small fixes to make this process more sane.

[Anonymous]

The process is crazy. And the kids are suffering. I sometimes wish there was more groundswell for small fixes.

Would you agree to any of these? Or something else?

You can't apply to more than 20 schools via common app.

or

You can't sit for SAT or ACT more than twice (each, if you must). Nobody is up in arms that you can't take the AP exam over and over. you take it, if it's good you include it. if not, you move on. I know seniors who are waiting for scores from their Oct exam to see if they should include in their ED. These are kids who took it several times in Junior year. It's too much. I'd really be fine with a one and done SAT. or just use PSAT data.

or

Colleges must disclose Athlete and Legacy numbers in their ED data. I don't think ED is as beneficial for unhooked kids as we've been led to believe. But kids think they have to play this game

[Anonymous]

The first is already a rule.

[Anonymous]

Your proposed SAT rule raises the stakes of each individual sitting. Using PSAT data raises the stakes of that test (which now mostly only stresses out kids who know they're capable of NMSF scores).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The process is crazy. And the kids are suffering. I sometimes wish there was more groundswell for small fixes.

Would you agree to any of these? Or something else?

You can't apply to more than 20 schools via common app.

or

You can't sit for SAT or ACT more than twice (each, if you must). Nobody is up in arms that you can't take the AP exam over and over. you take it, if it's good you include it. if not, you move on. I know seniors who are waiting for scores from their Oct exam to see if they should include in their ED. These are kids who took it several times in Junior year. It's too much. I'd really be fine with a one and done SAT. or just use PSAT data.

or

Colleges must disclose Athlete and Legacy numbers in their ED data. I don't think ED is as beneficial for unhooked kids as we've been led to believe. But kids think they have to play this game

Sorry to criticize as I know you have good intentions, but none of your suggestions make anything better.

- As pointed out above, the first is already true
- The second would create more stress than the alternative. No one is forced to take it many times. How would removing the option from kids who think they can improve help anyone?
- Every study that has ever been done shows that ED is a massive boost at most colleges (although it may vary by college). Read books like The Early Admissions Game, or others. ED benefits kids who have a clear first choice, although everyone knows it benefits the college more.

Everyone knows this is a difficult process. Maybe it should be. The fact remains that if there was "a better way", the colleges would adopt it. You can't expect them to not act in a way that is not in their interest.

[Anonymous]

Why do you need those rules? Just have them for you kids.

[Anonymous]

the first one is only a rule in that you have to erase and then resubmit a slate a second (or third) time.

[Anonymous]

I think people here would like to make their kid take the AP test again and again over two years until they get a 5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your proposed SAT rule raises the stakes of each individual sitting. Using PSAT data raises the stakes of that test (which now mostly only stresses out kids who know they're capable of NMSF scores).

it's almost as if she's asking that it be treated like a test

[Anonymous]

Craziness is all parent driven. I don't think any of your suggestions would improve the process at selective schools. There is more demand (both US & Int'l) than seats. There are thousands of colleges in the universities in the US. The vast majority are not selective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The process is crazy. And the kids are suffering. I sometimes wish there was more groundswell for small fixes.

Would you agree to any of these? Or something else?

You can't apply to more than 20 schools via common app.

or

You can't sit for SAT or ACT more than twice (each, if you must). Nobody is up in arms that you can't take the AP exam over and over. you take it, if it's good you include it. if not, you move on. I know seniors who are waiting for scores from their Oct exam to see if they should include in their ED. These are kids who took it several times in Junior year. It's too much. I'd really be fine with a one and done SAT. or just use PSAT data.

or

Colleges must disclose Athlete and Legacy numbers in their ED data. I don't think ED is as beneficial for unhooked kids as we've been led to believe. But kids think they have to play this game

Sorry to criticize as I know you have good intentions, but none of your suggestions make anything better.

