversity is one we will not sacrifice.’ Our office ‘will multiply our recruitment efforts focused on what UMD offers its students—a commitment to inclusive excellence where all have the opportunity to succeed.’ In addition, within our application we are providing an opportunity for students to share how they’ve learned, grown, been inspired, or developed skills through one or more components of diversity.”

Of course, the new short answer response about diversity is more than an opportunity; it’s a requirement. Since The Supreme Court of the United States ruled in June 2023 that colleges can no longer admit students on the on the basis of race, a number of selective public and private colleges, now including Maryland, have added new required or optional questions or prompts to their 2023-2024 first-year applications, so Maryland is not unusual in this respect. Yet, Maryland’s new prompt is noteworthy because of the way in which it is worded and because applicants are limited to responding in only 650 characters to a prompt that is itself 487 characters long. The high prompt to response ratio, the content of the prompt, the kind of information it is seeking students to provide, and the email to counselors heralding the new prompt combine to make it certainly feel as though Maryland is attempting to use responses to this prompt as a means to “remain” as it was before the ruling. Pines’ and King Rice’s letter stated that before the Supreme Court ruling in June, race was one of “26 unique factors” the university considered in undergraduate admissions. As of October, Maryland’s admissions website indicates it now considers “more than 24 factors” when making admissions decisions, including “Breadth of life experiences,” “Extenuating circumstances,” “Socio-economic background,” and “Special talents or skills.” Is Maryland simply planning to subsume into one of these or other factors considered in its admissions review process a racial experience discussed in an applicant’s response to this new diversity short answer prompt for a student’s self-reported race, which Maryland considered before June’s ruling? And, if so, is that actually legal?

Maryland’s admissions leadership is clearly trying to inspire diverse applicants to write about diversity inclusive of how race may have shaped applicants’ perspectives, character, and overall value systems. Yet, in doing so, how far will Maryland admissions leadership go in taking information provided in applicants’ responses to this prompt to curate what it deems to be a sufficiently diverse first-year class?

Maryland, and all colleges in the US, if they intend to follow the letter and spirit of the law, must adhere to The Supreme Court of the United States’ ruling, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, which included this critical paragraph:

“At the same time, as all parties agree, nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise. See, e.g., 4 App. in No. 21–707, at 1725–1726, 1741; Tr. of Oral Arg. in No. 20–1199, at 10. But, despite the dissent’s assertion to the contrary, universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today. (A dissenting opinion is generally not the best source of legal advice on how to comply with the majority opinion.) “[W]hat cannot be done directly cannot be done indirectly. The Constitution deals with substance, not shadows,” and the prohibition against racial discrimination is “levelled at the thing, not the name.” Cummings v. Missouri, 4 Wall. 277, 325 (1867). A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that student’s courage and determination. Or a benefit to a student whose heritage or culture motivated him or her to assume a leadership role or attain a particular goal must be tied to that student’s unique ability to contribute to the university. In other words, the student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual—not on the basis of race. Many universities have for too long done just the opposite. And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual’s identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.”

Maryland has not officially stated how applicants’ responses to this prompt will be assessed. So, I emailed the following questions to Shannon R. Gundy, the enrollment management leader at Maryland responsible for all undergraduate admissions:

1. How was the wording of (the new) prompt determined? Who/what offices was/were involved in drafting and approving it to be included in this year’s first-year UMD College Park application?

2. How are University of Maryland College Park application readers/admissions officers being directed to assess student responses to this new short answer prompt?

3. With only 650 characters to work with, students have to take their experience(s) with an important and serious subject and condense it(them) into just a few sentences; therefore, what will be considered a strong response versus a weak response to this new prompt?

4. It certainly feels as though Maryland is attempting to harness many tools, including this prompt, in order to remain as inclusively excellent as it was before the Supreme Court ruling on race in college admissions was released this past June. Will the way students respond to this prompt in any way influence their chances of first-year admission at Maryland? And if so, how?

Gundy did not respond to my email. After three days, I emailed Hafsa Siddiqi, Maryland’s media relations manager, with the same questions. Siddiqi also did not respond to my email.

Therefore, because it’s not clear how responses to this prompt will be assessed by the university’s admissions officers starting in November (Maryland’s Early Action admissions plan, through which the university fills the vast majority of its first-year class, has an application deadline of November 1), members of the public have no way to know whether Maryland’s supplement to the Common App has taken a 650-character leap into lawlessness or into a legal loophole to June’s Supreme Court ruling.

While the court has stated it would be unlawful for undergraduate admissions teams to give applicants’ essay or short answer responses higher or lower consideration based on the racial background or backgrounds applicants choose to write about, what has also become clear since June is that many working in selective college and university admission, and the lawyers and consulting firms advising them, are now doing all they can to draw a distinction between a student’s “racial status” and a student’s “racial experience.” In doing so, certain admissions professionals at selective institutions have publicly stated that Roberts’ opinion gives their institutions the freedom to consider a student’s “racial experience(s)” as much as these institutions would like when making admissions decisions as long as the colleges don’t consider a student’s narrowly defined “racial status.” This perspective may ultimately have its own day in court.

In the meantime, with so few words with which to share anything much of substance in response to Maryland’s newest prompt, the general public – and first-year applicants to University of Maryland College Park in particular – would certainly benefit from knowing exactly how Maryland will be assessing student responses to this new diversity prompt, as 650-characters doesn’t really give anyone the chance to show and tell much at all about an experience, lessons learned, or skills built. Instead, Maryland’s newest application prompt is a recipe for students to only be able to share superficial tidbits about themselves or their experience(s), many of which are likely to only be skin deep.

