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University of Exeter makes international student scholarship and admissions news

Posted on February 20, 2021 by Admissions.Blog

University of Exeter, a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive UK universities, has shared some exciting news for prospective international students: a new scholarship opportunity.

The UK university, which has four campuses – Streatham and St Luke’s (both of which are in Exeter) and Truro and Penryn (both of which are in Cornwall), is offering a range of full, £10,000 and £5,000 tuition fee scholarships for international fee-paying students starting in September 2021. These undergraduate Global Excellence Scholarships are on offer across a number of academic programs. In particular, Global Excellence Scholarships recognize high academic achievement and assist students in accessing Exeter’s dynamic teaching and learning community. For more information click here.

Yet, news of Exeter’s international student scholarships isn’t all there is to report from the southwest of England. Exeter is also currently running a number of online live chats for a number of undergraduate programs. These live chats are a chance to talk to a current student and, where available, a member from an academic department from the subject a student is interested in studying. Students can ask any questions about course content, teaching, assessment, applying and student life at Exeter. To find dates and sign up for such a chat click here.

Meanwhile, if a chat isn’t enough for you, but you can’t make it to Exeter’s campus in person, the university’s new virtual tours are the next best thing. These 360 Virtual Campus Tours of Exeter’s impressive campuses in Devon and Cornwall allow students to take a look around the university’s accommodations, sports centre, library, seminar rooms, and lecture theaters. To learn and experience more of Exeter and its campuses, we recommend perusing the university’s YouTube channel.

With so much valuable information at your fingertips online, there’s not better time to seriously consider studying at Exeter.

What the death of SAT Subject Tests means for strong high school students

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Craig

What are high achieving members of the high school Class of 2022 and younger to do now that SAT Subject Tests are no more?

That’s the question many of my students have been asking me since the CollegeBoard pulled the plug on the rigorous one-hour content-based tests that at one time covered everything from Biology to Writing. In more recent years, the Writing Subject Test was subsumed into an optional section of the main SAT, but with the news that all SAT Subject Tests were being cancelled also came word from CollegeBoard that the optional Writing section of the SAT would also be canned. So much for the importance of writing, at least from the perspective of the powers that be at both the CollegeBoard and most American colleges, none of which made so much as a peep opposing the CollegeBoard’s decision to no longer attempt to assess students’ writing.

Oh well, I don’t make the rules; I simply help students play the game, and what a perverse game the American college admissions process has become.

Below are my first thoughts about what students can and should do to pump up their chances of college admission now that a very important objective measure of knowledge mastery has fallen by the wayside.

Amherst Shares Latest Admissions Stats

Posted on January 19, 2021 by Admissions.Blog

Amherst College received 857 Early Decision (ED) applicants this admissions cycle, which represents a forty-three percent increase over last year. This led to a twenty-five percent ED admit rate, which is down from a thirty-two percent ED admit rate last year.

This news came from Cate Granger Zolkos, Amherst’s Dean of Admission. As a result of the application increase, Amherst expects forty-five percent of its Class of 2025 will be drawn from its ED admits (up from thirty-nine percent last year). Meanwhile, 13,930 students applied to Amherst Regular Decision (a thirty-one percent increase over last year).

In other news, Amherst has announced that for domestic Early Decision applicants this fall, a whopping forty-five percent applied without testing (test-optional) and a full thirty-nine percent of Amherst’s ED admits were test-optional. Among all Regular Decision applicants, forty-nine percent have applied test-optional. With the applications flooding in, Amherst will continue to be test-optional for high school seniors applying during the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 admissions cycles.

At some point before the 2023-2024 admissions cycle Amherst will evaluate whether the test-optional policy will remain in place permanently.

Dear 12th Grader: Don’t Blow Your Ivy Chances Now

Posted on December 20, 2020 by Craig

So many high school seniors are still in real contention for an Ivy League acceptance in the first few weeks of twelfth grade. Then, something happens that takes most of these smart and well-intentioned young people out of the running entirely.

Don’t let this happen to you! Watch the video below to find out what you must do to give yourself the best shot of closing the deal with the Ivy League or similarly selective college of your dreams during the first few weeks of senior year.

The advice in the above video is particularly relevant to students who have not made major mistakes in 9th grade, 10th grade, or 11th grade.

