Chance me? Please don’t.

Some college applicants spend time on a Reddit channel called "Chance Me," where applicants post their credentials—their SAT scores, GPA, extracurriculars, college essays, scholarships, and the like—and ask the Internet to predict what their chances are of getting into their first-choice college. Some of the comments end up being unkind, or come filled with misinformation about the process. I think this type of online environment can be incredibly toxic, and detrimental to the student's application.

To a lesser degree, I think conversations between students, and between groups of parents, can be similarly unhelpful. Conventional wisdom about the college process has changed significantly over the years—certainly since I went to college—and students often hear things from their peers that can lead them astray when it comes to deciding where to apply, and how.

A huge part of my job is providing information to students and their parents, and then guiding them through the college application process in a low-pressure, low-stress, thoughtfully planned manner.

First, I help students build a balanced college list that includes a mix of "reach" schools, "target" schools, and "likely" schools. Calculating a student's likelihood of acceptance isn't a good use of our time and energy. A better approach is helping students "fall in like" with a few different schools, including some where they're likely to be accepted. It's fine to apply to one or more "reach" schools as long as they manage their expectations.

Then, I help students prepare their personal statements, supplemental essays, and other application materials, tailoring each of these to the colleges where they're applying.

Finally, I help them navigate deadlines, adjust their strategy as they go, and advise them on next steps once schools come back with admissions decisions, all with an eye toward being proactive and positive, and trusting the process.

If you'd like assistance managing the complex and sometimes stressful world of college admissions, please use the contact form on my website to reach out!

#collegeadmissions #collegeadmissionsconsultant #collegecounseling #collegecounselor #pnacac #iec #ieca