Seeing Double: Twins in the College Admission Process

Will they take us both?

When working with twins, the question invariably gets asked, “What if we apply to the same school?” And so we’ve asked those that make the decisions… hundreds of them. Not surprisingly, the answer is often, “it depends.”

Every admission officer that we approached assured us that twins were looked at as individual applicants first. For those colleges using holistic admissions, that means that the student’s essay, transcript, test scores, recommendations, etc. are evaluated together. After that first read and a provisional decision is rendered, however, approaches vary. But there seem to be some common themes:

If the multiples are quite different in their academic profiles, extracurricular activities, or writing ability, or if they are applying into different majors or schools within the college or university, the siblings could get a split decision. One could be admitted and one could be denied. “If we are going to admit just one, we want to have a justifiable reason should we get a call from a school counselor or student.”

But what if the students are virtually identical? Similar transcripts, test scores, and activities. “We try to make the same decision for both if they are close,” an admission dean told us. “It’s a yield thing.” Does that mean that a stronger twin can give a boost to a slightly weaker sibling? “Sometimes, yea.”

And that makes sense. Twins are tight! They look out for one another. And so, even if they aren’t intending to go to college together, a school saying no to their other half can be off-putting!

So, if you are a twin, think carefully about the schools that you choose to apply to! Confer with your twin, but make the best decisions for you and your future.

The Final Choice: It’s Intangible

It may be a coach, or possibly the tour guide, or maybe something they read on the web site. When it comes to making their final decision, students choose where to attend for the darndest reasons.  Often, the most difficult decision an 18-year-old can make, where to attend college, comes down to the intangibles.

Education professionals find that academics can play very little in the decision, much to the dismay of parents and college faculty. Some of the most common reasons students decide to choose one school over another are prestige, location, size, or cost.  For others, it is a feeling that they get coming off of the pavement that tells them “this is the place.”

For students who have done their research up front, the decision likely comes to splitting hairs between two excellent choices.  Some of the most difficult decisions arise over the summer when students, who have already committed to the school of their choice, suddenly find themselves coming off the waitlist. Often, it again comes down to the intangibles.

Waitlisted! Now What?

Being relegated to the waitlist can be hard. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Waiting isn’t easy and it certainly can be nerve-racking when it comes to your college results. At this point in the process we always have a few students that aren’t accepted or denied, but are waitlisted at one of their top choice colleges.  If you happen to be in this situation, we offer the following tips:

• In most situations, you will need to put a deposit down at another college.  The universal deposit date is May 1st.  At that time colleges will know how many students are enrolling in the fall which will determine whether or not they need to rely on the waitlist to fill the freshmen class.  Don’t lose your spot at another college because you are waiting for your name to come off the waitlist.  If you happen to get offered a spot off the waitlist, that will likely happen after May 1st.  So, go ahead and put your deposit down at another college.  

• Keep in mind that your deposit is non-refundable so if you are accepted from the waitlist you will lose your deposit at the college you initially selected.

• When you were first informed of your waitlist status, you had the opportunity to remain on or withdraw from the waitlist.  If you have already moved on and are no longer interested in attending, please take your name off the waitlist.

• It is smart to put together a letter or email to your admissions representative to provide them with any updates academically or extracurricularly. This may nudge them to offer you a spot if they need to use the waitlist to fill the freshmen class.

• Finally, by the time colleges are pulling students from the waitlist, the financial aid budget has been exhausted.  So, if you are looking for need-based or non-need-based aid, you will not likely receive much, if any, financial award coming off the waitlist.

On the Road Again

Rhodes College

At College Matters, visiting colleges, meeting with admissions professionals and talking with students and faculty are very important aspects of what we do. 

These visits allow us to give our students insight about colleges… before they go themselves.

On our recent visit to Rhodes College, we were thrilled to find a beautiful campus, engaged students and a dedicated faculty. Memphis is booming, and as the only college in the city, Rhodes students are first in line for internships, research and jobs. Check it out!

It's D3 Week!!!

The realities and myths of division three sports.

Many high school athletes automatically rule out playing college athletics at the Division III level. Before you do, get the facts!

Myth: D-3 isn’t that competitive.

Reality: Many top D-3 teams are stronger than their lower D-1 and D-2 counterparts. In fact, the NESCAC and Centennial conferences field extremely strong teams, particularly in men’s and women’s soccer, lacrosse, cross country, tennis, and volleyball, as well as baseball and softball.

Myth: Division III coaches don’t recruit.

Reality: There is some truth here. Many D-3 coaches rely on student-athletes to reach out and make the first contact. However, for a student on the bubble, having the support of a coach can be the difference between an admit and a deny.

Myth: It’s too much of a time commitment. I need to focus on academics!