Fundamentals of Financial Aid for 2024

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Craig Meister

If one sentence could sum up the state of financing an American college education in 2024 it would be, “The more things change the more things stay the same.”

While change is afoot, much remains the same. Changes are particularly pronounced with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); yet, with the American economy and many other world economies faltering, it’s important to discuss not only what’s new but also what remains constant with regard to applying for and seeking aid and other sources of financing to fund study at American colleges because more and more American and international families find paying for college difficult.

Let’s dive into some definitions and discuss fundamental financial aid terminology while introducing what’s new this aid cycle and what remains the same so you can successfully navigate the process of funding an American undergraduate education as we approach 2024.

Need-Based Financial Aid
Need-based financial aid is awarded to students based on their demonstrated financial need, which is calculated through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or other financial aid applications (most notably, the CSS PROFILE, which is discussed below). Students with significant financial need may receive need-based aid in the form of grants, scholarships, work-study programs, and subsidized loans. Grants and scholarships do not need to be repaid, making them a form of “gift aid.” Need-based financial aid is designed to assist students who may not have the financial resources to afford the cost of college. It aims to make higher education accessible to those with limited means.

Merit-Based Financial Aid
Merit-based financial aid is awarded to students based on their individual achievements, abilities, and qualifications, often without regard to their financial need. Common criteria for merit-based aid include academic performance, standardized test scores, leadership, extracurricular involvement, talent, and special skills. Merit-based aid typically does not consider the student’s or their family’s financial situation when making awards. Instead, it focuses on recognizing and rewarding academic or other accomplishments. Merit-based aid is often provided in the form of scholarships and grants. These awards recognize and incentivize excellence in academics, sports, arts, or other areas. Unlike need-based aid, merit-based aid is a recognition of achievement and does not depend on the recipient’s financial circumstances. Merit-based financial aid is intended to attract and reward high-achieving students, whether academically, athletically, or in other areas. It is used by colleges and universities to recruit talented and accomplished students to their institutions.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form that students in the United States can fill out to apply for federal financial aid for college. The FAFSA is used by the U.S. Department of Education to determine a student’s eligibility for various types of financial aid, including grants, scholarships, work-study programs, and federal student loans. The information provided on the FAFSA, such as the student’s family’s income and assets, has traditionally been used to calculate what was known as the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The EFC was measure of the student’s family’s ability to contribute to their education expenses, and it plays a crucial role in determining the amount of federal financial aid a student may receive. Yet, starting this year, the Student Aid Index (SAI) will replace the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The SAI is a new metric to understand the relative amount that the formula estimates a student can contribute and will help clarify how much federal aid and institutional aid a student might qualify for.

As mentioned, colleges also use the FAFSA information to determine eligibility for their own institutional aid programs. It’s important for students interested in receiving aid to complete the FAFSA as early as possible each year because some forms of financial aid are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The FAFSA typically becomes available on October 1 for the following academic year, but this year the form is not going live until December 1 because of changes that the US Federal Government has been unable to complete on schedule.

The new FAFSA will be able to sync with data from the Internal Revenue Service to automatically populate that tax information in the forms. There will also be fewer questions for families to complete on the new FAFSA. There are different deadlines for submission that vary by state and college. To complete the FAFSA, students and their families need to provide financial and personal information, including tax returns and other financial documents.

Also worth noting is that “Contributor” is a new term being introduced on the 2024–25 FAFSA form. A contributor is anyone who is required to provide their information and signature on the FAFSA form as well as provide consent and approval to have their federal tax information transferred from the IRS directly into the form via direct data exchange. Contributor participation does not indicate financial responsibility, but everyone contributing to the FAFSA form online must have their own StudentAid.gov account. One can create an account at StudentAid.gov/fsa-id/create-account. All students and contributors will need their own StudentAid.gov account before filling out the FAFSA form. Students and families should create their accounts as soon as possible, and beginning in December 2023, a contributor can create a StudentAid.gov account without a Social Security number. Students and contributors must provide consent and approval to have their federal tax information transferred from the IRS directly into the form via data exchange. Student and contributor federal tax information will be used to determine the student’s eligibility for federal student aid, and if a student or required contributor doesn’t provide consent and approval, the student will not be eligible for federal student aid even if he or she manually enters tax information into the FAFSA form. In summary, a contributor is anyone who is required to provide information on a student’s FAFSA form, including the student, the student’s spouse, a biological or adoptive parent, or the parent’s spouse (stepparent). A contributor isn’t non-adoptive grandparents, foster parents, legal guardians, brothers or sisters, and aunts or uncles, even if they helped provide for or raise the student.

Students should go to fafsa.gov to fill out their FAFSA form in December 2023. Students can contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243 if they need additional assistance. Note that it’s important to meet all school, state, and federal FAFSA deadlines. More information about deadlines can be found at StudentAid.gov/fafsa-deadlines. It’s also very important to remember your StudentAid.gov account username and password (FSA ID), which will be used to log in to complete the FAFSA form.

Another new element to the FAFSA this year: students will be able to include up to 20 colleges on the online FAFSA form, which is double the maximum of 10 allowed in previous years.

Federal Methodology (FM)
The Federal Methodology (FM) is a formula used in the United States to determine a student’s financial need for federal student aid when they complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FM calculates the Student Aid Index (SAI), which represents the amount of money that a student and their family are expected to contribute toward their education expenses for a specific academic year.