Sadly, many high school students make major academic, extracurricular, or personal missteps throughout high school. As they say, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of a cure.” Why get yourself into unnecessary trouble or cause yourself needless anxiety or stress later in high school just because you didn’t know that certain decisions that you make as a high school freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior could actually turn out to be mistakes serious enough to derail your smooth sail towards achieving your post-high school goals?

If you are a student (or a parent of a student) who wants to proactively and wisely tackle every challenge high school throws your way and reach your college admissions potential, the best advice I can give you is to join my Monthly Master Class.

My Monthly Master Class is for students and parents who desire expert guidance as they navigate the college admissions process, which actually begins the moment a student starts high school! Too many students don’t get much if any great college admissions advice even as late as into their senior year in high school; therefore, it’s never too late to join the Monthly Master Class if you want to give yourself the best chance at reaching your college admissions goals.

On the first Sunday of each month throughout the year members of the Monthly Master Class meet up with me live (no more than ten students/class – though parents are invited too) during which time they are encouraged to ask their current college admissions questions, discuss where they are in the process, and learn from questions and answers shared in the class. During each session I provide exclusive access to insider admissions news and information and answers to participants’ current questions. Some sessions may last an hour. Others may last up to two. My goal is to ensure participants leave each session armed with the knowledge they need to make the most of every opportunity presented by each remaining month of their high school careers.

In short, if you become a member the Monthly Master Class you’ll gain access to timely best-in-class college admissions counseling that will empower you to make the right moves regarding academics, testing, extracurricular activities, and college applications in order to meet with future college admissions success.

Best of all, unlike my one-on-one college admissions coaching services, which are, frankly, quite expensive, joining the Monthly Master Class only costs a very reasonable $49 a month, or when paid annually, just $499 a year (a savings of $98 compared to those paying monthly). Consider it an amazing insurance policy to protect against the lack of college guidance or downright poor college counseling many students experience during their four years in high school. After all, an ounce of prevention a month is worth a pound of a cure – especially if that cure comes too late (which, from my experience, is too often the case with students who only start getting good/any college counseling in 11th grade or later).

Get ready to bust the most common college admissions myths and prepare to glide through the entire college admissions process calm, cool, and collected. Join my Monthly Master Class today.

Dear 11th Grader: Don’t Screw Up Your Ivy League Chances Now

Posted on December 19, 2020 by Craig

One decision you make in eleventh grade, your third year in high school, will directly influence your chances of getting into an Ivy League or similarly selective college or university when you are a high school senior.

If you don’t make time to focus on this one endeavor during your junior year, you won’t be meeting your college admissions potential. In the process you will be kissing Ivy League colleges and similarly selective American colleges and universities goodbye – particularly if this misstep is coupled with similarly destructive mistakes in 9th grade, 10th grade, or 12th grade.

Yet, in an ideal scenario, you won’t be making any major academic, extracurricular, or personal missteps throughout high school. As they say, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of a cure.” Why get yourself into unnecessary trouble or cause yourself needless anxiety or stress later in high school just because you didn’t know that certain decisions that you make as a high school freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior could actually turn out to be mistakes serious enough to derail your smooth sail towards achieving your post-high school goals?

If you are a student (or a parent of a student) who wants to proactively and wisely tackle every challenge high school throws your way and reach your college admissions potential, the best advice I can give you is to join my Monthly Master Class.

My Monthly Master Class is for students and parents who desire expert guidance as they navigate the college admissions process, which actually begins the moment a student starts high school! On the first Sunday of each month throughout the year members of the Monthly Master Class meet up with me live (no more than ten students/class – though parents are invited too) during which time they are encouraged to ask their current college admissions questions, discuss where they are in the process, and learn from questions and answers shared in the class. During each session I provide exclusive access to insider admissions news and information and answers to participants’ current questions. Some sessions may last an hour. Others may last up to two. My goal is to ensure participants leave each session armed with the knowledge they need to make the most of every opportunity presented by each month of their high school career.

In short, if you become a member the Monthly Master Class you’ll gain access to timely best-in-class college admissions counseling that will empower you to make the right moves regarding academics, testing, extracurricular activities, and college applications in order to meet with future college admissions success.

