The Joy of Early Action and Early Decision Acceptance

college-acceptanceWhile I have been fielding my fair share of calls from anxious Connecticut parents about their child’s deferrals from Early Action or Early Decision programs, I have also heard from several delighted parents whose children were accepted.

Here are some of the traits that seem to be common among clients of College Counseling Connecticut who were accepted Early Action or Early Decision:

1.) They had numbers in excess of the mean.  Specifically, their SAT or ACT scores and their G.P.A. were higher than the reported means of the school. So, for example, if the college of interest had a mean SAT score of 600 reading and 600 math, the successful college applicant had scores north of both.  The same is true for the applicant’s G.P.A.

2.) The applicant had something more than the numbers. So, for example, a friend’s son from another state (not a client of College Counseling Connecticut) applied to Colgate and got flat out rejected for Early Decision.  Not even deferred.  The student’s SAT scores and GPA were within the acceptable range but the student only played one sport and did little else.  He had no “story”.

3.) The applicant was able to demonstrate a specific interest in the school.  “Marissa” had the excess numbers and the “more than the numbers” to gain admission to Villanova. But she didn’t visit the school and even after suggested edits had essays that did have give a sense of love for Villanova.  Indeed, the application was a last minute selection (hence the minimum suggested edits) and the least desired school of the 7 schools she applied to early action.  It showed.  On the other hand, Sean who had slightly lower numbers and different but no better subjective factors wrote authentic essays demonstrating his interest in Villanova, visited the school twice, and had touched base several times with local admissions officials. He is in and very happy!

Congratulation to all College Counseling Connecticut clients who gained Early Action and Early Decision acceptances!!!