Here are some key points about the Federal Methodology (FM) and how it works:

Income and Asset Information: The FM takes into account various financial factors, including the student’s and parents’ income and assets. This information is reported on the FAFSA.
Student Aid Index (SAI) Calculation: The SAI is calculated based on a standardized formula established by the federal government. The formula considers factors such as adjusted gross income, untaxed income, and family size. It should be noted that while the EFC also factored in how many other college students were in a family, the new SAI does not do this. According to NerdWallet, the “SAI is used as part of the equation for financial need, which is found by subtracting the Student Aid Index and other financial assistance from the cost of attendance at each school. Your cost of attendance includes tuition, fees and room and board. The equation essentially looks like this: Cost of attendance – SAI – Other Financial Assistance (OFA) = Financial Need.”
Need-Based Aid: The SAI is used to determine a student’s eligibility for need-based federal financial aid programs, such as the Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), and subsidized student loans. The formula subtracts the SAI from the cost of attendance (COA) at the student’s chosen college to determine the student’s financial need.
Cost of Attendance (COA): The COA includes tuition, fees, books, supplies, room and board, transportation, and other educational expenses. It is an estimate of the total cost of attending a particular college for one academic year.
Non-Need-Based Aid: Some federal financial aid programs, such as unsubsidized federal student loans and the Federal Work-Study program, are not need-based and do not rely on the SAI for eligibility. Students can generally borrow unsubsidized loans regardless of their SAI, though loan amounts may be capped based on dependency status and academic year.
State and Institutional Aid: States and colleges may use their own formulas or methodologies to award state and institutional financial aid. However, the SAI calculated using the FM on the FAFSA is often used as a starting point for determining eligibility for these programs.
How low can SAI go?: Interestingly, a student’s SAI can be a negative number down as low as -1,500.
Other changes this year: Child support received will now count as an asset. Family farms and small businesses will now count as assets, less the family’s primary residence if also located on the farm. Finally, the number of family members in college is no longer considered in the needs analysis formula, but it is still a required question on the FAFSA form.

Overall, the Federal Methodology is a standardized way to assess a student’s eligibility for federal need-based financial aid programs, and it plays a central role in the financial aid application process in the United States.

CSS PROFILE
The CSS PROFILE (long version: College Scholarship Service PROFILE) is an additional financial aid application used by many private colleges and universities in the United States to assess a student’s eligibility for non-federal financial aid, including institutional grants, scholarships, and other forms of need-based and merit-based financial assistance. It is administered by the College Board, the same organization responsible for standardized tests like the SAT.

Here are some key points about the CSS PROFILE:

Scope: The CSS PROFILE is typically required by private colleges and universities, primarily those that have substantial institutional financial aid programs. Public colleges and universities generally do not use the CSS PROFILE; they typically rely on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for determining federal financial aid eligibility.
Timing: The CSS PROFILE becomes available in the fall, typically around October 1st, for the upcoming academic year. Deadlines for submission vary by college, and it’s essential for students to check each college’s specific deadline.
Customized Questions: Unlike the FAFSA, which uses a standardized formula (the Federal Methodology), the CSS PROFILE allows colleges to customize the financial information they collect from applicants. This means that the questions and data requested may vary from one institution to another.
Non-Custodial Parent Information: Some colleges that require the CSS PROFILE may also request financial information from a non-custodial parent, especially in cases where the student’s parents are divorced or separated.
Fee: There is a fee associated with submitting the CSS PROFILE, and fee waivers may be available for eligible students. The fee can vary depending on the number of colleges or programs to which the student is sending the PROFILE.
Documentation: Applicants may need to provide documentation, such as tax returns, W-2 forms, and other financial records, to support the information provided on the CSS PROFILE.
Institutional Aid: The CSS PROFILE is primarily used to determine eligibility for institutional (college-specific) financial aid. Colleges may use the information provided on the PROFILE to make decisions about need-based grants and scholarships, as well as other forms of financial assistance.
Supplemental Information: Some colleges may also use the CSS PROFILE to collect additional information about special circumstances or unusual expenses that could affect a student’s financial need.

It’s important for prospective college students to research the financial aid requirements of the colleges they plan to apply to, as not all schools require the CSS PROFILE. Some colleges may also have their own financial aid applications in addition to or instead of the CSS PROFILE. Students should be aware of deadlines and application requirements to ensure they are considered for all available financial aid opportunities at their chosen institutions.

Institutional Methodology
The Institutional Methodology (IM) is a financial aid calculation formula used by some colleges and universities in the United States to determine a student’s eligibility for institutional (college-specific) financial aid programs. Unlike the Federal Methodology (FM), which is used to calculate eligibility for federal financial aid, the IM is specific to the institution itself (often created with the help of data collected in the CSS PROFILE) and is used to distribute the college’s own financial aid funds.

Here are some key points about the Institutional Methodology (IM):

College-Specific Formula: Each college or university that uses the IM may have its own unique formula or set of criteria for calculating a student’s financial need. This means that the IM can vary from one institution to another, and the way financial need is determined may differ.
Additional Information: In addition to the information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), colleges using the IM may request additional financial information from the student and their family. This can include details about assets, expenses, and other factors that may be relevant to determining financial need.
Institutional Aid Programs: The results of the IM calculation are typically used by the college to award its own institutional financial aid, such as scholarships, grants, and work-study opportunities. These awards are often based on factors like academic merit, athletic talent, or other criteria set by the college.
Variable Award Amounts: Because the IM can vary from one institution to another, the amount of institutional aid a student is eligible for can also vary significantly depending on the college they attend. Different colleges may have different resources available for financial aid, and they may prioritize certain types of students or circumstances.
Transparency: Colleges that use the IM are generally required to disclose their financial aid policies and methodologies to prospective students. This allows students and their families to understand how their financial need will be determined and how much institutional aid they may qualify for.

It’s important for students and their families to carefully review the financial aid policies and requirements of each college they are considering applying to, as these policies can have a significant impact on the affordability of attending a particular institution. Some colleges may use only the federal FM to determine financial need, while others may use both the FM and their own IM, or they may rely solely on the IM.