Best of all, unlike my one-on-one college admissions coaching services, which are, frankly, quite expensive, joining the Monthly Master Class only costs a very reasonable $49 a month, or when paid annually, just $499 a year (a savings of $98 compared to those paying monthly). Consider it an amazing insurance policy to protect against the lack of college guidance or downright poor college counseling many students experience during their four years – but especially during their first two years – in high school. After all, an ounce of prevention a month is worth a pound of a cure – especially if that cure comes too late (which from my experience is too often the case with students who only start getting good or better college counseling in 11th grade or later).

Get ready to bust the most common college admissions myths and prepare to glide through the entire college admissions process calm, cool, and collected. Join my Monthly Master Class today.

Dear 10th Grader: Don’t Become An Ivy League Reject!

Posted on December 18, 2020 by Craig

One decision you make in tenth grade, your second year in high school, will directly influence your chances of getting into an Ivy League or similarly selective college or university when you are a high school senior.

Make sure to make time for the major pursuit described in the video below during your sophomore year because if you don’t, your chances of getting into highly selective colleges or universities in two years will nosedive – especially if coupled with similarly destructive mistakes in 9th grade, 11th grade, or 12th grade.

Yet, in an ideal scenario, you won’t be making any major academic, extracurricular, or personal missteps throughout high school. As they say, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of a cure.” Why get yourself into unnecessary trouble or cause yourself needless anxiety or stress later in high school just because you didn’t know that certain decisions that you make as a high school freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior could actually turn out to be mistakes serious enough to derail your smooth sail towards achieving your post-high school goals?

If you are a student (or a parent of a student) who wants to proactively and wisely tackle every challenge high school throws your way and reach your college admissions potential, the best advice I can give you is to join my Monthly Master Class.

My Monthly Master Class is for students and parents who desire expert guidance as they navigate the college admissions process, which actually begins the moment a student starts high school! On the first Sunday of each month throughout the year members of the Monthly Master Class meet up with me live (no more than ten students/class – though parents are invited too) during which time they are encouraged to ask their current college admissions questions, discuss where they are in the process, and learn from questions and answers shared in the class. During each session I provide exclusive access to insider admissions news and information and answers to participants’ current questions. Some sessions may last an hour. Others may last up to two. My goal is to ensure participants leave each session armed with the knowledge they need to make the most of every opportunity presented by each month of their high school career.

In short, if you become a member the Monthly Master Class you’ll gain access to timely best-in-class college admissions counseling that will empower you to make the right moves regarding academics, testing, extracurricular activities, and college applications in order to meet with future college admissions success.

Best of all, unlike my one-on-one college admissions coaching services, which are, frankly, quite expensive, joining the Monthly Master Class only costs a very reasonable $49 a month, or when paid annually, just $499 a year (a savings of $98 compared to those paying monthly). Consider it an amazing insurance policy to protect against the lack of college guidance or downright poor college counseling many students experience during their four years – but especially during their first two years – in high school. After all, an ounce of prevention a month is worth a pound of a cure – especially if that cure comes too late (which from my experience is too often the case with students who only start getting good or better college counseling in 11th grade or later).

Get ready to bust the most common college admissions myths and prepare to glide through the entire college admissions process calm, cool, and collected. Join my Monthly Master Class today.

Dear 9th Grader: Don’t get rejected from the Ivy League so soon!

Posted on December 17, 2020 by Craig

One major decision that you make in ninth grade, your first year in high school, will directly influence your chances of getting into an Ivy League or similarly selective college or university when you are a high school senior.

If you can avoid making this one big mistake (described in the video below) in your first year in high school you will salvage your chances of getting into a highly selective college or university later on – as long as you don’t make similarly destructive mistakes in 10th grade, 11th grade, or 12th grade.

Yet, in an ideal scenario, you won’t be making any major academic, extracurricular, or personal missteps throughout high school. As they say, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of a cure.” Why get yourself into unnecessary trouble or cause yourself needless anxiety or stress later in high school just because you didn’t know that certain decisions that you make as a high school freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior could actually turn out to be mistakes serious enough to derail your smooth sail towards achieving your post-high school goals?

If you are a student (or a parent of a student) who wants to proactively and wisely tackle every challenge high school throws your way and reach your college admissions potential, the best advice I can give you is to join my Monthly Master Class.