- As pointed out above, the first is already true
- The second would create more stress than the alternative. No one is forced to take it many times. How would removing the option from kids who think they can improve help anyone?
- Every study that has ever been done shows that ED is a massive boost at most colleges (although it may vary by college). Read books like The Early Admissions Game, or others. ED benefits kids who have a clear first choice, although everyone knows it benefits the college more.

Everyone knows this is a difficult process. Maybe it should be. The fact remains that if there was "a better way", the colleges would adopt it. You can't expect them to not act in a way that is not in their interest.

That admission rate for ED is generally higher, but if you separate out unhooked from hooked applicants, ED makes no didference at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Craziness is all parent driven. I don't think any of your suggestions would improve the process at selective schools. There is more demand (both US & Int'l) than seats. There are thousands of colleges in the universities in the US. The vast majority are not selective.

As the parent of a child who's about driven me nuts for the last year, I call bs. Wanting to attend a selective school is ALL him. I applied to a handful of safeties in my time. I've begged him to consider doing the same. He's reaching, not me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The process is crazy. And the kids are suffering. I sometimes wish there was more groundswell for small fixes.

Would you agree to any of these? Or something else?

You can't apply to more than 20 schools via common app.

or

You can't sit for SAT or ACT more than twice (each, if you must). Nobody is up in arms that you can't take the AP exam over and over. you take it, if it's good you include it. if not, you move on. I know seniors who are waiting for scores from their Oct exam to see if they should include in their ED. These are kids who took it several times in Junior year. It's too much. I'd really be fine with a one and done SAT. or just use PSAT data.

or

Colleges must disclose Athlete and Legacy numbers in their ED data. I don't think ED is as beneficial for unhooked kids as we've been led to believe. But kids think they have to play this game

Sorry to criticize as I know you have good intentions, but none of your suggestions make anything better.

- As pointed out above, the first is already true
- The second would create more stress than the alternative. No one is forced to take it many times. How would removing the option from kids who think they can improve help anyone?
- Every study that has ever been done shows that ED is a massive boost at most colleges (although it may vary by college). Read books like The Early Admissions Game, or others. ED benefits kids who have a clear first choice, although everyone knows it benefits the college more.

Everyone knows this is a difficult process. Maybe it should be. The fact remains that if there was "a better way", the colleges would adopt it. You can't expect them to not act in a way that is not in their interest.

there are no studies that pull out athlete donor legacy .. by school. if you have one, I'd love to see a link

[Anonymous]

It’s definitely not a small fix but here’s what I would propose: make colleges more like high schools, in that people go there locally for the most part.
Each big city has a college or university or several, that are essentially commuter schools. Only those from rural areas live on campus.
Bam, a big chunk of cost is gone as many kids can stay with parents or they can rent if they’d like and can afford it.
Eliminate personal essays and demographic info. Make admissions based on grades, SAT scores, and maybe an in person exam or interview. Stop worrying about the class composition since everyone is local anyway and they can socialize outside of school.
Of course no one is prohibited of going to a far away great college but for most people it wouldn’t make sense.

[Anonymous]

Ending grade inflation!

Making trades cool again.

[Anonymous]

If you want to make things saner, do the following:

1. Get rid of Test Optional. A school should either require the test or be test blind. TO all of a sudden makes a school's average SAT score a 1550 when it was 1470 the year before TO came into existence. So much stress and strategizing over whether to submit or not;

2. Make every kid check a box Yes or No...did you use a college counselor or any 3rd party help outside of your family or school. If you check Yes, your application will be subject to a more stringent standard. This would decimate the 3rd party college counseling business and make it more sane for all. Sure, some people may lie and click No, but they could say they conduct random audits (even if they don't);

3. Same disclaimer for any NPOs or businesses that the kid claims to have founded on their own. Your application will be subject to a random audit where the AO will ask pointed questions on how you incorporated it, why did you have to create it (vs. volunteer or work at an established company), how did you create the Board, what is your transition strategy when you get to college, etc.

Those are my 3 suggestions.