Pell Grants
Pell Grants are need-based federal financial aid awards provided to eligible undergraduate students in the United States to help them pay for their college education. These grants are administered by the U.S. Department of Education and are a crucial source of financial assistance for many low-income and some middle-income students pursuing higher education.

Here are some key features of Pell Grants:

Need-Based Aid: Pell Grants are awarded based on financial need, as determined by the Student Aid Index (SAI) calculated from the student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Eligibility Criteria: Eligibility for Pell Grants is primarily determined by factors such as the student’s SAI, enrollment status (full-time or part-time), the cost of attendance at their chosen college, and their plans to attend college for a full academic year or less. Students must also meet certain citizenship and educational requirements.
Award Amounts: The maximum Pell Grant award amount is set annually by the U.S. Congress. The actual amount a student receives depends on their financial need, as well as the cost of attending their college. Students with higher financial need may receive a larger Pell Grant.
Annual Limits: Pell Grants have an annual limit, and students can receive these grants for a maximum of 12 semesters (or the equivalent). The number of semesters a student can receive a Pell Grant depends on factors such as enrollment status and the number of semesters they attend college each year.
Non-Repayable: Pell Grants are considered gift aid, which means they do not have to be repaid by the student. This makes them a valuable source of financial assistance, as they reduce the student’s out-of-pocket expenses for tuition, fees, books, and other educational costs.
Application: To be considered for a Pell Grant, students must complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The FAFSA is used to determine eligibility not only for Pell Grants but also for other federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs.
Additional Aid: Pell Grants are often part of a student’s overall financial aid package, which may include other forms of aid such as scholarships, work-study opportunities, and federal student loans.

Pell Grants are intended to help make higher education more accessible to students with financial need, allowing them to pursue their educational goals without the burden of significant debt. The specific award amounts and eligibility criteria can change from year to year, so it’s important for students to stay informed about the latest information regarding Pell Grants and other financial aid opportunities. With the new FAFSA, Pell Grant eligiblity is expanding to more students.

Other Tuition Grants
Pell Grants are just one type of grant. A tuition grant is a form of financial aid provided by a college, university, or other educational institution to help offset the cost of tuition for students. Tuition grants are a type of financial assistance that does not need to be repaid, making them a valuable resource for students seeking to make higher education more affordable.

Here are some key points to understand about tuition grants:

Source: Tuition grants are typically offered and funded directly by the educational institution itself. Some colleges and universities have their own grant programs to provide financial assistance to students, while others may receive funding from external sources, such as private donors or foundations, to offer grants to eligible students.
Eligibility: Eligibility criteria for tuition grants can vary widely from one institution to another. Common factors considered may include financial need, academic merit, specific talents or skills, demographic characteristics, or a combination of these factors.
Financial Need: Some tuition grants are need-based, meaning they are awarded to students who demonstrate financial need based on the institution’s assessment of their family’s financial resources. These grants are often intended to make education more accessible to students from low-income backgrounds.
Merit-Based: Other tuition grants are merit-based, awarded to students who have achieved outstanding academic, athletic, artistic, or other accomplishments. Merit-based grants are often used to attract talented and high-achieving students to the institution.
Specific Programs: In some cases, institutions offer tuition grants for students pursuing specific programs or fields of study. For example, a college may offer grants to students majoring in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines to encourage enrollment in these fields.
Application Process: To be considered for a tuition grant, students typically need to complete the institution’s financial aid application or scholarship application. This may include providing information about their academic achievements, extracurricular involvement, financial circumstances, or other relevant factors.
Award Amounts: The amount of a tuition grant can vary widely. Some grants may cover a significant portion of tuition expenses, while others may be smaller and provide partial assistance.
Renewability: Some tuition grants are renewable for multiple years, provided that the student continues to meet specific criteria, such as maintaining a certain GPA or making satisfactory academic progress.
Impact on Financial Aid Package: Students should be aware that receiving a tuition grant may affect their overall financial aid package, including other forms of financial aid such as federal or state grants, work-study opportunities, and loans.

Tuition grants are an important tool that colleges and universities use to make education more accessible and to attract and retain talented students. Students interested in tuition grants should research the specific grant opportunities offered by the institutions they are considering and follow the application procedures and deadlines provided by those institutions.

Subsidized Student Loans
Subsidized student loans are a type of federal student loan available to undergraduate students in the United States with demonstrated financial need. These loans are known as “subsidized” because the federal government pays the interest that accrues on the loan while the borrower is in school and during certain other periods of deferment.

Here are some key features of subsidized student loans:

Financial Need: To qualify for a subsidized student loan, students must demonstrate financial need through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Interest Subsidy: The unique feature of subsidized loans is that the federal government pays the interest that accrues on the loan while the borrower is enrolled at least half-time in college, during the six-month grace period after leaving school, and during deferment periods (such as if the borrower returns to school or experiences economic hardship). This interest subsidy means that the loan balance does not grow while the borrower is in school or during eligible deferment periods.
Loan Limits: Subsidized student loans have annual and aggregate (lifetime) loan limits. These limits depend on the student’s year in school (e.g., freshman, sophomore) and whether they are considered a dependent or independent student. The limits can change annually based on federal regulations.
Repayment: Repayment of subsidized loans typically begins six months after the borrower graduates, leaves school, or drops below half-time enrollment. During the in-school and grace periods, as well as during deferment, the borrower is not required to make interest payments, and the interest that accrues is paid by the federal government.
Fixed Interest Rate: Subsidized loans have a fixed interest rate set by Congress. The rate may change annually for new loans, but once a loan is disbursed, the interest rate remains fixed for the life of the loan.
Loan Forgiveness: Subsidized loans are eligible for various federal loan forgiveness and income-driven repayment programs that can help borrowers manage their loan debt if they qualify based on their income and employment status.