Reality: It is a time commitment! College athletes practice each day, when in season, as well as have to balance time in the weight room, chalk-talk sessions, and runs. That being said, at the D-3 level, you are a student first, and coaches make sure that you’ve allocated time for academics.

In fact, many of our high school athletes find that they are more academically successful when they are busy! Too much unstructured time in college may not be a good thing!

Myth: I won't get any money!

Reality: Yes, D-3 colleges do not award athletic scholarships, but many are very generous with merit money, which they award holistically. They may just reward your leadership, commitment and drive with a generous merit scholarship.

It's Been an Honor!

Why choose an honors program?

Congratulations! In addition to being admitted to the university, you’ve also been invited to their honors program! But what does that mean?

Most often, honors programs are highly selective and pull from the top echelon of admitted students. But programs vary from school to school. There are many things to consider when weighing the pros and cons of attending a college or university in their honors program. Here are just a few.

Class size. Honors sections of courses are almost always smaller than their traditional counterparts. And sometimes you get the best faculty too!

Course registration. Getting the classes you want can be a challenge at many colleges, particularly as an underclassman. Honors students often get priority registration and a first in line.

Housing. Some schools have a special Honors dorm.

Money. Often, merit money comes along with the designation, as well as other monetary perks such as research stipends, study abroad scholarships and other endowed awards.

Thesis. Writing an honors thesis is a common requirement for completion of the program. Some students, particularly those in engineering, business or in dual enrollment programs, opt out of honors because of the amount of time writing a thesis will take, especially if their major has separate requirements.

Advising. Honors advisors are in addition to your major advisor!

Diploma. The honors designation is on your diploma. That certainly stands out to employers and graduate programs!

How to Not Take a Rejection Personally

In the admission process, you are just a file.

Imagine you’ve just interviewed for a summer job as an ice cream scooper. You arrive at your designated time, and another high school student is finishing up their interview. Then, when you are winding up your chat with the store manager, another applicant enters the store. Wow! This job is a popular one. You feel confident with your qualifications and interview, but a week later you call to follow up and are told that the position has been filled.

How do you respond? Hopefully, you say “I didn’t get the job,” not “I was rejected.”

It’s an important subtlety and one that we share will all of our students stung by a “no” from one of their colleges. Rejection is personal; it implies dismissal, rebuff, even revulsion. Denial is different.

It always helps to remember that in the college admissions process, you are a piece of paper, not a human being. The college didn’t reject you; they denied a file. Of course, it is hard not to take it personally! But by removing rejection from your vocabulary, hopefully, you can move on and focus on the other wonderful things to come at the college that liked what they saw and accepted your file!

Coaching Your Student Through Rejection

They’ve done everything that’s been asked of them — often even more than that. They have worked hard in school, on the athletic fields, in their communities, in practice rooms, on stage, and in the lab. And, despite all of that, the answer is “no.”

Seeing your child not achieve something that they truly gave their all can be one of the hardest jobs of a parent, for often, the parent feels the sting as well.

So how do you coach a student through a college rejection?

Don’t say too much. We’ve found that the best response to a student who has received a rejection is “it’s their loss.” Hopefully, they know that you think they are fabulous, and deserving, and were ripped-off. Those sentiments can come later.

Make sure they know that you are proud of them. We’ve had many students tell us in confidence that they worry their parent is embarrassed by the admission decision, and therefore of them. So, the best message, for now, is “we are just as proud of you after this decision as we were before it.”

Don’t try to figure it out. Years ago I had an Ivy League admission officer friend tell me, “No one gets in before coffee.” I chuckled, but she was serious. She’d been keeping a tally in admission committee. The number of students admitted before the coffee cart came in around 9 a.m. was abysmal. A “no” can simply mean that you were one of the unlucky ones in the queue.

Let it go. Don’t let a rejection define you — or them.

Ethics Matters

We at College Matters are proud to be members of the Independent Educational Consultants Association, an organization recognized as leaders in promoting the highest ethical standards in the industry. In addition, we adhere to the Principals of Good Practice of the National Association of College Admission Counselors and affiliate organizations.

A fully vetted independent educational consultant (IEC) will be solely concerned about an individual student’s well-being and guiding them to a school where they will thrive and succeed on their own merits.

We truly believe that the college process is a match to be made, not a race to be won and we take pride in the work we do with a wide variety of students and families.

BEWARE: Senior Slump Ahead

You’ve worked too hard to have things come crashing down now!

Although it may not quite feel like spring here in Connecticut, for the Class of 2019, things are heating up. College decisions are just around the corner as well as proms, picnics and parties…. and senioritis!

It is so tempting to want to take it easy once the college decision is made. However, remember that colleges see your final transcript and can rescind an acceptance if there is a significant dip. Also, should you ever want to transfer from one college to another, your high school transcript will be a part of the file. So stay focused!