Admissions Opinion
Former University President Derek Bok Says Harvard Should End Legacy Admissions
Former Harvard President Derek C. Bok said top American universities like Harvard should end legacy admissions preferences in remarks to the Financial Times on Monday.
Students Debate Affirmative Action Goals at Discussion
At a discussion hosted by several cultural student groups, undergraduates debated merits of affirmative action policies in college admissions amid widespread scrutiny of Harvard’s own admissions process.
'Sneak Attack': Cheating on the SAT is Easy
Unbeknownst to many of us college students, College Board test takers have used technology to jump leagues ahead on our most important college preparation test by cheating. Peter Wayner's book “Sneak Attack” enters the world of these high school geeks. Taking a conversation with a Brooklyn Science grad, as well as many other technical sources, Wayner exposes the simple fact that “anyone could cheat on the SAT”.
Stanford vs. Harvard
Stanford accepted a record low number of applicants this year. What does this mean for Harvard?
Harvard Not On Top?
Even if it isn’t the weather, make out parties, or chances of becoming a reality TV star that is drawing students to the west coast school, something about Stanford’s popularity is definitely on the rise.
Should Harvard Increase Its Class Size?
In light of the rising rate of rejections and the increasing number of extremely qualified applicants in an admissions pool, the inevitable question has arisen: should elite schools like Harvard increase class sizes in order to accommodate these changes? Unfortunately, though, this approach is far from practical and would only hurt the student body overall.
Harvard for All
Around 1,700 students graduate from Harvard College this year. Should this number be higher?
Social Media and Admissions: To Facebook or Not to Facebook?
As a college applicant, I pulled out all the stops to hose down my social media presence. I deactivated my Facebook, deleted my Twitter account and (empty) YouTube channel, and combed my blog for expletives, painstakingly removing each one. I was convinced—or at least my over-supportive and over-anxious mother was convinced—that each instance of rebellious behavior would assure admissions officers of my poor moral character.
Face What?
Students scramble to get rid of their social media accounts before admissions decisions, perhaps to no avail.
Waitlists: Not the End of the World
You may accept your position on the waitlist and develop a plan of action, but in the meantime, celebrate the schools you did get into. You’re going to college. That’s a huge achievement that many of us take for granted, and is something that not everyone gets to say.
To Those Who Were Rejected
I’ll let you in on a little secret. Harvard students get rejected too. A lot.
The Big Decision
Regardless of how you feel, you now need to go forward with the next step of this college process. So after getting over the initial excitement or disappointment of your offers, you have to take the time to decide where you will end up.
The New SAT: Paradigm Shift or More of the Same?
High school students and parents are in a panicked frenzy after the recent changes to the SAT. But, most likely, all of these reactions are unnecessary. While the announced changes certainly sound like the beginnings of a paradigm-shift, the reality is that the “new” SAT promises to be more of the same.
Are the SAT and ACT Too Distanced From High School Work?
If, as the College Board claims, the SAT and ACT are designed to test general knowledge, then the purpose of these tests does not need to closely resemble what schools teach students. If test-makers want to use these exams to tell college admissions officers something about “natural intelligence,” then the tests should not be expected to closely resemble what students learn in school at all.
The Irrelevant SAT
Many have constantly questioned the ability of the SAT to test students on material relevant to their high school curricula.
SAT Changes: From A College Freshman Perspective
For students who are planning to take the SAT starting spring 2016, we have great news: The College Board just announced great changes to the structure and format of the infamous exams. For those who read the news and still don’t understand what it exactly means, here is a breakdown of some of the most important changes.
Inside The World of Chance Me
The premise for the ‘chance me’ thread is simple: a high school student will post his respective statistics (GPA, test scores, etc.), interests, or clubs, and seeks his chances of admission to a particular school from members of the CC community.
Chance Me
'Chance Me' threads, where students can find out whether they can gain admission to a certain college, are popular on College Confidential.