Subsidized student loans are considered one of the more favorable options for financing a college education because of the interest subsidy, which reduces the overall cost of borrowing. However, eligibility for subsidized loans is based on financial need, and there are annual and lifetime limits on the amount a student can borrow. It’s important for students to be aware of their borrowing limits, understand the terms of their loans, and explore other forms of financial aid (such as grants and scholarships) before taking out loans to pay for college expenses.

Unsubsidized Student Loans
Unsubsidized student loans are a type of federal student loan available to both undergraduate and graduate students in the United States. Unlike subsidized loans, unsubsidized loans are not based on financial need, and interest begins accruing on these loans as soon as they are disbursed.

Here are some key features of unsubsidized student loans:

No Financial Need Requirement: Unlike subsidized loans, which are need-based, unsubsidized loans are available to all eligible students regardless of their financial need. This means that students do not have to demonstrate financial need to qualify for these loans.
Interest Accrual: The major distinction of unsubsidized loans is that interest begins accruing on the loan from the moment it is disbursed to the borrower. This is in contrast to subsidized loans, where the federal government pays the interest while the borrower is in school and during certain other deferment periods.
Interest Capitalization: While borrowers are not required to make interest payments while they are in school, during their grace period, or during certain deferment periods, the accruing interest is capitalized or added to the loan’s principal balance when repayment begins. This means that the borrower ends up paying interest on the interest that has accrued.
Loan Limits: Unsubsidized loans have annual and aggregate (lifetime) loan limits that vary depending on the student’s year in school and whether they are a dependent or independent student. These limits are set by federal regulations and can change over time.
Fixed Interest Rate: Unsubsidized loans have a fixed interest rate set by Congress. While the rate may change for new loans each year, once a loan is disbursed, the interest rate remains fixed for the life of the loan.
Repayment: Repayment of unsubsidized loans typically begins six months after the borrower graduates, leaves school, or drops below half-time enrollment. Borrowers are responsible for repaying both the principal amount borrowed and the accrued interest.
Loan Forgiveness and Repayment Plans: Unsubsidized loans are eligible for various federal loan forgiveness programs and income-driven repayment plans. These programs can help borrowers manage their loan debt based on their income and employment status.

It’s important for students to be aware of the terms and conditions of their unsubsidized loans, including the interest that will accrue over time. While these loans provide important access to funding for education, borrowers should consider their overall financial situation and explore other sources of financial aid, such as grants and scholarships, before taking out loans to pay for college expenses.

Private Student Loans
Private student loans, or alternative student loans, are educational loans offered by private financial institutions such as banks, credit unions, and online lenders to help students and their families cover the cost of higher education. These loans are distinct from federal student loans, which are offered by the U.S. Department of Education.

Here are some key features of private college loans:

Lender Variety: Private college loans can be obtained from a variety of private financial institutions. This includes banks, credit unions, online lenders, and some state-based lending programs. Each lender may have its own terms and conditions, interest rates, and eligibility criteria.
Credit-Based: Private student loans are typically credit-based, which means that the borrower’s creditworthiness plays a significant role in the approval process. A good credit history may lead to lower interest rates, while those with limited credit or poor credit may require a co-signer to qualify.
Interest Rates: The interest rates on private college loans can be variable or fixed, depending on the lender and loan product. Variable rates can change over time, potentially leading to higher or lower monthly payments, while fixed rates remain constant for the life of the loan.
Loan Limits: Private college loans may have higher borrowing limits compared to federal student loans, allowing students to borrow more to cover their educational expenses. However, borrowers should exercise caution when taking on excessive debt.
Loan Terms: Private loan terms vary but are often less flexible than federal loans. Borrowers may have fewer options for repayment plans and may not be eligible for federal loan forgiveness or income-driven repayment programs.
Cosigners: Many private lenders require a creditworthy cosigner, especially for undergraduate students and borrowers with limited credit history. A cosigner is legally responsible for the loan if the primary borrower cannot make payments.
Application Process: Applying for private college loans typically involves submitting an application to the lender, providing financial information, and consenting to a credit check. The approval process can vary in length.
Use of Funds: Private loans can be used to cover a wide range of educational expenses, including tuition, fees, room and board, textbooks, and other related costs.
Less Generous Repayment Options: Private loans often have less generous repayment terms than federal loans. Borrowers may need to start making payments while still in school, and they may not have access to income-driven repayment plans or loan forgiveness options.
Interest Capitalization: Some private loans may capitalize interest during periods of deferment or forbearance, adding accrued interest to the loan balance.

Private college loans can be a valuable resource for students who have exhausted federal loan options or have specific needs not met by federal aid programs. Yet, it’s essential for borrowers to carefully compare private loan terms, interest rates, and repayment options before taking out these loans, as they may not offer the same protections and benefits as federal student loans.