My Monthly Master Class is for students and parents who desire expert guidance as they navigate the college admissions process, which actually begins the moment a student starts high school! On the first Sunday of each month throughout the year members of the Monthly Master Class meet up with me live (no more than ten students/class – though parents are invited too) during which time they are encouraged to ask their current college admissions questions, discuss where they are in the process, and learn from questions and answers shared in the class. During each session I provide exclusive access to insider admissions news and information and answers to participants’ current questions. Some sessions may last an hour. Others may last up to two. My goal is to ensure participants leave each session armed with the knowledge they need to make the most of every opportunity presented by each month of their high school career.

In short, if you become a member the Monthly Master Class you’ll gain access to timely best-in-class college admissions counseling that will empower you to make the right moves regarding academics, testing, extracurricular activities, and college applications in order to meet with future college admissions success.

Best of all, unlike my one-on-one college admissions coaching services, which are, frankly, quite expensive, joining the Monthly Master Class only costs a very reasonable $49 a month, or when paid annually, just $499 a year (a savings of $98 compared to those paying monthly). Consider it an amazing insurance policy to protect against the lack of college guidance or downright poor college counseling many students experience during their four years – but especially during their first two years – in high school. After all, an ounce of prevention a month is worth a pound of a cure – especially if that cure comes too late (which from my experience is too often the case with students who only start getting good or better college counseling in 11th grade or later).

Get ready to bust the most common college admissions myths and prepare to glide through the entire college admissions process calm, cool, and collected. Join my Monthly Master Class today.

 

Best College Acceptance Gifts for the Class of 2021

Posted on November 18, 2020 by Craig

After applying ED to Tulane, my first two students in the Class of 2021 received their offers of Fall 2021 admission this week. Thus, around these parts at least, College Acceptance Season has officially begun!

With the bulk of Early Decision and Early Action notifications set to be released in December, now is the time to determine what you will buy your special someone (maybe even yourself) who hopefully will be getting into college real soon (if he or she hasn’t gotten in already). While most Early Decision and Early Action acceptance notifications coincide with the height of Christmas-Hanukah shopping season, this year, to mark getting into college, you really don’t want to give simply a fruitcake or a Rudolph sweater. You want to make your gift college acceptance-centric.

So, go on and surprise your special someone or treat yourself with gifts that mark the occasion of getting into college and celebrate college life in general by browsing through the 2020-2021 College Acceptance Gift Collection presented by Admissions.Blog.

A bit of a back-story: for nearly a decade I sent acceptance gifts to my students accepted Early Decision and Early Action at their first-choice colleges, and these gifts’ massive popularity got many people both near and far asking, “Where did you think of that?” or, “That’s the perfect gift for my future Terrapin (or Gator, or Bruin, etc.), how can I get my hands on more just like it?” So, several years back, I decided to open up Admissions.Blog’s online gift shop designed specifically for your future or current college student.

Gifts detailed in the gift collection run the gamut from college apparel to dorm safety products. No matter your budget or needs, we’ve got the perfect college-themed gifts that are fun and practical.

So, what are you waiting for? Start Shopping below!

Congratulations on getting into college Rolling, Priority, ED, or EA!

Represent with or Protect your Tech (and this year, life!) with College Pride!
Skinit makes some of my favorite phone cases and laptop, AirPod, PlayStation, and Xbox skins around. What’s great is that on some of these items you can not just find styles that match your personality; you can also find designs that flaunt your college colors. Below are some examples of some of my favorite skins or cases.

This year, with a plague all around us, we’ve added a way to show college pride while covering your face. FOCO and Original Retro Brand make some face masks that future college students will love even as they gasp for air.


In the same vain, it’s also important not to misplace your technology and charge your gadgets regularly. I love this all-in-one bamboo charging station by NEXGADGET because it’s compact, which is perfect for a dorm room and it’s also quite stylish.

Protect Yourself!
Sad to say, college dorm showers are gross! Showaflaps make my favorite antibicrobial flip flops for your (hopefully) daily showers while on campus.

At many college campuses it also gets quite cold in the winter; therefore, how about some house boots to keep your feet nice and warm during your first winter on campus? Hanes makes my favorites in this category, and their unisex bad boys double as awesome dorm room slippers. Added bonus: no-slip!

