AO reading and review process

[Anonymous]

Learned something new today from a former AO.

For many private T20 universities, your kid's application is read by a "seasonal reader," not by your regional AO. The regional AO often does do a first read for the feeder private schools in their regions, but does not always do it for all of the public schools, given the number and time constraints. That's where the "reader" comes in. They segment the high schools like this and give the private schools to the AO. WTF.
Pissed.

Ask them point-blank about this if you go to the Coast-to-Coast College tour this fall.

[Anonymous]

My friend was a reader at a top10 school and she said that there was some sort of "first pass" done to the apps based on GPA/stats and then the regional AO reads all apps that pass this first hurdle. The seasonal or temp readers read the rest. A human eye reads every app.

My kids go to private school so I am not saying this because I have public school sour grapes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My friend was a reader at a top10 school and she said that there was some sort of "first pass" done to the apps based on GPA/stats and then the regional AO reads all apps that pass this first hurdle. The seasonal or temp readers read the rest. A human eye reads every app.

My kids go to private school so I am not saying this because I have public school sour grapes.

BTW--this was for the 2025 season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My friend was a reader at a top10 school and she said that there was some sort of "first pass" done to the apps based on GPA/stats and then the regional AO reads all apps that pass this first hurdle. The seasonal or temp readers read the rest. A human eye reads every app.

My kids go to private school so I am not saying this because I have public school sour grapes.

How do they deal with lower gpa associated with certain high schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friend was a reader at a top10 school and she said that there was some sort of "first pass" done to the apps based on GPA/stats and then the regional AO reads all apps that pass this first hurdle. The seasonal or temp readers read the rest. A human eye reads every app.

My kids go to private school so I am not saying this because I have public school sour grapes.

How do they deal with lower gpa associated with certain high schools?

Any school that has known lower gpa’s is going to be known enough and fine by the AO covering that region.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Learned something new today from a former AO.

For many private T20 universities, your kid's application is read by a "seasonal reader," not by your regional AO. The regional AO often does do a first read for the feeder private schools in their regions, but does not always do it for all of the public schools, given the number and time constraints. That's where the "reader" comes in. They segment the high schools like this and give the private schools to the AO. WTF.
Pissed.

Ask them point-blank about this if you go to the Coast-to-Coast College tour this fall.

Can confirm this is pretty common as I'm a seasonal reviewer myself!

[Anonymous]

First of all, not every school does it the same way.

Second, they have to cull apps somehow. As long as the readers are trained, what is there to be pissed about? Do you want them to staff more regional officers and raise tuition to pay their salaries?

I’m a public school parent, and I just don’t see how this is something to get worked up about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Learned something new today from a former AO.

For many private T20 universities, your kid's application is read by a "seasonal reader," not by your regional AO. The regional AO often does do a first read for the feeder private schools in their regions, but does not always do it for all of the public schools, given the number and time constraints. That's where the "reader" comes in. They segment the high schools like this and give the private schools to the AO. WTF.
Pissed.

Ask them point-blank about this if you go to the Coast-to-Coast College tour this fall.

Do this only if you want to offend, get labeled a PITA, and your kid's application goes nowhere. This is standard operating procedure at almost all colleges and universities. Even the publics like William & Mary hire seasonal contract workers at about $25 an hour. you can find the job postings on Indeed. Several readers have even posted here. Their job is to cull through the applications and rate the application in a number of areas: GPA, test scores, ECs, legacy if applicable, sports, race, URM/first-generation, and so on. Your kid's essay is not read at this point. Only after the applications are coded do they go to the regional reps. Start reading more on Admissions. There are a number of great books out there about the process. Or hire a consultant who knows the system.

[Anonymous]

Geez, we’ve read about AI culling, be happy it’s still a human in some form? I don’t know, can see pros and cons.

All schools cull in some fashion and not all schools are same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Learned something new today from a former AO.

For many private T20 universities, your kid's application is read by a "seasonal reader," not by your regional AO. The regional AO often does do a first read for the feeder private schools in their regions, but does not always do it for all of the public schools, given the number and time constraints. That's where the "reader" comes in. They segment the high schools like this and give the private schools to the AO. WTF.
Pissed.

Ask them point-blank about this if you go to the Coast-to-Coast College tour this fall.

You’re just learning this now? Lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Learned something new today from a former AO.

For many private T20 universities, your kid's application is read by a "seasonal reader," not by your regional AO. The regional AO often does do a first read for the feeder private schools in their regions, but does not always do it for all of the public schools, given the number and time constraints. That's where the "reader" comes in. They segment the high schools like this and give the private schools to the AO. WTF.
Pissed.

Ask them point-blank about this if you go to the Coast-to-Coast College tour this fall.

Can confirm this is pretty common as I'm a seasonal reviewer myself!

Omg

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Learned something new today from a former AO.

For many private T20 universities, your kid's application is read by a "seasonal reader," not by your regional AO. The regional AO often does do a first read for the feeder private schools in their regions, but does not always do it for all of the public schools, given the number and time constraints. That's where the "reader" comes in. They segment the high schools like this and give the private schools to the AO. WTF.
Pissed.

Ask them point-blank about this if you go to the Coast-to-Coast College tour this fall.

Do this only if you want to offend, get labeled a PITA, and your kid's application goes nowhere. This is standard operating procedure at almost all colleges and universities. Even the publics like William & Mary hire seasonal contract workers at about $25 an hour. you can find the job postings on Indeed. Several readers have even posted here. Their job is to cull through the applications and rate the application in a number of areas: GPA, test scores, ECs, legacy if applicable, sports, race, URM/first-generation, and so on. Your kid's essay is not read at this point. Only after the applications are coded do they go to the regional reps. Start reading more on Admissions. There are a number of great books out there about the process. Or hire a consultant who knows the system.

Why the double standard though? Why does the regional admissions officer read the feeder school applications – all of them? How is this not inequitable?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Geez, we’ve read about AI culling, be happy it’s still a human in some form? I don’t know, can see pros and cons.

All schools cull in some fashion and not all schools are same.

I agree that they have to do this, but I don’t understand the public / private high school distinction. That’s what I’m upset about - not that there is the involvement of a seasonal reader, which is necessary.

A more equitable system would be every 4.0 application is read by the regional AO rep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Learned something new today from a former AO.

For many private T20 universities, your kid's application is read by a "seasonal reader," not by your regional AO. The regional AO often does do a first read for the feeder private schools in their regions, but does not always do it for all of the public schools, given the number and time constraints. That's where the "reader" comes in. They segment the high schools like this and give the private schools to the AO. WTF.
Pissed.

Ask them point-blank about this if you go to the Coast-to-Coast College tour this fall.

Do this only if you want to offend, get labeled a PITA, and your kid's application goes nowhere. This is standard operating procedure at almost all colleges and universities. Even the publics like William & Mary hire seasonal contract workers at about $25 an hour. you can find the job postings on Indeed. Several readers have even posted here. Their job is to cull through the applications and rate the application in a number of areas: GPA, test scores, ECs, legacy if applicable, sports, race, URM/first-generation, and so on. Your kid's essay is not read at this point. Only after the applications are coded do they go to the regional reps. Start reading more on Admissions. There are a number of great books out there about the process. Or hire a consultant who knows the system.

Why the double standard though? Why does the regional admissions officer read the feeder school applications – all of them? How is this not inequitable?

Were you under the impression that college admissions was equitable?

[Anonymous]

If we’re taking a top elite school, I’m more inclined to believe an AO gets all strong feeders. I don’t believe all privates though, there are some crappy privates and publics that are almost feeders.