Third Party Scholarships
Third-party college scholarships are financial awards given to students by organizations, institutions, companies, or individuals other than the college or university the student plans to attend. These scholarships are typically offered to help students cover the costs of their education, including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses. Here are some key points to understand about third-party college scholarships:

Source of Funding: Third-party scholarships can come from a variety of sources, including private foundations, nonprofit organizations, corporations, community groups, and even individuals who want to support students’ educational goals.
Selection Criteria: Scholarships often have specific eligibility criteria, such as academic achievement, leadership qualities, community involvement, or specific career goals. Some scholarships may also be based on financial need.
Application Process: To apply for third-party scholarships, students typically need to complete an application that includes personal information, academic records, essays, letters of recommendation, and other required documents. Some scholarships may require interviews or additional steps.
Competition: Many scholarships are highly competitive, as they attract applicants from a wide pool of students. It’s important for students to carefully review the requirements and tailor their applications to stand out.
Award Amounts: The amount of money awarded through third-party scholarships can vary widely. Some scholarships may cover a significant portion of a student’s expenses, while others may provide smaller awards.
Use of Funds: Scholarship funds are typically intended to be used for educational expenses, such as tuition, fees, books, and living costs. Some scholarships may have restrictions on how the money can be used.
Renewability: Some scholarships are one-time awards, while others are renewable for multiple years as long as the recipient continues to meet the specified criteria.
Deadline: Each scholarship will have its own application deadline, which may vary depending on the organization offering the scholarship. It’s important for students to pay attention to these deadlines to ensure they don’t miss out on opportunities.
Impact on Financial Aid: It’s important for students to inform their college or university’s financial aid office if they receive a third-party scholarship, as it can affect the overall financial aid package. In some cases, the college may adjust other forms of financial aid to avoid over-awarding.
Search Resources: Students can search for third-party scholarships through various resources, including scholarship search websites, their high school guidance counselor, college financial aid offices, and community organizations.

Overall, third-party college scholarships can be a valuable source of financial support for students pursuing higher education, as they can help alleviate the financial burden of attending college and make education more accessible to a wider range of students. Yet, the amount of time and energy needed to apply for and ultimately secure such scholarships may not be worth it relative to the often larger pots of money students can access elsewhere through other sources of aid.

Need-Blind vs. Need-Aware
“Need-aware” and “need-blind” are terms used in the college admissions process to describe how an institution considers a student’s financial need when making admission decisions. These policies can have a significant impact on a student’s chances of being admitted and the level of financial aid they may receive.

Here’s what each term means:

Need-Aware Admissions:
- Definition: Under a need-aware admission policy, the college or university takes into consideration a student’s financial need when making admission decisions. In other words, the institution is aware of the applicant’s financial situation and may consider their ability to pay tuition and related expenses as a factor in the admissions process.
- Impact: Need-aware institutions may admit some students without considering their financial need, especially those who are exceptionally qualified or meet other specific criteria. However, when it comes to students whose qualifications are on the borderline or are not as strong, financial need can play a role in the decision-making process. In some cases, this means that students with high financial need may have a more challenging time gaining admission, particularly if the institution has limited financial aid resources.
Need-Blind Admissions:
- Definition: Under a need-blind admission policy, the college or university does not take an applicant’s financial need into account when making admission decisions. The institution makes admission decisions solely based on the applicant’s academic achievements, extracurricular activities, recommendations, essays, and other non-financial factors.
- Impact: Need-blind institutions admit students without regard to their financial circumstances. This policy often means that the admissions process is more focused on the student’s qualifications and potential contributions to the academic community. Once a student is admitted, the institution commits to meeting their demonstrated financial need through a combination of grants, scholarships, work-study programs, and loans.

It’s important to note that not all colleges and universities have a strict need-aware or need-blind policy. Some institutions may adopt a hybrid approach, where they are need-blind for domestic applicants but need-aware for international applicants, or vice versa. Additionally, an institution’s financial resources and endowment can play a role in whether they can afford to be need-blind in their admissions process. Students and their families should research the specific admission and financial aid policies of the colleges they are interested in to understand how these policies may affect their chances of admission and the level of financial aid they can expect to receive if admitted.

So, What About Aid Available At Colleges On My List?
As you could probably tell by reading up to this point, the types and amount of aid students can expect varies a great deal based on both the student and the colleges the student is applying to. While no article can become fully personalized to tens of thousands of readers’ unique economic and demographic backgrounds, there are only so many colleges out there, which makes honing in on and better understanding individual college aid statistics so valuable. My favorite sources of such powerful financial aid data are Jennie Kent and Jeff Levy who publish amazing Domestic Undergraduate Need-Based Aid and Merit Aid Stats and Financial Aid for Nonresident Alien Undergraduates Stats each year. Otherwise, it can’t be emphasized often enough, if you have any questions about how a particular college on your list administers or handles financial aid, I strongly encourage you to call or email that college’s financial aid office; nearly all colleges have financial aid officers working Monday through Friday whose job it is to answer prospective and current families’ questions. Take advantage of these expert sources of information at the colleges on your (or your student’s) list so you are able to navigate the the college and financial aid application processes with eyes wide open. Good luck!

Additional Federal Resources
StudentAid.gov
Information, resources, and guidance for students, contributors, and borrowers

Financial Aid Toolkit
Find outreach tools to help guide others through changes to the FAFSA process

FAFSA® Changes: An Overview
A webinar that discusses contributors, the StudentAid.gov account requirement, and providing consent and approval to transfer federal tax information from the IRS via direct data exchange.

2024 –25 FAFSA Preview Presentation
An overview designed to help you understand the 2024-2025 FAFSA form and prepare for FAFSA outreach and events. This presentation includes detailed screenshots of the 2024 –2025 FAFSA online form and new user experience.

YouTube.com/@FederalStudentAid
Review the FAFSA video playlists that will be posted the FAFSA’s YouTube channel, which are helpful resources for students and families.

Princeton wants to learn about applicants’ “lived experiences”

Posted on August 15, 2023 by Craig Meister Leave a Comment

Princeton University has released its 2023-2024 supplemental essay prompts for first-year applicants, making it the final Ivy League institution to do so.

The most notable change in Princeton’s supplement from last year is the addition of a new essay of up to 500 words responding to a prompt inquiring about the applicant’s life so far and how it has shaped the applicant in a manner that will allow the applicant to contribute to Princeton’s campus.