Keep the Peace in Your Dorm Room
They say that good fences make good neighbors. In the context of a dorm room, good room dividers make good roommates. Sometimes we all need a bit of our own space, and MyGift makes my favorite dorm room divider because it can also double as a chalk board.

Look Good On Campus
While it makes the most sense to dress for success during the school day and while in class, once nighttime rolls around, strip down to a graphic tee that showcases your sense of humor. My favorite pop-culture inspired, random, college-themed, and all around fun t-shirt designs that are sure to grab the attention of fellow travelers in your dorm, at the library, or in the dining hall are below.





Look Good In Bed
Get your head out of the gutter! When it’s time to go to sleep or simply nap, there is no need to do so in a drab quilt. You should be able to snuggle up in your college colors, and Dormitory101 makes the very best double-layered, double-sided blankets made from the softest material you’ve ever felt – and they’re easy to take care of. No pilling. No extra care instructions. Just the comfiest, coziest fleece that will last years after graduation.

Congratulations on getting into college/university!

Parents, congrats – your child is going to college!

Students, great job! Now, let’s party!

Let's Party Gif

1404 Error: University of Georgia Early Action Stats Full of Spin

Posted on November 17, 2020 by Admissions.Blog

University of Georgia campus in Athens, Georgia, USA

The University of Georgia releases its Early Action decisions on November 20, 2020; yet, the university has already released aggregate data on those who applied Early Action. In the process UGA has released information indented to skew the public’s view of how selective UGA really is.

For whatever reason UGA is waiting to release the average stats of those students accepted EA, and instead UGA has only released stats for those students who applied EA. Here are the stats shared:

Total EA Applications – 20,900 – This is a 27% increase over last year.

UGA GPA Average – 3.91 – This is calculated by UGA using only core classes, and not the GPA seen on the high school transcript.

ACT Average – 32 – This is based on the students who submitted ACT scores as a part of their file.

SAT Average – 1404 – This is based on the students who submitted SAT scores as a part of their file.

AP/IB/DE Courses – 8 – This is the total number of AP/IB/DE courses taken by our applicants over their 4 years in high school.

Many people who read the above information would come to the conclusion that UGA is more competitive than ever, more difficult to get into than ever before, and in huge demand by students around the world. Not so fast!

UGA is not sharing what percentage of its EA applicants even submitted SAT or ACT scores! After going test-optional this cycle, this means that the intimidating 1404 SAT score and 32 ACT score UGA is sharing is propaganda pure and simple. What if only forty percent of applicants even submitted SAT scores? What if far fewer did? This means that many students – most in fact – getting into UGA this fall have scores well below 1404 on the SAT and 32 on the ACT. If they took them at all. We wish UGA good luck going back to being a test-required institution while also keeping those averages where they are!

Similarly, with the economic turmoil caused by pandemic closures, job losses, and ravaged income streams, is it really a surprise that a public university in a well populated state would get a lot more applications from in-state students who are seeking a lower cost alternative to pricey out of sate publics or privates? A twenty-seven percent increase in total EA applications is to be expected.

Meanwhile, what does a GPA even mean anymore? Most high schools are inflating students grades gratuitously. A 3.91 is actually pretty low sounding to us. Especially when considered in context of the 1404 SAT and 32 ACT averages reported. This means a lot of students are apply test-optional. A LOT!

Finally, the “8” shared in reference to total AP/IB/DE (Dual Enrollment) courses applicants took in high school is also misleading as many applicants won’t finish all the courses they reported on their applications and UGA still will accept plenty of students from schools that don’t offer AP/IB/DE courses at all. The only reason UGA shares it is the only reason UGA is sharing any of this information: to appear highly selective when the simple reality is that UGA is selective but not particularly so.

Applicants who applied Early Action can check their Status page on Friday, November 20 in the late afternoon to learn which of the following four decisions University of Georgia has made on their applications:

  • Admit
  • Defer: This means the UGA admissions committee will review your extracurricular activities, essays, and recommendations during the Regular Decision review period and a final decision will be forthcoming in late March.
  • Deny
  • Incomplete Defer: Roughly 1% of EA students did not complete their EA file, and they are now automatically deferred to the next step, and so they will need to get in the missing materials from EA, (remember the teacher recommendation is optional but we suggest also having one sent in)

If UGA is at the top of your list and you applied Early Action, good luck! Here’s hoping UGA releases aggregate data soon for those students it accepted Early Action so we can put this first tease of data in full context.