2023-2024 Princeton Supplemental Prompts

A.B. and Undecided Applicants Only

1. As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer)

B.S.E. Applicants Only

1. Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at Princeton. Include any of your experiences in, or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the University suit your particular interests. (Please respond in 250 words or fewer)

Your Voice

2. Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. As a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. What lessons have you learned in life thus far? What will your classmates learn from you? In short, how has your lived experience shaped you? (500 words or fewer; new prompt and expanded word count length this year)

3. Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals? (250 words or fewer; reworded from last year)

Please respond to each question in 50 words or fewer. There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself!

4. What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?

5. What brings you joy?

6. What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

Princeton also requires applicants to submit a graded written paper as part of their applications. First-year applicants may submit this material on the application or any time before the application deadline. If students choose not to upload the required paper at the time of their application submission, they may mail, e-mail, or upload the paper through the Princeton applicant portal. Detailed instructions for Princeton’s graded paper requirement can be found here.

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Since The Supreme Court of the United States ruled in June 2023 that colleges can no longer admit students on the on the basis of race, a number of selective colleges, now including Princeton, have added new essay prompts to their 2023-2024 first-year applications to inspire applicants to write about how their backgrounds – inclusive of race – have and/or will continue to inform their behaviors, perspectives, and priorities.

What remains uncertain is how such essays will be assessed by colleges’ application review committees. If keeping within the letter and spirit of The Supreme Court majority opinion, application review committees will not give applicants’ essays a higher or lower number of points based on the background or backgrounds applicants choose to write about in their essays.

The number of words students have in order to respond to Princeton’s new “lived experience” essay is also notably higher than any essay has been afforded on Princeton’s supplement in recent years when the highest number of words students could write in order to respond to any Princeton prompt topped out at 350 words.

As most high school seniors applying to Princeton do so through the Common Application, most Princeton applicants will also need to respond – and respond well – to one of the Common App’s main essay prompts in order to be considered for admission at Princeton.

Good luck to all those students applying to join Princeton’s Class of 2028. Start drafting!

Meanwhile, the 2023-2024 supplemental essay prompts for students applying to be first-year students at fellow Ivy League institutions Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, and Yale were all released in July or early August.

Northwestern University adds six new essay prompts to its application supplement

Posted on August 10, 2023 by Craig Meister

Northwestern University Deering Library

Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois has added six new essay prompts to its 2023-2024 supplement to the Common Application for first-year applicants.

At the same time, Northwestern becomes the most selective Common App college to no longer require submission of the Common Application main essay in order to be considered for admission. Yet, if a student applying for first-year admission to Northwestern wants the university’s admissions committee to review his or her Common App essay, he or she can still include it when submitting the Common App to Northwestern.

Regarding Northwestern’s supplement, students applying via the Common App or Coalition App must respond to only one of the six new supplemental essay prompts, and applicants can only respond to up to two of the others. This means that smart applicants who want to make their case through their words will be writing three Northwestern-specific short essays (up to 700 words total) in their attempt to earn admission into Northwestern’s Class of 2028.

2023-2024 Northwestern University Supplemental Essay Prompts

The following question is required for all Common Application and Coalition with Scoir applicants (optional for QuestBridge applicants). Please respond in 300 words or fewer:

We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background, your identity, or your school, community, and/or household settings have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise?

The following questions are optional, but we encourage you to answer at least one and no more than two. Please respond in fewer than 200 words per question:

Painting “The Rock” is a tradition at Northwestern that invites all forms of expression—students promote campus events or extracurricular groups, support social or activist causes, show their Wildcat spirit (what we call “Purple Pride”), celebrate their culture, and more. What would you paint on The Rock, and why?
Northwestern fosters a distinctively interdisciplinary culture. We believe discovery and innovation thrive at the intersection of diverse ideas, perspectives, and academic interests. Within this setting, if you could dream up an undergraduate class, research project, or creative effort (a start-up, a design prototype, a performance, etc.), what would it be? Who might be some ideal classmates or collaborators?
Community and belonging matter at Northwestern. Tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus.
Northwestern’s location is special: on the shore of Lake Michigan, steps from downtown Evanston, just a few miles from Chicago. What aspects of our location are most compelling to you, and why?
Northwestern is a place where people with diverse backgrounds from all over the world can study, live, and talk with one another. This range of experiences and viewpoints immeasurably enriches learning. How might your individual background contribute to this diversity of perspectives in Northwestern’s classrooms and around our campus?

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As most high school seniors applying to Northwestern do so through the Common Application, and most are applying to other highly selective private colleges that require the Common App essay, it’s likely that most first-year applicants to Northwestern will still want Northwestern admissions officers to read their Common App essay.

Since The Supreme Court of the United States ruled in June 2023 that colleges can no longer admit students on the on the basis of race, a number of selective colleges, now including Northwestern, have added new essay prompts to their 2023-2024 first-year applications to inspire applicants to write about how their backgrounds – inclusive of race – have and/or will continue to inform their behaviors, perspectives, and priorities.

What is not yet clear is how such essays will be assessed by colleges’ application review committees. If keeping within the letter and spirit of The Supreme Court majority opinion, application review committees will not give applicants’ essays a higher or lower number of points based on the background or backgrounds applicants choose to write about in their essays. Northwestern’s new essay prompts use the words “diverse” or “diversity” three times, “background(s)” three times, and “community” or “communities” four times.

Previously, Northwestern’s one and only – and now retired – supplemental essay prompt read as follows:

In 300 words or less, help us understand how you might engage specific resources, opportunities, and/or communities here. We are curious about what these specifics are, as well as how they may enrich your time at Northwestern and beyond.

Good luck to all those students applying to join Northwestern’s Class of 2028.

Wake Forest Introduces Exclusive Early Action (EEA)

Posted on August 8, 2023 by Craig Meister 1 Comment

Considering how much the word “inclusive” is bandied about these days, Wake Forest University would, at first glance, appear to be taking a big risk by creating a new Early Action admissions option that will be the exclusive domain of only certain applicants based on their demographics alone. Yet, that’s exactly what Wake Forest is doing while promoting its new Early Action admissions option as a tool to promote inclusivity.

On June 29, the day when The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that race can’t be a factor in admissions decisions, Wake Forest University’s President Susan R. Wente wrote, “We write to affirm that Wake Forest University will not waver in its commitment to creating and sustaining inclusive, diverse learning communities; our mission and values have not and will not change. We will continue to recruit and enroll academically qualified students of diverse backgrounds who seek an intellectual home at Wake Forest where they belong and thrive, and in compliance with the Court’s ruling.”

Just a few weeks later, Wake introduced a new essay prompt for first-year applicants to complete during the 2023-2024 admissions cycle that invites students to explain how their identity or lived experience will help them contribute to the Wake Forest community.

Now, Wake Forest has announced a new Early Action admissions option “specifically for first-generation students to provide an additional pathway of opportunity.” Those who are not considered by Wake to be first-generation college students may not apply to Wake using this new Early Action option, thus making it the very definition of exclusive, which is why for the remainder of this article, and in order to differentiate it from traditional Early Action options that do not prevent certain students from taking advantage of them, Wake’s new admissions option will be referred to as Exclusive Early Action, or EEA. Wake’s new Exclusive Early Action applicants must apply by November 15 and will receive their admissions decisions by January 15.

For years, Wake Forest has met 100% of the demonstrated financial need of eligible admitted undergraduate students while also offering Early Decision I (students apply by November 15 and get their decisions by December) and Early Decision II (students apply by January 1 and get their decisions by February 15) application options, both of which are officially binding in nature (meaning a student must attend – in most cases – if admitted), and Regular Decision (students apply by January 1 and get their decisions in late March/Early April), which, just like its new EEA option, doesn’t require admitted students to accept or reject their offers of admission until May 1. Yet, three pathways to opportunity, all of which are open to any and all potential applicants, were deemed insufficient to those making executive level decisions at Wake Forest. Why?

From Wake’s perspective, offering Exclusive Early Action is a way to get “first dibs” on in-demand first-generation students and avoid having to directly compare a cohort of such applicants to applicants with the perceived advantages associated with being born to one or two parents with degrees from four-year colleges.

A critical paragraph of the June Supreme Court majority opinion, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, included this line:

“…universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today…'[W]hat cannot be done directly cannot be done indirectly. The Constitution deals with substance, not shadows,’ and the prohibition against racial discrimination is ‘levelled at the thing, not the name.’ Cummings v. Missouri, 4 Wall. 277, 325 (1867).”

US Census data from 2022 indicate that the percentage of adults age 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or more was 41.8% for the non-Hispanic White population, 27.6% for the Black population, 59.3% for the Asian population, and 20.9% for the Hispanic population. Thus, being a first-generation college student is a real, though imperfect, proxy for race.

Presumably, the upshot for students of applying EEA to Wake will not be learning of their decisions early, as many, though not all, first-generation students will want to wait to compare all of their offers of admission and financial aid. Rather, the upshot for students is that it is likely that the acceptance rate for EEA applicants will be higher than the acceptance rate for those applying in the competitive Regular Decision cycle, as most colleges that offer Early Action and/or Early Decision have higher acceptance rates for such options relative to their Regular Decision options.

Thus, for someone who really wants to go to Wake Forest but who doesn’t want to commit to attending Wake Forest until he or she receives all of his or her admissions and aid decisions, Wake’s new EEA option seems like a great chance to keep one’s options open and increase one’s chances of admission to Wake – and potentially elsewhere since it allows such students to apply to an Early Decision college or two and unlimited traditional Early Action (EA) colleges concurrently – all in one fell swoop. Of course, a lot of high school seniors would like to get in on this. But only some will be allowed to: those considered by Wake Forest to be first-generation college students.

Which brings us to who exactly Wake Forest considers a “first-generation college student.” Colleges have not agreed upon a standard definition of the term, especially since two parents of a child may have very different backgrounds and not all children live with or have relationships with both parents.

Wake, in a statement announcing the new admissions option, and on its admissions site, defines first-generation as follows:

“First-generation students are those whose parents did not graduate from a four-year accredited college or university. First generation can also include the children of parents who earned a degree in another country, immigrated to the United States, and are underemployed in the U.S. Whether domestic or international, if the student resides with and receives support from only one parent, the ‘first generation’ classification is based on that parent’s education.”

Eric Maguire, Wake Forest’s Vice-President for Enrollment Management, in response to an inquiry from the author of this article, further clarified that, “an international student can be considered first generation if their parents did not graduate from an accredited university or if they meet all three of the following criteria: earned a degree in another country, immigrated to the United States, and are underemployed. We would determine ‘underemployment’ based on the accepted definition as found in Merriam-Webster: ‘having less than full-time, regular, or adequate employment.'”

In 2007, right before Wake Forest became ACT- and SAT-optional in its admissions process, first-year student enrollment at Wake was 84% White, 6% Asian, 6% Black, 3% Hispanic, and 1% Native American. In Fall 2022, first-year student enrollment at Wake was approximately 63% White, 11% Asian, 11% Hispanic, 7% two or more races, 6% Black, 2% unknown, and less than 1% Native American. Only time will tell if the latest adjustments to Wake Forest’s first-year admissions process alters the racial or ethnic composition of its future entering classes or inspires other institutions to offer their own versions of EEA.