What to make of Tufts’ Early Decision Deadline Extension

Posted on November 17, 2020 by Admissions.Blog

While occasionally colleges extend application deadlines in response to hurricanes or other natural disasters, Tufts’ announcement in October that it would extend its Early Decision I (EDI) deadline from November 1 to November 17 in response to COVID-19 and various natural disasters didn’t pass the smell test.

It’s one thing to be or appear charitable by giving struggling students a few extra days or a week to complete their applications; yet, giving every applicant seventeen extra days to submit applications EDI is an extreme act that reeked of desperation.

Now, we are getting Common App data that supports our suspicions.

Inside Higher Ed shared that Common Application colleges are seeing average application declines of eight percent this fall. Meanwhile applications for first-generation students and those eligible for fee waivers are down sixteen percent so far. A full sixty percent of Common App colleges are seeing application declines. In addition Common App colleges and universities in the Northeast and Midwest experienced the steepest declines in application volume – down a full fourteen percent compared to last year.

While we don’t yet know if Tufts is one of the schools with application declines, by pushing its EDI deadline out nearly three weeks the university is signaling that it at least wanted more EDI applications to review for some reason (it could be a dip in application numbers, some other internal application target not being met by late October, and/or just the desire to make more money – after all, Tufts does charge $75/application).

This was all expected and is one of the main reasons why colleges were so fast to go SAT- or ACT-optional for members of the high school class of 2021. Colleges rightly worried that pandemic closure-induced job/income losses and the ongoing pandemic itself would scare students away from wanting to live and learn in close quarters far from home. This is an acute worry at second tier or lower colleges that cost a pretty penny to attend. Interestingly, with so many colleges now SAT- and ACT-optional it is likely that the biggest name colleges are benefitting most from the test-optional trend while others like Tufts that have more limited name-brand appeal are more likely to be overlooked by students newly-emboldened to apply to reach colleges they would have never considered if their SAT or ACT scores were any good.

For instance, let’s say you are a straight A student with a 1010 on the SAT; in a typical year you would never apply to anything other than your state university an a few others with relatively low test score averages. This year, you say to yourself, “I might as well put in an app or two to Harvard and Yale since they won’t look at my scores.” Notice how Tufts (or other similar schools) was not mentioned in such a hypothetical student’s line of reasoning. That’s because most college applicants have never heard of Tufts. Those who have are also probably holding off on applying EDI to Tufts when the school also offers EDII. This is because many typical EDI Tufts applicants are now going to try and swing for the fences at Brown, Penn, Princeton, or Harvard. Tufts likely finds itself in a doughnut hole of a situation.

January 2021 Update: Tufts is thrilled with itself because overall it got thirty-five percent more applications this admissions cycle compared to last year. Yet, in Tufts’ self-congratulatory press release, Tufts attempts to memory hole the fact that pushing back its ED deadline nearly three weeks probably played at least a small role in the increase. The main driver, of course, was Tufts’s decision to go test-optional, which resulted in HALF of Tufts applicants this cycle opting not to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications! It will be interesting to learn what percentage of those accepted ultimately did or did not submit their SAT or ACT scores. As things stand now, it’s pretty clear that Tufts simply wanted to drive up its perceived selectivity as much as possible by driving down its top line acceptance rate and used test-optional applicants to do so. Should Tufts ultimately accept a significant percentage of its Class of 2025 via the test-optional pathway, how selective can Tufts really be considered? Maybe its acceptance rate will plummet, but, objectively, it will no longer be a college that prizes academic excellence above many other factors. This is because assessing a student by his or her grades in high school as they only measure of academic achievement denies reality that is obvious to most astute observers: most American high schools have become environments of rampant grade inflation and short-term self-esteem boosting and very little more. While SAT and ACT scores are imperfect measures of academic excellence, they are a least objective standardized measures that allow colleges to compare what applicants know upon submitting their application regardless of what curriculum applicants experienced in high school. Test optional colleges may still reject more students than they accept, but what they are basing their admissions decisions on is more akin to what those holding a velvet rope at a night club base their admissions decisions on than any sort of academic achievement metric.

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